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Buying from Apple Store - Regent Street - London

appledu

appledu

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 16, 2006
98
0
Somewhere. I don't remember ...
Hello all,

I plan on getting a Mac at the end of the year (MBP).

I'm currently in Europe, but am visiting family back in the UK in November, and have planned a shopping day in London...

I want to buy in store as I can't risk having a dead/stuck pixel and will want to try it in store...will they let me do that?

How are stocks at Regent Street's store? Can you phone in advance to reserve?

Are the staff nice and helpful?

Is there a member of staff on here wanting to make a killer sale? :p

What proof do they need for a Higher Education discount? If I log onto my student Uni account, is that enough, or do they want proof, like a letter addressed to me from Uni or a student card?

What's the rebate? 15%?

Thanks,

appledu
 
appledu said:
Hello all,

I plan on getting a Mac at the end of the year (MBP).

I'm currently in Europe, but am visiting family back in the UK in November, and have planned a shopping day in London...

I want to buy in store as I can't risk having a dead/stuck pixel and will want to try it in store...will they let me do that?
Click to expand...

No, you have to purchase it first. This prevents you from going through endless computers to find one that you want, only to force them to sell them at a discount later because they are open.

appledu said:
How are stocks at Regent Street's store? Can you phone in advance to reserve?
Click to expand...

It's a flaghship store, I would imagine they're stocked to the brim. Couldn't hurt to call first though.

appledu said:
Are the staff nice and helpful?
Click to expand...

I see no reason why they wouldn't be. They weren't hired because their rude and useless.

appledu said:
What's the rebate? 15%?
Click to expand...

Check on the Apple Store for education on the UK site.

appledu said:
Thanks,
Click to expand...

No problem.
 
also theres no higher education discount, only normal education which is about 8%. for the full he dicount you have to either phone up or go through your universitys network.
 
The discount is 6% on new machines (or at least this is what I was quoted on a Mac mini) - the online discount is far bigger.

Staff are OK, but the store is too crammed and this is the centre of London - like most big cities, it's not as friendly and personable as a smaller city. The staff at the Bullring are far better IMO.
 
thequicksilver said:
The discount is 6% on new machines (or at least this is what I was quoted on a Mac mini) - the online discount is far bigger.

Staff are OK, but the store is too crammed and this is the centre of London - like most big cities, it's not as friendly and personable as a smaller city. The staff at the Bullring are far better IMO.
Click to expand...

too right, and what even more annoying is that they have free internet on nearly all the machines so people just use it as a free internet cafe! arrrgggg, i want to have a look at the machine fool!
 
I personally prefer the Regent's Street Store to the Bullring, but I tend ot find at the Bullring, more staff are available to help you. like the other day I was in there, and this dude who had just finished doin a garageband tutorial came over to me, whilst I was messing around on Garageband, and promptly spent 45mins going through all the features of it and making a bangin tune with some HD video, I was very impressed.

What I particularly love about Apple stores is that there isn't a push to buy, buy, buy, well, except for my wallet wanting every computer in the store :p
The staff offer assistance, are more thn happy to show you the hardware + software and don't pressure you into buying, more than can be said for quite a few PC stores I know....

Cheers guys
 
Thanks...

I think that I can get a 15% discount with a NUS card...

Surely, in order to do a sale, they will just let me test the screen, I can hardly see them having to open many in order to get a working screen...:eek:

appledu
 
majorp said:
also theres no higher education discount, only normal education which is about 8%. for the full he dicount you have to either phone up or go through your universitys network.
Click to expand...

6%

Great store. Great stock. Really nice and helpful staff.
 
appledu said:
...Surely, in order to do a sale, they will just let me test the screen, I can hardly see them having to open many in order to get a working screen...:eek:

appledu
Click to expand...

don't know if they have different policies at the stores in the UK but here in the USA they generally wont let you open a box to check out the computer before you buy it.....you can buy it and then open it immediately to see if there are any problems and return it right then if there are
 
appledu said:
Thanks...

I think that I can get a 15% discount with a NUS card...

