Hasta La Gadget!

What, if anything, would you stand in line for all night? Front row tickets to your favorite band? A cameo on your favorite show? A spot for your child in that better school?

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Making appointments and purchases online is no longer a novelty, but rather, it has proven to be the norm for many of us. The same applies too to those who want to schedule Genius Bar appointments using Apple’s online support webpage, but a tiny change in the policy has required users to now sign in using their valid Apple ID before they are able to go ahead and schedule a Genius Bar appointment.

What you see above is pretty much the same screen that will greet your eyes whenever you intend to schedule a Genius Bar appointment using Apple’s online reservations system. The “Open Sesame!” procedure here would require you to key in your valid Apple ID before any progress is made. While this new rule was reported by TechCrunch yesterday, it remains to be seen just when this particular policy change first occurred. Apple apparently changed the appointment policy so that they are able to gain higher levels of control over support appointments, payments included. Not only that, with customer information being connected to an Apple ID, various relevant information such as outstanding support tickets can be accessed by the Genius Bar staff before a customer arrives, helping streamline the process for everyone.

Apple IDs Required To Schedule Genius Bar Appointments Online original content from Ubergizmo.

The Apple Store is a hectic place in China, so hectic that if you try to go in for a repair without an appointment, you can expect to wait all day. No big deal. This is what the black market for Genius Bar appointments is for.

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So the Genius Bar idea has been implemented for the longest time already in Apple Stores, at least it feels like that. How else is the world’s most valuable company supposed to improve on itself? Well, it looks like the rumors are true and word has it that a New Jersey Apple Store will be the first in the entire chain that will construct a double-row Genius Bar as Apple works to combat overcrowding in their stores.

The Garden State Plaza Apple Store in New Jersey first opened its doors to the public in 2006, and they will be working on the new arrangement when the store is moved to a larger space which is said to nearly increase the store’s eventual square footage by three times. A couple of Genius Bars aligned parallel to the rear wall is said to enable “360-degree access” to Apple staff. How else do you think that Apple is able to improve on their physical stores? Will overcrowding be an issue in the future, and will tripling it down the road help alleviate future issues as well?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Apple wants to overturn iPhone ban in South Korea, Adam Cheyer, Siri’s co-creator bids Apple adieu,

Best Buy founder Richard Schulze is proposing a plan to turn around the ailing electronics store as part of a $10 billion buyout. He’s proposing the retailer slashes prices to compete with online rivals like Amazon, while offering Apple Store-levels of customer service. He’s concerned that the current closure and size-reduction policy will spell the end of the business, which is rumored to announce another round of closures shortly. It’s yet to be seen if his plan, which would mean running Best Buy at a loss for several years, would be accepted by the company’s management, who are meeting to discuss the proposals at the end of the month.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Best Buy founder wants slashed prices, Apple-style customer service in $10 billion rescue plan originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 11:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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