Apple Southdale — Attraction in Edina

I am writing to share a troubling experience I had while shopping at the Saint Louis Park store for a pair of AirPods. My visit was marred by what I believe to be an instance of racial profiling.

Upon entering the store, I was approached by an employee who was assisting another customer. He abruptly stopped talking mid-sentence and questioned me about my intentions before I even had a chance to browse or walk past the first table. Despite showing him my interest in purchasing AirPods and explaining that I would wait until he was finished assisting the other customer, I was subjected to further scrutiny. He said, "She can wait." I should have left the store at that moment.

As I moved over to the AirPods display to evaluate my options, I noticed an employee positioning himself close to the table where I was browsing. It was apparent that, despite there being multiple open tables, this employee was specifically stationed near me. Additionally, I observed a mall police officer near the entrance, which seemed to further suggest that I was being watched. While at the table, I picked up items without any suspicious movements and placed them back in their proper areas.

While comparing prices, I discovered that Walmart was offering the same AirPods for $79.99, whereas Apple was selling them for $129. I decided to call Walmart to confirm the price difference. During this call, I noticed multiple employees circulating around the area as if anticipating that I might leave the store without paying.

Feeling uncomfortable and singled out, I approached the front attendant and quietly expressed my concern about being racially profiled. I informed him that I would be taking my business elsewhere and left the store.

It is disheartening to experience such treatment based on my appearance and attire (I was dressed down, and my natural hair is large). As an assistant principal for a small school, I am fully capable of purchasing items and expect to be treated with respect regardless of my appearance. It is also regrettable that I even need to provide this context. This incident has led me to decide that I will not be shopping at the Saint Louis Park location in the future.

I hope this feedback will prompt a review of store policies and staff training to ensure that all customers are treated equitably and with respect. If customers feel this way, I can only imagine the concerns of BIPOC staff members working for Apple at this location and the racial harm they may experience. In light of George Floyd's death, given that we are in Minnesota, you'd think this location would be proactive in addressing and implementing anti-racist practices. Unfortunately, it seems that the Edina Apple Store is not welcoming to all customers, particularly Black people who may not fit certain stereotypes about wealth or electronics.

Sincerely, Unpack, Reset, and Address the Racism or Lose...

I'm writing this on my broken computer right now, which was not fixed due to the literally incomprehensible incompetence of every single employee at this Apple Store location. At about 4:30 pm today (Thursday, May 10th), I walked into this store with my MacBook to get a repair. A technician took down my information--name, phone number, email address, and the issues with my laptop--and told me that I would receive a text message or call within 1.5-2 hours when a technician was ready to see me. I went home and waited. And waited. And waited. Around 7:00 I started to get suspicious, because it had been 2.5 hours since I was in the store. At 7:55 pm I started to call the Apple Store Southdale.

When I called, a robot answered and asked what the issue was. I was told by this robot I'd be transferred to a technician. The phone rang...and rang. And rang. After several minutes of ringing, the phone went to busy. I tried this again and again. I tried asking to speak to a manager. I tried asking for an update about my service appointment. I tried to make a new service appointment. I tried to speak with a representative. This same issue happened over and over again.

My mother at a certain point tried calling and FINALLY got on the phone with a human being. She explained the issue to the employee. He said he would check up on that and be right back with us. We sat on hold for 18 minutes. A DIFFERENT employee then picked up the phone and had absolutely no idea what was going on or why we were on hold. He said he was the manager. I explained to him what had happened, and he addressed me in the most condescending, patronizing manner possible. I asked why his employee had simply left us on the line and did not get back to us. He did not tell me.

He asked me when I could come in tomorrow for a repair. How ridiculous! This "manager" expects me to, after waiting at home for four hours and then calling and waiting on hold at least ten times without receiving a response, to come back to his awful excuse for a store and pay a ridiculous fee to POSSIBLY have my computer fixed. Who's to say I wouldn't have gone back in, been sent home, and waited for four more hours and never receive any response?

This manager claims that the "automated system" did in fact contact me for my appointment, but I never received any contact from them for the whole night, and can prove it with my phone records.

This is the worst customer service I have EVER received in my entire life. I work in healthcare customer service and speak with dozens to hundreds of patients every day. I remember them by name. I treat them with respect. I would never treat them the way I was treated today and cannot imagine that any professional company would approve of such awful, rude, incompetent, and simply purely IDIOTIC behavior from its so-called...

I can not and will not recommend this place to anyone. The nessisity of my visit was due to my work phone (iPhone XR) becoming dangerously hot in my pocket. So hot I jumped out of my desk chair and tossed it on to my desk. Mt first thought was maybe I left the flashlight on. That was not the case as my phone would no longer turn on at this point or give any indication that it was connected to my computer. As soon as I could I went to the Apple store. My phobe was still so hot at this point the guy making appointments almost dropped it. The refused to see me and made an appointment for later that afternoon. An appointment that was supposed to be confirmed by text message to my personal phone. (Spoiler alert) that text message never came.

I finish my shift at the office and headed back to the Apple store. I am informed that due to my being late ?!? My appointment was instantly canceled. I politley informed them that I never got a confirmation (showed them my phone for proof) and that I still needed help. The guy said he would try and find a way to help me. A half hour in to my second apple store trip of the day, I finally meet with a genius. Problem is that now my phone had cooled off (im guessing the battery died) so they have no proof of my claim. I spent the next 2 hours either waiting while they check with supposed apple saftey experts etc. The end result is they dont believe me. They say there was no thermal warning on the phone so there is nothing they can do. There "diagnostics" which they didnt let me see, only show a need for a software/firmware update which they voulenteered to do, first nuking my phone to do it.

No matter what I said, they had no desire to help me, and no reguard for my saftey. I am an IT professional with over 20 years experience. I explained my concern about a potentially dangerous battery issue like with the Galaxy Note 7. The apple rep and Team lead I spoke to just didnt care.

For anyone reading this, this isnt even a one time thing, I brought another device in not to long ago an iPhone XS. This one was also red hot. Same song and dance with a twist. They brought out this mini magnifying glass to show me a microscopic crack on the home button sensor and told me that was user damage and not covered by warranty. I have seen phones with shattered screens work fine and never heat up like that. Apple being apple did everything they could not help me at all.

Amazing how a company can label their staff geniuses but lack the basics of customer...