Wonderful and genuine service! Was served by Benny Tan, who was incredibly patient. He made the shopping experience truly enjoyable. Will definitely head back.
Meng Jun Cheong
3
Firstly, I would like to commend the nice gentleman coordinating the orders on 22nd September. He did an impeccable job coordinating orders while maintaining composure, and he also answered my queries professionally and warmly.
To be fair, service provided on the actual launch day was good, rating 4.5/5⭐️. They evaluated how many customers were in queue and started taking tentative orders, deducting stock and updating customers on which iterations remained available. In my case, it paid to be early. I was 10th in queue, but the bulk of the inventory was purchased in the earlier half of the queue, for reasons listed below.
I managed to clinch the last set in Natural Titanium. It was my preferred but not ideal choice in memory capacity. The branch had a comparatively shorter queue than others. It took over 2 hours as a walk-in to collect my phone, which I found relatively acceptable given the popularity of the launch. Staff were calm and systematic, allowing only 1-2 customers into the store at a time.
One thing to note about the customers was that they were mostly Vietnamese. I was disappointed when some joined late but were entitled to the privilege of having a unit reserved. They were not directed to the end of the queue but were instead added ahead. Some were clearly strangers, but upon realising they were also Vietnamese, they spoke in their mother tongue and, in a moment of solidarity, joined the queue ahead (cut queue). They were “friends” now, and nothing was done to stop the queue cutting. If stock was not limited or unavailable for preorder, I would be more tolerant.
Also, we were informed one order was allowed per customer, but some who had already placed a preorder were allowed to purchase an additional set while in queue, which meant they were able to purchase 2 units simultaneously. I am unsure if it was a loophole, but regulations did state each customer was entitled to one unit. I could tell the staff had their hands tied and relented, which was disappointing. Inventory was low, and many patrons were disappointed with their failure to obtain their choice of phones. In fact, half of the purchases were made by a minority of patrons. It would have been fairer if digital queue tickets were issued at the point of opening. This would reduce a ton of confusion and would also be fair to those who came early to queue. I did not wish to raise a fuss, hence I decided to let the matter slide, but I wish iStudio would take my feedback seriously and protect their patrons better.
Adding on, reaching out to iStudio via social media platforms or phone was impossible. Responses were lukewarm and not helpful. It was difficult to extract information. In fact, I was unclear if the launch was reserved for preorders or if walk-ins were possible. I reached out via social media to enquire if walk-ins were allowed for iPhone purchases but was met with the response, “they are subject to availability.” A simple yes or no would have been helpful. All I wanted to verify was if walk-ins were allowed so I could make plans. Fortunately, I took a leap of faith and decided to arrive early to try my luck. It was there that I realised walk-ins were welcome, but stocks were subject to availability. That was the answer I was looking for.
Overall, if you need no favours, iStudio does great, but if you need information, help, or any form of after-sales service, it is like taking candy from a baby; it is literally faster to head down to their outlet since their online presence is non-existent and their landlines are consistently engaged.
The actual experience on the day of launch was fantastic, and I feel that it was managed well. With quality-of-life improvements in the future, I believe they will provide a better experience. I managed to get what I had wanted, but I felt for the other customers who were disappointed due to queue cutting and other reasons mentioned above.
Wilfred Lu
5
Browsed around the shop to see the new MacBook Pro. It was a really new design and thicker. Chatted with the sales assistant and asked about the features; the staff was friendly and helpful. Good experience here.
Waiting for a new update for the MacBook. Then I will definitely buy from this shop.
Wan Sha Lam
1
Assistance was okay, but if they don't have an extra discount, going to the Apple Store is better. I bought my MacBook Air and AppleCare together, only to find the AppleCare not registered. I confirmed with the salesperson at least 3 times if he would register it. Now I have been calling them non-stop for the last 30 minutes; no pickup. The salesperson's name is Dell, so just beware.
Poh Fong Tan
5
Came to get a strap for my Apple Watch and was attended to by a young Malay male staff member (sorry, didn’t catch your name!). He was extremely patient and helpful, going the extra mile to ensure that I made an informed purchase. Thank you so much!!