Apple Store erupts in consumer controversy! Employees forced to help customers subscribe to Apple TV, and free trials became automatic deductions

In order to achieve the performance goals set by the company, some Apple Store employees are suspected of applying for free trials of Apple's paid services on behalf of customers without their explicit consent.

Controversy broke out in Apple's Apple Store. Consumer rights advocates accused on the same day that in order to achieve the performance goals set by the company, some Apple Store employees were suspected of applying for free trials of Apple's paid services on behalf of customers without the explicit consent of customers. They even packaged subscription offers as gifts, allowing consumers to continue to automatically deduct payments without their knowledge, forcing consumers to consume.

Louis Rossmann, a well-known repair technician and consumer rights advocate, recently alleged that he has long been engaged in electronic product motherboard repair and data rescue, and is also an important advocate of promoting the Right to Repair legislation. He revealed in a recently released video that Apple had asked its store employees to introduce personalized shopping offers to customers and provide free trials of corresponding Apple services based on recently purchased products. Consumers who purchase an iPhone can currently get a 3-month free trial of Apple TV, but after the trial period, if the subscription is not canceled in advance, monthly fees will begin.

The problem is that the relevant offers are not displayed directly on the customer's mobile phone, but are operated by the store staff through their own work devices. Rossmann quoted an Apple Store employee as saying that the company was suspected of setting a 40% subscription application goal and incorporating the achievement rate into employee performance evaluations. In order to achieve the goal, some employees even directly pressed "Accept" for customers without fully obtaining the consumer's consent. Some even described the free trial as a gift to allow customers to ignore possible subsequent regular deductions.

Since the incident was exposed, Apple has not officially responded publicly, but Rossmann revealed in a follow-up video that Apple has begun to take measures. An employee said that an internal notice was read out at the store morning meeting, clearly requiring that the customer must press the accept button. At the same time, the internal system also showed that the company seemed to no longer evaluate employee performance based on the number of subscription applications.

The relevant accusations have not yet been officially confirmed by Apple. Whether the subsequent incident involves wider store management issues remains to be further explained by Apple.