Carbon Computing

I’ve always felt the genius bar was annoying (long waits, crowds, etc.) so when Carbon Computing opened I was psyched. Then, my hard drive failed. I took it in to Carbon Computing. At their regular fee, it would take them 3 – 4 days to «take a look at it». To get them to look at it that day was gonna be $ 100 on top of the regular fee. Uh, no thanks. To the Genius Bar I go. I get that CC needs to charge because they aren’t Apple, and I’m willing to pay some for the convenience of having them in the neighbourhood, but not that much.
The staff was really nice. But they should have a system where you pay by the half hour a set amount ($ 40 for 30 mins is appropriate) to give the same-​day service as the Genius Bar. Certainly not well over a hundred.

Not a superb store to shop in, certainly not the worst. Associates seem to know their merchandise well, but that’s generally if you can get one of them to assist you on the floor. The store has the most bizarre, «minimalist» layout, which is actually due to lack of actual products, computers, etc on the floor which makes the store look and feel all ways empty.
Positives: staff seem pretty friendly (again, when you can GET assistance), location is good, seem knowledgable about products, hours are decent.
Negatives: costs are NO different than a regular Apple Store, the Queen St store is mostly empty space and barren (?) with not much to explore, layout is bizarre. Repairs can take quite a while and with little stock, don’t expect to walk out of Carbon, unlike an Apple Store, with actual product the first time. It takes a couple of days to get your hands on anything you want. (?)

At least, my experience (-?s) are 5-​star. Great Staff! This review though is about servicing. Vey Professional! Got the job WONDERFULLY done with tons of diagnostics! Gave me the «original» price after all! Service with a smile && They’ll do most jobs.

I like this store. The staff here are super helpful, and they know a lot about their products. Also, if you buy from here, and want to upgrade within 2 years, they’ll give you 50% of your original purchase price towards the upgrade of your new computer. That’s pretty nice. They also do repairs and upgrades from what i can tell. Highly recommended.

great service on my 27″ thunderbolt monitor that was in for repairs. I was informed on the progress all along and I felt that the service advisor was genuinely concerned that it work properly upon it’s return even though my problem was intermittent.

Carbon is okay when you are missing a cable and you don’t want to drive all the way downtown. But they are overpriced and the service is lackluster at best. They really don’t care about their customers based on how we are treated.

I have shopped here a few times and tried unsuccessfully to shop here a few times. If there was another store that sold Apple products that was even remotely close to my house, I would probably never shop here again. They don’t really carry any unique products you can’t find elsewhere, their prices are the same as everyone else’s and the customer service is not amazing/​borderline poor. They are also out of stock on the item I want between 40% and 50% of the time.
The good:
— conveniently located
— spacious, well organized retail floor
— Apple retailer
— sells Apple items at standard MSRPs, some accessories are less expensive here
— extensive repair department with good word of mouth from the locals
— good hours
The bad:
— retail service is poor/​non existant. It’s like pulling teeth to get one of the associates to use the computer to look something up for you and then they have vague answers (e.g., «when will you have this very common item that you haven’t had for 2 weeks?» — ‘it was ordered awhile ago.’)
— often out of stock on common items (airport express, magic trackpad, apple batteries) and unable/​unwilling to tell you when new stock will arrive
— retail staff don’t suggest alternatives if they don’t have somehting, they just say no, then look away from you.
Overall, I will shop here agin out of proximity to my house but I wish I didn’t have to.

OK, here’s the deal. If you’re just browsing or like the buzz and vibe of the Apple Store (and can stand the lineups) make your next purchase there. But if you’re like me and want some customized service in an uncrowded store, this is your place. The staff know their stuff, the prices are the same as the Apple Store (cheaper in some cases for accessories) and they offer the same warranties. Why bother with the lines. +ives: uncrowded, knowledgeable staff, same prices –ives: no vibe /​buzz

I haven’t actually been to Carbon in a while. It’s been at least a year since my last visit. In the computer world this could be a life time. If you are interested, I can tell you why I haven’t been to carbon in while.
Carbon used to be my go-​to store for Mac products and advice. However since the Apple store opened in the Eaton Center, it has quickly became my new fav (plus it’s a lot closer). Since then I haven’t had much reason to back to Carbon. That being said, I was pleased with my Carbon on my last visit. The staff seems to know their stuff and are always friendly. In a way I miss visiting Carbon, but my love for the Mac store seems to keep me happy. To be honest, beyond offering Mac products, there is no reason to keep me at Carbon.
Pros:
Friendly Staff
Independent (?)
Cool look /​design
Knowledgeable problem solvers
Tech department
Cons:
Limited products
You have to actively ask staff for help
Friendly staff. but not as friendly as the über helpful Apple staff
Longer waits for repair or upgrades

Carbon is a great local Mac shop. Have used their service depot a couple times and they have taken good care of me. They tend to carry things you can’t find at the Apple Store…