Scobleizer - Latest Comments in Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Heike — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 23:10:39 -0000

what is the reason why you cant take pictures inside an apple store?

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Peter — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:06:49 -0000

Of course stores have a right to set policy, but they should weigh that against the fact that they are pissing off customers with said policy. I just got yelled at by a manager of a 7-11 next to where I work (I am no stranger there; the guy has seen me buy food there for YEARS) because I took a photo of a Homer Simpson sign in front of the store. "Corporate policy" he told me. "No photos."

Why it's corporate policy to annoy loyal customers, I'll never know.

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Tyresse — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 23:07:01 -0000

i also snapped a few pics inside an apple store and no one seems to mind.

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

JaG — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 04:19:13 -0000

I've had this happen in lots of other stores too. Even in clothing stores!

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Jonny Wadd — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:15:01 -0000

well I didn't have that trouble inside the Apple store where I live, I took a shit load pictures of a couple fucking in the store and they were still going strong when the police showed up and then I snapped a photo of the couple fucking with police man standing next to them and one of the officers told me that he wanted my photos from my camera, I told him no way and that he would have to get his own camera and take his own pictures. The couple almost got arrested but the police officers took the female too the storage area of the store for questioning and them and they came back 20 minutes later and the two officers were smiling and told the store manager that they didn't have any HARD evidence and the couple was fee to go. I just love Apple store you never know what your going to see in there

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Bill Hartzer — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 13:49:38 -0000

Robert, perhaps the Apple employee was referring to their policy that YOU (Robert Scoble) aren't allowed to take photos inside an Apple store.

Perhaps they know that photos that you take are going to end up on the scobleizer blog. LOL

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Elizabeth Thomsen — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:05:22 -0000

Many retail and restaurant chains and other businesses have no-photography policies. Whole Foods and Starbucks always come up in these discussions, and Seth Godin wrote about his experiences at a Stop and Shop here: http://tinyurl.com/28xgq6

What I think is clear from this discussion is that these policies are not widely known, are not consistently followed, and are a source of confusion, resentment and general unpleasantness when staff try to enforce them.

I think that private establishments have the right to forbid or limit photography, especially if there are legitimate security or insurance issues. But if they are going to have these policies, I think they need to be clear, posted and followed consistently. Maybe in the old days (five years ago?) no one thought to post these because most people weren't wandering around with cameras, and the problem didn't come up much. But these days, if you have to have such a policy, I think you need to post it to avoid such unpleasant encounters.

I was at the Boston Public Library this spring to do a training session about Flickr for local librarians. I was a little early, and when I walked in with my camera, I was wondering if I could take pictures of all the great artwork in the old building. But I was impressed to see the library's photography policy clearly posted, which told me all I needed to know:
http://www.bpl.org/general/...

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Fly — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 19:40:49 -0000

The policy is probably in effect so people won't find themselves plastered next to some Anti-Apple article with the caption "Blind dumb lemmings worship idols at Apple Store".

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Perry Whynkel — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 19:37:40 -0000

Many many other retail establishments prohibit photography on their premises. Do you people ever get out???

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

dink — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 04:19:00 -0000

"I was slightly rude. Here’s why I was: I have spent more than $20,000 with Apple in the past year, including two iPhones that have cameras and a third on the way."

Did you get what you paid for? If so, you're even. Spending money doesn't entitle you to getting to break policy.

And as yet another former Apple retail employee, managers at the stores I worked at were always talking about the no photography rule. If it was no longer in effect, management was not aware, and most employees rely on management to get this kind of info. The official Apple document with such policies is very, very long and Mac Specialists don't get paid enough to read it, especially if they are part-time.

If you're concerned, shoot an email to store management and ask if such a policy still exists, as you were under the impression it was reversed. Maybe you'll inspire someone to look into it.

Lastly, if you had a Genius Bar appointment regarding your troubles taking pictures with your iPhone or iSight, I assure you that the Geniuses would allow you to take pictures to show your problem. Comments regarding the policy as problematic in this way are asinine. Also, in my experience, you can take pictures with DEMO cameras and phones in the store to try out the functionality, as you won't be keeping those pictures anyway, and store staff can easily delete them.

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Robert Scoble — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 16:12:25 -0000

WhoKnows: I didn't say a thing to her before she came up and said "no photography." She didn't ask any questions. I didn't say a single word to her. So, no way for her to know that.

