Apple Store’s New Self Check Out & In-Store Pick Up Details Revealed

We told you how Apple is planning a few enhancements to its online and retail store shopping system, including in-store pickups for online orders. We also learned that Apple is aiming to launch an update to its own Apple Store iOS application that will incorporate a feature such as “EasyPay”. Now, an exclusive report by BGR (via MacRumors) details how the new system will work. The report claims that Apple’s new retail store app for iOS will launch on Thirsday with two new features i.e online ordering with retail store pick up and Customer self check-out at Apple retail stores.

Here are the details:

Online Orders with In Store Pickup and Returns

– For standard in-stock items, the product will become available to pickup in about 12 minutes. This provides the system enough time to send the order to the store, and allow Apple Retail employees to set aside items for pickup. Customers will be able to skip lines, and simply have to sign for them and leave.
– For build-to-order, engraved devices or other out-of-stock items, Apple will ship the items to your local Apple Store for free. Customers will receive a pick-up date and a push notification to the App will let you know when it has arrived. Again, 12 minutes from the push notification, the order will be ready for pickup
– Apple expects the majority of customers will eventually use in-store pick up for buying products.
– Customers will be able to return items purchased online to retail stores.

Self Check Out

This is an even more interesting feature that Apple is deploying that will help streamline the Apple retail experience. Apple will be allowing customers to use the Apple Store app to buy smaller items such as accessories while in the store. Customers won’t have to even talk to a retail employee:

“Here is how this will work: after you find the item you want to buy, like an accessory, you launch the Apple Store app on your iOS device and there will be an option to buy a product in the store. You scan the product with the camera on your device in the app, click purchase, and it will charge whatever credit card is associated to your Apple ID. You then just walk out of the store.”

Both the above systems are expected to be launched worldwide.

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