[Christian Matthew]

I always get the retort "Apple stores are so packed" "Way more packed than Microsoft Stores."

Well, after doing my holiday Black Friday shopping at the Microsoft Stores upstairs, I proceeded to go downstairs to rest my tired feet from carrying around my new Xbox One and Surface Pro 3 and Dell Laptop they had on sale. I sat outside of the Apple store and noticed something. It was packed like sardines and they actually had a turnstile rope line, like what you see in a theme park, to limit the amount of people entering into the store.

But, what I noticed is that not many if any of the people I saw leaving actually bought anything. Seriously they just keep leaving empty handed. Is it really that fun to look over and over again.

[Likwidz]

One of our MS stores is literally right across an Apple store and I've noticed at that location a lot of those people are there for support and tutorials with their products

[blue1k]

I sadly hang out at the MS Store.

[EBUK]

We don't have any MS stores here in the UK. At least, I've never seen one. I've never been to the local Apple store, but have visited one in a nearby town, but only because it was an educational visit with some school children.

I would never WILLINGLY step foot in an Apple store. There is nothing there to interest me. I would visit a MS store (but probably wouldn't by anything.)

[ajst222]

Because no one has ever seen a Mac, an iPhone, or an iPad before! lol. But I've noticed that Microsoft Stores are generally just as packed from my experiences.

[Guytronic]

Maybe customers like this brings 'em in?

[Likwidz]

Maybe customers like this brings 'em in?

Bauhahahahaha...I like the Azn dude not given a f right behind her

[etad putta]

Yes, there are many people receiving training, and attending classes, but people spend a little bit of money there....Apple And The Other Most Successful Retailers By Sales Per Square Foot - Forbes

[Slovenix]

Lol I do too always run into an Apple store and look around. That's why :) Sadly the is no Microsoft Stores here to do that

[ShinraCorp]

I would hang out at a Microsoft Store if there was one in Ottawa.... but sadly it seems the capital of Canada isn't important to them :P

[crash0330]

I always find it sort of weird why people hang out at the Apple or even Mircrosoft store.
I've seen people that actually go there with friends and sit and talk for a long time, while checking facebook on the iMacs on display.

[idokamaroq]

Because it's trendy. iPhones are as much a fashion statement as anything else, as are Apple stores...
I don't think people call up their friends on their iPhones and say "Hey, let's go hang out at the Apple store today!" but if they happen to walk by one, as one does in any mall, "Hey, let's go in! Might as well check out the new iPhone, anyways. It's the same as this one, but it has a 6 on the back!"

One of our MS stores is literally right across an Apple store

My MSFT store is also directly across from the Apple store, with the same exact faade but in white and the MS flag staring back at the white apple. I find it amusing.

[Christian Matthew]

that's awesome

[bseuivafom]

It's a combination of:

- People looking at stuff they want
- People looking at stuff they're going to buy
- Tourists and students who know that an Apple Store is definitely one place you'll get free Wifi access without anyone bothering you
- People being trained
- People who're waiting for 'geniuses' to be called for faulty stuff - and whatever people say Apple stuff breaks like clockwork, it's just that service is really good when (not if) it does
- People who're talking to 'geniuses'

... but the common thing is that it's pretty much 100% likely that everyone in an Apple Store is more likely to buy Apple than anything else.

Contrast that to e.g. everyone who's waiting in line at a Microsoft Store for tickets to a concert or a free gig in the Store, where I'd bet 80+% of them are Apple customers lol

[crash0330]

I like what idokamaroq, reasoning better, I do feel like a lot of those people just hang out there because it's trendy, they wanna be seen there.

[Christian Matthew]

Your assessment is for about 10% of the people in there on any given day. Again, I sat outside of blackfriday and rarely saw anyone leaving with a bag. Granted when the iphone 6 I saw the same exact thing. Everyone there, rarely anyone actually buying anything.