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Apple Store: Forerunner = Thief

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HardOCP News

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Here’s a little public service message for you, if you go into an Apple store and the sales person uses the term “forerunner,” that means they are about to tackle your ass. As outlandish as this story seems, you have to remember this is an Apple store we are talking about here, this probably really happened. :eek:

"The girl looks at me and she says, "Oh would you like me to show it to you?" And I said, "No, I have a Macbook, I had one, I have an iMac, I know what I want. If you could just get me one, that would be great because I'm kinda in a rush, I'd appreciate that." So, the girl looks at the guy and says "forerunner."
Click to expand...

Can any of you former / current Apple store employees confirm this “forerunner” code word thing?
 
Now that the secret is out, they will have to change the name to iRunner
 
Not watching the video... did he really get tackled?


If so... they wouldn't do that in TX because everyone carries guns.
 
Like any [H] reader would be caught dead in an Apple store. It's not like you can buy the parts to build an iMac there. Right? They actually sell them, you know, assembled. ASSEMBLED! BLASPHEMY!
 
LightningCrash said:
Not watching the video... did he really get tackled?


If so... they wouldn't do that in TX because everyone carries guns.
Click to expand...

No. They got all "scared of the scary black man" and had the security guys surround him and stand by the door.

He seemed pretty reasonable in the video.
 
actually, they did worse than tackle him....

The minute they said the code word (phide's "floor runner" explanation makes more sense) security blocks the doors etc. etc. and then they get a black guy to ring him up. What the!?!? I'd rather be tackled...at least I could sue for that. :D
 
Apparently they thought he was going to steal it because he told them to just go get one real quick, he already had one and didn't need to see it, and he was in a hurry so just go get one right now. He said he was dressed in a jersey and shorts which I'd imagine isn't the most common clothes in an Apple store (I'll admit I haven't been in one, but aren't Apple stores suppose to be more 'up class' or whatever?).

The guy also says - 'And if I was going to steal it what are they going to do? I'm bigger than everybody in there!' - which is why the security guy was motioned to 'be ready'.

I don't think it's so much racism as it is simple a big guy who seemed to be in a hurry and that sense of 'in a rush' translated as 'potential grab and run' to the store clerk.
 
yeah, i'm pretty sure they would have said Floor Runner...

but either way, i don't think it's a "race" thing...i'm white and somewhat dorky and i still get treated like that in stores sometimes...people can be such douche bags

i've never stolen anything in my life, yet when something like this happens, it's incredibly frustrating
 
Maybe more class based than race based issue? He should have worn a turtleneck and nerd glasses, he was asking for trouble. :p
 
This is actually something quite common in retail stores... Although they may have blown their "precautions" out of proportion. But yeah, a floor runner is someone who brings shit out of the "back"


He actually did about 3 or 4 of the "warnings" that a lot of companies tell their employees to look out for.

Ask for a high priced item without looking at it, said "I know what I want" when asked if it needed to be shown or demo'd or anything, said "i'm in a hurry" right off the bat, sounded insulted that they insinuated he would steal....

Although usually the person committing the fraud is well dressed... But what I described above is very common.

And if I remember the standard practice at an apple store is that the floor salesmen don't typically ring people up.

While I don't think its racist exactly (unless maybe getting another black guy to the register) it is something that they could handle better and treat their customers with more respect.
 
It is just sad that a young man today still wonders if he is being judged by the colour of his skin.
 
Ualdayan said:
I don't think it's so much racism as it is simple a big guy who seemed to be in a hurry and that sense of 'in a rush' translated as 'potential grab and run' to the store clerk.
Click to expand...

Also, we are only hearing half the story. It's quite possible there were incidents similar to that in the promenade or at other Apple stores. Who knows. As to having the black employee ring him up, that just seems like people are looking for things to get bent about.

