Apple Eton — Attraction in Woodmere

I will start off with I live an hour away from this Apple location as well as Summit Mall. I choose this area because I used to work out there and it was slightly closer with a less traveled highway.

I called Apple support to schedule an appointment for repair for a front screen crack. through my Apple care. The customer service rep said I was able to stay in the store and wait for my device to be fixed because it should only take an hour. I showed at for my appointment. The tech was nice and I was quickly seen. He assured me also that it was okay for me to wait inside the store and my device should be ready on an hour. I move over to the cubes and sit down. 10 minutes in a different tech approaches me. They check my wait time and I’m not told 630. I explain to the tech that I was told it was only going to be an hour wait and I live an hour away. She says let me go check on that. Another individual approaches me and identifies that she is the store manager (does not tell me a name). She then tells me that I need to leave the store. I inquire as to why I need to leave. Prior to this I noticed the customer sitting closest to me was there longer than me. The only difference was he was buying a product and talking with his tech. She states that because I was waiting for a repair that I needed to leave. I told her that Apple Support and the tech said that I could stay inside the store. She then states that I still needed to leave the store and that maybe I could wait in my car or go shopping. It was 44 and rainy outside. I didn’t want to run my car that long and I explained that. (I had eaten prior to this and drank a coffee on my hour long drive). I also didn’t want to go shopping as I didn’t have any interest. I wasn’t walking around or close to staff/customers. I was just sitting there. She states that they could have a limited amount of customers in the store and she wasn’t being mean about. By this time she was raising her voice and making large hand motions. I was getting embarrassed at this point. I stated I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I scheduled an appointment for a repair and I was a paying customer like the other customers. She then tells me in a loud voice, “don’t make me call security.” At this point I was getting made and asked if could talk to corporate. She started to rattle off the number. I interrupt her and state I need a phone because they took mine. She then states let me talk to security. About 5 minutes later she comes back and says security says that there is no wait and I can stay inside the store until my device is done. But if there are a lot of customers inside I would have to leave. During this 20 minute process the same customer closest to me is STILL talking with his tech and just sitting there. I wait until my device comes and fortunately the tech who took my information down brought it back and apologized about the headache. I apologized to him if I got him in trouble. I explained again I didn’t want to wait out in my car or go shopping. He states well what about a beer and burger. I explain then I had ate before coming and can’t drink one beer without being okay to drive and reminded him again I lived an hour away. He’s like what about a coffee. I told him then I had bought a coffee on the way there for my hour drive. I thanked him and then left the store. Again the customer closest to me was STILL there and the tech had gone on break because they were with the customer for so long. I would have understood if I was a walk in customer being asked to leave but I had made an appointment ahead of time and drove an hour away because it would be a quick fix. I could have driven to Macedonia Best Buy and leave my phone and been fine with it but I thought why not make the extra 20 minute drive for same day quick repair?

Worst experience ever with a technology company. I had made the switch back to Apple last December. Even bought an Apple watch and iPad to sync easily but now I wish I stayed with Microsoft products. They never made me...

Absolute worst customer experience I’ve ever had. One of my AirPod Pro rubber ear tips tore in half trying to replace them so I called this Apple store to see if they had them in stock. There is no way to check this in the Apple Store on your phone. The woman at the store said they would transfer me to Apple Care, which I thought was weird, and they told me that they were not allowed to tell me if they had them in stock at store and that the only way to see if they had them in stock was to show up to the store. I was already a little annoyed but told them I would drive 30 minutes to the Apple store to see if they were available. NOTE: this would have been a great time to tell me I needed to bring my AirPods with I me!! As you will see later, this wasn’t told to me until the last possible moment.

So I finally get to the store and tell the person up front what I am looking for. One set of medium AirPod pro ear tips. There were three people I spoke to in quick succession, each one telling me something different until I was ultimately told to go wait by a table. About 5 minutes later a person comes up to me and tells me they do have them in stock and to check in with a girl in the middle. I check in with the girl in the middle who directs me to another table at the opposite side. About 5 minutes later a person comes up to me and tells me that they can only sell me size small or large but if I want to buy a medium, I would have to book an appointment with the Genius Bar. This already made no sense to me but I didn’t argue. Before he left to put me in the cue I said, “BTW, I don’t have the AirPods with me. That isn’t going to be a problem is it?” He assured me it wouldn’t.

So after waiting 15 minutes I get called to the Genius Bar and explain my whole situation and what I’m looking for and the first thing he asks is if I have my AirPods with me. I said no and that I told the person who made the appointment for me this and they told me it wouldn’t be a problem. I tried to explain the situation and who I had called over an hour ago and they wouldn’t even tell me if they sold them unless I showed up in a physical store and never mentioned bringing them.

Long story short I made the 30 minute drive home empty handed because Apple is frustrating bureaucratic and each team so separated that no one could give me a correct answer out of the 7 different people I spoke to. By far the worst/most frustrating customer experience of my life and I am going to be looking for Bootleg eartips on amazon rather than go back there. I’m usually unfazed by incompetent corporate policies but this was so beyond bizarre and left a bad taste...

Deeply Disappointed by the Experience

Apple Stores are designed to be open, interactive spaces where customers can walk in, browse products, and receive help in a welcoming environment. That’s why I was shocked by the treatment my family and I received at the Eton location.

The door opened easily when I pushed — no signage, no lock — and so we walked in, assuming the store was open or that someone would greet us. I’m a Black woman, and I was with two elderly gentlemen — one Black, one White. We were browsing the iPhone 16 display when a staff member named Dale entered from outside, holding the door open like we were intruders or insects to be shooed out.

He didn’t lead with a polite explanation. Instead, his posture and tone made us feel like we were doing something wrong — like we were a threat. He didn’t ask if we were employees or offer clarification until after telling us to leave. I tried to explain that there was no indication the store was closed, but his attitude remained dismissive. It was embarrassing and completely unnecessary.

Then came Manager Barbara, whom Dale called for backup. Rather than de-escalate, she scolded us and said we were being confrontational — though at that point, I had raised my voice only after being treated rudely. Her so-called “apology” felt more like damage control than genuine concern. She didn’t ask what happened or how they could improve. Steven, another employee, smirked and joined in the shooing as though we’d done something outrageous.

I returned after the store opened (because I still needed to purchase the phone) and had a completely different experience. Chaundra greeted me warmly and connected me with Nick, who helped me complete the $2,000 purchase with care and professionalism.

But that doesn’t erase the earlier experience. It highlighted a serious gap in customer service training — especially at the front end. Apple’s setup is intentionally customer-facing. If they don’t want people walking in before official hours, they should lock the doors or post clear signage. And if someone does enter early by mistake, they should be met with respect, not hostility.

Apple, please do better. Please train your staff to meet customers with grace,...