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

WhoKnows — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 13:53:52 -0000

Maybe she just thought you were an ass?

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Noelle — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 19:01:50 -0000

Interesting as I never had problems using my camera phone in any of the stores are starbucks. I guess I have been lucky.

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Podesta — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 17:39:51 -0000

Update on Starbucks' photography policy: I just asked the managing barista at the Starbucks I'm posting from. She says the no photographs policy is still in effect.

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

djfred — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:50:34 -0000

You also "can't take" photographs in Macy's, Sears, Bloomingdales, Nordstroms, Target, JC Penney's Belk, Kroger, Publix, eatZi's, Whole Foods, Pikes, Best Buy, Circuit City, WalMart, Walgreens, CVS, Office Max, Office Depot, Staples, Frys. Electronics Boutique, Comp USA, the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, TJ Maxx, Marshalls and in most shopping malls.
I don't know why but it's been like that as long as I've been alive.
Most of the time, you won't hear anything about it form anybody, but that employee was just doing their job. You didn't get specific about what you said but it sounds like you were being a dick. Considering how thin-skinned and defensive you are when anybody says anything even slightly critical of you or your friends, you'd think you'd be slower to dish it out.

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Robert Scoble — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:10:00 -0000

Monk: you stop being a negative jackass. The only photo I took is attached to this post. Do you see any credit information?

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Monk Yuetsu — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:02:05 -0000

One can take pictures. You likely had a picture of someone's credit information. You're lucky you didn't get locked up by mall police.

Stop being a negative jackass.

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Brian Christiansen — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 10:54:41 -0000

Ed sez: "As a former Apple Retail employee, I can confirm that Apple did indeed have a “no photographs” policy when the stores first opened. Then they did away with it in 2002 or ‘3"

As another former Appler, I can confirm this as my experience as well. Unless they re-reversed their decision, I believe the employee was incorrect in disallowing photography. It should be noted the vast majority of corporate retail environments, esp. malls, disallow photography. Usually they fear people ripping off their designs. Spend millions on a redesign and have a competitor send in a photographer posing as a customer to steal it (it happens). Can't really blame the employees. I don't support it, since someone in the store design biz could just see your design, and go outside your store and write down notes or sketch... but never the less, that's the thinking.

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Cory Krug — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 10:22:17 -0000

I had a similar run-in at an Apple store and my first comment was about the posters on the wall that promote blogging and podcasting. Later the employee apologized and explained that I could take photos of the products and the store, just not the customers and employees.So there is some sort of policy in place, just be careful what you are taking pictures of.

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

psyfraggle — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 08:59:42 -0000

Yeah sounds screwy!! But they cant bend over backwords just because we bought their products can they ;)

Amusing!

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Robert Scoble — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 00:49:10 -0000

Matthew: I got an iPhone. No SDK. Shoot me. If asking a store employee "you've gotta be kidding me?" is a jackass, well, then, I think you don't get out very much.

And you might be happier reading my link blog, or watching my videos. There I just talk about cool stuff, not about stupid experiences in Apple stores.

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Matthew — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 00:31:28 -0000

Wow, you come off as a real jackass with this one. You used to blog about interesting things, back when you worked at Microsoft. What happened to you?

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

T. — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 23:49:28 -0000

It seems very reasonable to have a no pictures policy, it seems like every business serious about security doesn't allow cameras anymore. It's harder and harder to have a personal cell phone at work anymore because they all have cameras.

Our first local Apple store was broken into the first month it was open. If having a policy against pictures helps prevent this, or if having such a policy reduces their insurance premiums, it seems quite reasonable.

I'd rather pay for the hardware and software than pay for the theft and insurance premiums allowing people to take photos costs us.

If you're asked not to do something, don't be a Scoble and give lip to the underpaid employees there to help you (do everything except waste store space taking photos for your own gratification and publication), do what the place is there to do... help you, and help other customers get access to the Apple products they want.

If you want to take photos, buy the product, take it to your own building, and photograph it there.

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

Robert Scoble — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 23:17:56 -0000

Donovan: in my store being rude to a customer that spent $20,000 was a fireable offense.

Re: Don’t try to use your iPhone inside an Apple store

donovan — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 23:02:26 -0000

Giving "some lip back" to an employee for doing her job and enforcing company policy is rude and absolutely deserving of being asked to leave.