Furthermore...12% of the US population and yet, over 40% of the prison population. Hmm...
 
i can confirm the floor runner thing. though when it was being "tested" around dec '08 the store i worked for called it the runner system.
basically (and believe me this was much slower than management really thought it was) first, as an employee you go to an available demo computer and use your company email and log into their concierge system to begin choosing what parts the customer is looking for.
If the customer is looking for a computer, you input into the computer which model, if they want to upgrade ram, if there is software they are looking for, accessories, maybe that stupid HP printer with rebate thing, maybe an ipod, extra battery, etc. However, not all of the things that the customer is looking for are in the selectable fields, so in the comment section you have to note these things, say for instance they are buying a macbook, but also want the display port adapter for the 30" lcd, you'd most likely have to put the adapter request in the comments.
the same went for iphones, ipods, ipod touches, software, phone or ipod accessories. they instructed that as an employee of the "red zone" (meaning the area in which apple people sell shit), you were not allowed or welcome in the BOH (back of house) area to get items, because...after all, that's what the runner was there for.
how could such an infallible system go wrong?!
first, it was usually one dickhead in the back checking his twitter or apple email, answering a phone call, updating his facebook, jaw jacking with some other asshole in the BOH, etc. Why is this a problem? The system in place had basically a database you had to refresh manually via safari browser, so no automatic refresh, no beeping noise to indicate that you had something in queue to go gather, etc etc. As many red zone employees that were selling bullshit could put items in the queue for the customer AT THE SAME TIME. so 12 assholes could ask for say 6 items a piece (6x12=72). but you can only go through the queue one inquiry at a time (unless say it was black friday and they had two runners). You can see how such a thing could get backed up.
Posing such questions like, "hey if the runner is taking a long time, could i go get my shit instead", were subject to insubordination. Now, it was possible that if all the customer wanted was a pink ipod shuffle, you could go to a concierge and say, tell dickwad that i need an 8gb ipod shuffle pink. and you wouldn't have to use the computer system, but this was equally a useless system. Runners were usually the dumbass who was a terrible salesman because he couldn't remember dick, so telling the runner to retrieve what and for whom over a walkie talkie was usually wasted effort. This sort of system only got worse on say "launch days". what iphone color, for who? what size?...they bring you the shit and then you go, did you get me that mobile me box? and they go, but you didn't say mobile me....etc etc etc.
I was told at some point that the runner system allowed you to stay with the customer so that you could try to convince them to purchase applecare or mobile me, or one to one, or data migration, or start setting up the rebate on their printer,etc etc or how tastefully put, giving the customer a positive experience leading to a better review for our store.

simply put, floor runner. stupid fucking waste of time archaic system that usually cost the customer in a hurry more time than they wanted to spend in the claustrophobic pod people monotone store.
 
SpeedyVV said:
It is just sad that a young man today still wonders if he is being judged by the colour of his skin.
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Nothing to wonder about. People judge others on their appearance and it will end sometime around never.

It may not have anything to do with race, it can be based on the type of clothes you wear, if you are clean shaven or scruffy, blah blah blah but the vast majority of people judge others by appearance. It's likely human nature. Something along the lines of identifying a threat or a friend or some-such if I had to guess.
 
He should have been tackled BEFORE entering the store.. just my take on this story.
 
Red Shirt said:
Maybe she just said "asshole" and it sounded like "floor runner"? :D
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unsurprisingly, this happens there too. but it's not usually asshole. it's usually things like, "goofy tall eric stoltz in mask, looking guy wants "....blah blah blah
usually a lot meaner and more...."clever" than just dirty words.
 
[QUOTE"The girl looks at me and she says, "Oh would you like me to show it to you?"[/QUOTE]

PICS OF THE APPLE GIRL NAO :D
 
The girl was asking for someone to bring the computer out from the back (probably in a rushed tone, since the dumb guy said he was in a hurry)... *BAH*

That poor white girl got reverse-racially profiled! irony hurts :mad:
 
Perhaps floor runner is someone who actually goes and gets the product from the back? :p
 
If you're stupid enough to overpay for anything made by apple to get their 'user experience' (like this guy got), you deserve what you get. Fuck Apple and their bullshit, anyone who buys something from them deserves a swift kick to the sack, so this guy got off light.
 
spinelli said:
Nothing to wonder about. People judge others on their appearance and it will end sometime around never.