Surely, in order to do a sale, they will just let me test the screen, I can hardly see them having to open many in order to get a working screen...:eek:

appledu
Click to expand...

6% like netdog said. and not a chance on opening the box first.
 
Macky-Mac said:
don't know if they have different policies at the stores in the UK but here in the USA they generally wont let you open a box to check out the computer before you buy it.....you can buy it and then open it immediately to see if there are any problems and return it right then if there are
Click to expand...

I can second this.

Unless you put up a big stink, and really make a fool of yourself and annoy the other customers by throwing a fit (which I've seen far too often in Apple Stores!), they'll make you purchase it before opening it, even though they'll gladly let you open it right up afterwards.

As for the whole dead pixel thing in general, you may not get them to return it without a restocking fee if the only problem is just a dead pixel. It all depends how the employee is.
 
OK, it's fair to buy it, if I can exchange it for a straight swap directly...

Would it be possible for me to buy it, test it and return it the next day, if necessary for a direct exchange?

I know there's a program for testing pixels, can anyone give me the link?

I'm also pretty sure that I can get 15% discount with a NUS card...:confused:

Thanks,

appledu
 
about the HE Discount

Actually the discount rate depends on your university. 6 or 8% is the regular edu discount as I know, but the HE one varies. And yes, it should be around 15% - you are not wrong.

In addition, you can use your HE discount within the Apple store (at least at Regent). I also used to believe that the HE thing was only for the online store, but now as i have learned that if you visit the store with your NUS card, you will be able to shop with the relevant discount rate for your university.
 
Yigit said:
Actually the discount rate depends on your university. 6 or 8% is the regular edu discount as I know, but the HE one varies. And yes, it should be around 15% - you are not wrong.

In addition, you can use your HE discount within the Apple store (at least at Regent). I also used to believe that the HE thing was only for the online store, but now as i have learned that if you visit the store with your NUS card, you will be able to shop with the relevant discount rate for your university.
Click to expand...


That's what I wanted to hear! :)

Thanks,

appledu
 
appledu said:
I meant that I'm in "mainland Europe"...
:rolleyes:

appledu
Click to expand...

I just find it funny, because I've recently been in the UK for some time, and even though most UK citizens don't see themselves as Europeans, they seem to be insulted when you refer to continental Europe as "Europe" and to the UK as a country outside of Europe.. ;-)
 
weg said:
I just find it funny, because I've recently been in the UK for some time, and even though most UK citizens don't see themselves as Europeans, they seem to be insulted when you refer to continental Europe as "Europe" and to the UK as a country outside of Europe.. ;-)
Click to expand...


:rolleyes: , I know fellow Brits who are offended either way... :rolleyes:

Does anyone know what that pixel tester program is?

appledu
 
weg said:
I just find it funny, because I've recently been in the UK for some time, and even though most UK citizens don't see themselves as Europeans, they seem to be insulted when you refer to continental Europe as "Europe" and to the UK as a country outside of Europe.. ;-)
Click to expand...

Interesting, as someone who has lived in France, it's pretty much universal for most English people I know both at home and abroad to refer to the rest of Europe as "the continent" as opposed to "Europe".

We tend to see ourselves as part of the general grouping called Europe, but different enough from those on "the continent" to merit the difference in name.
 
I used to buy most of my stuff from regent street and experiences have been mixed. I don't get full discounts like i would the online store, some employees tend to think they're gods because they work in an Apple store and tend to be aloof...then again maybe its because i'm black and they think i'm a time wasting wannabe who has no money to spend.

Anyways i only buy accesories or carry out repairs now from that store and do all major hardware purchases online or when i'm in the states. US stores treat me a whole lot better. For example, a recent trip i made to a NJ morristown store was pleasant. The lady ASKED if i was a student and would like a discount (since i looked like a student)...even though i was from England, she still made it happen and i got a student discount on my MBP. Courteous, friendly and nice overall.

But yeah the store is a flagship and is well stocked and you may run into some cool staff and you may not. As for discounts, i dunno....
 
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