‘76 degrees to be exact’: Former Apple worker shares how the store is playing mind games with customers as soon as they walk in

Is there really such a thing as "mental ownership?" And if so, is it fostered at an Apple Store?

TikTok creator Kaitlynd McQueens (@reddnea) used that phrase several times in a video sharing secrets from her time working in retail for Apple. The video, put up on Wednesday, has drawn more than 561,000 views as of this writing.

She begins with advice about its warranty policy

"Every Apple-branded accessory is going to have a one-year warranty," she tells viewers. "If your silicone case starts, like, peeling or whatever, literally just make a Genius Bar appointment and take it, and they will get you a replacement."

GopherMods, a publication discussing the warranty, notes, "The warranty does not include coverage for software issues, accidental damage, or damage due to misuse. Thus, if you have a cracked screen, you may have dropped your phone, meaning that you are not eligible for cover. But, if your screen begins showing glitches for no apparent reason, you can access free repair services; as long as it is still within the one-year warranty."

McQueens then claims, "You can walk into any Apple store and just ask to use a charger. In my experience, nobody's ever going to tell you no. We're, like, literally not allowed to tell customers no."

She also claims that the laptops in an Apple Store are all intentionally angled to about 70 degrees. "It's just like a really awkward viewing angle," she asserts. "It's just a way to get you to interact with the MacBook even more because it just creates mental ownership. You're touching it, feeling it; you want it even more."

On that same theme, she said, "No Apple employee's like ever going to touch the demo that you're messing with—wrestling with AirPods or an iPhone or an iPad or an Apple Pencil. Whatever it may be, the employee is going to give it to you. It's going to be in your hands. You're going to be looking for the camera. The more you're touching the product, the more mental ownership you have; you're more likely to buy it and take it home."

The psychology of an Apple Store

Medium author Colin Shaw took on this topic in Mac O'Clock, a publication on the platform dedicated to "Apple owners and enthusiasts."

"Their retail experience encourages feelings of ownership," he writes. "Apple revolutionizes the way that people shop. Going to the store is like going to a club. It doesn’t feel like a store, but more like a venue. At Apple, you are encouraged to play around with the computers and hang out, which promotes the Endowment Effect. The Endowment Effect says that when it feels like you own something, you tend to value it more. The longer people play around with your technology, the more customers feel like it’s theirs — and the more painful it would be for them to give it up."

The B1M, in an article titled "How Apple Builds Its Stores," adds, "Apple Stores have never really been designed to directly sell anything, but to educate. Products are displayed more like exhibits in a museum than clothes in a department store. They focus on the customer’s experience, rather than their own objectives."

@reddnea the more ya know  #apple #applestore #appleemployee #youshouldknow ♬ Killswitch Lullaby (Slowed + Reverb) - The Lonely Tree & Flawed Mangoes

What commenters thought

Apple is just one of those brands that attracts opinions, and this video shows that.

"The mental ownership part is so smart," observed one.

Another, claiming that it's not just exclusive to Apple, added, "I worked for Lush and they do the exact same thing."

"Not 70," corrected one on the laptop angle comment. "76 degrees on the dot."

Another chimed in, "Yep ... use the app to measure."

"When I worked at an Apple Store a long time ago we would use the plastic price holder lined up behind the laptop to tilt all the screens to the same degree," someone else shared.

"Gotta give it to them, it's the only store I feel fully comfortable and relaxed in," said another.

One of the most popular comments on the video, however, had nothing to do with Apple.

"I think I just gave you 1,000 views," someone shared. "My son dropped my phone behind the bed and I listened to this video for like 15 minutes trying to get it back."

The Daily Dot has reached out to the creator via TikTok and Instagram direct message and to Apple via email.

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The post ‘76 degrees to be exact’: Former Apple worker shares how the store is playing mind games with customers as soon as they walk in appeared first on The Daily Dot.