It may not have anything to do with race, it can be based on the type of clothes you wear, if you are clean shaven or scruffy, blah blah blah but the vast majority of people judge others by appearance. It's likely human nature. Something along the lines of identifying a threat or a friend or some-such if I had to guess.
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You might be right, but I still find it sad.
 
Sparkhard said:
This is actually something quite common in retail stores... Although they may have blown their "precautions" out of proportion. But yeah, a floor runner is someone who brings shit out of the "back"


He actually did about 3 or 4 of the "warnings" that a lot of companies tell their employees to look out for.

Ask for a high priced item without looking at it, said "I know what I want" when asked if it needed to be shown or demo'd or anything, said "i'm in a hurry" right off the bat, sounded insulted that they insinuated he would steal....
Click to expand...

QFT...Having worked retail in my past, those are common signs of a potential theft/CC fraud.
 
kingsleytim said:
Its floor runner the guy is an idiot.
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or...not a criminal.

I didn't know either...never heard the term...and certainly never worked at an Apple store. Once phide said "floor runner" it instantly made sense, but why would the average Joe even know the term "floor runner."

I would've been like inotocracy and thought that meant the person running to the back to get the item I purchased.
 
I rarely shop in malls anymore, security is usually tailing me. It makes me feel paranoid a bit. It happens every time, I get stopped sometimes too.

See, It happens to 6ft 200lb white americans of scottish/german descent too. Maybe it's my gold teeth :D
 
LeninGHOLA said:
I rarely shop in malls anymore, security is usually tailing me.
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We've discussed this before, I get the same thing EXCEPT it is usually old ladies clutching their purses away from me when I walk by. I look mean so people treat me accordingly...nothing I can do about it.


On the subject: What if this IS completely blown out of proportion? What if the girl was calling for a "floor runner" to get his shit, the kid they called to the register just happened to be the cashier coming on duty (same with security). :eek:

whoops!
 
SteveHOCP [Moderator] 1 hour ago
I was going to leave a comment, but you seem like you are in a hurry for comments and that makes me fearful and scared. Please wait here while I get my black friend to leave a comment instead to make you feel more comfortable while I profile you. No. Really. I'll be right back. Don't move.
 
I'll go into Best Buy knowing exactly what I want. I bother no time with the employee's unless I need the product brought out and am ready to be rung up.

How would this story change if the exact same things happened but the guy was of another ethnicity? Hmm.
 
Well I'm def writing a email and a good old fashioned letter to go along with it. I call the card alot lol I just don't like having to do it!
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I imagine he means the race card. Seems he definitely blew this out of proportion. He was not tackled. He was not harassed. He was not accused. He was sold the item(s) he went to the store for. The only comparison he has for service was going to a store in another state right before it closes and being amazed at how quickly he was rushed out the door. Um...seriously?

Sorry but this 'OhDoctah" fella seems like an idiot who looks for things to cry about.
 
Steve said:
We've discussed this before, I get the same thing EXCEPT it is usually old ladies clutching their purses away from me when I walk by. I look mean so people treat me accordingly...nothing I can do about it.


On the subject: What if this IS completely blown out of proportion? What if the girl was calling for a "floor runner" to get his shit, the kid they called to the register just happened to be the cashier coming on duty (same with security). :eek:

whoops!
Click to expand...

i mean it all adds up.
1) she calls for a floor runner to get the stuff. thats normal
2) they dont work the registers. she got someone else to do it. thats normal.
3) security was alerted to a guy showing shady symptoms. thats normal

1, 2 would have happened to ANYONE. 3 would have happened to ANYONE who was in a rush and acting shady.

The SAD part is that the guy automatically thinks its because of his race. Imaginary racism is more rampant in america than actual racism.
 
Apparently he was not too worried about how he was treated, because he still gave Apple his money... :\
 
when she said "floor runner" I might have asked what that meant. And more to the point, I would have clearly asked for what purpose was security crowding me (and raised an eyebrow for effect ;))? not offer explanations of why its stupid to try and stop me if I was going to steal something. if I didnt like the response I got I would have just left.
 
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