Huh really? I wonder why it's different in Norway? Apple-cerified service providers offer on-the-spot replacements elsewhere in the world (at least in the UK, US and Aus)

Apple in Norway offers IT departments (which manage over 1000 iOS devices) boxes of replacement iPhones so they can swap devices immediately themselves. I would be extremely surprised if this wasn't also available to AASPs http://www.apple.com/no/support/programs/ssa/

Apple-certified retailers aren't the same thing as Apple stores. That said, http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/ doesn't list any stores in Norway, so I guess you don't really have much choice.