Apple Retail Stores to Offer Customers Home Delivery Option

[MacRumors]

Apple retail store staff will soon be able to offer customers home delivery during the ordering process, rather than them having to carry purchased products home.

Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that the EasyPay machines Apple salespeople use when processing in-store product purchases are set to include an option for home shipping for the first time.

Not only will the new option make it more convenient for shoppers buying bulky products like an iMac or Mac Pro, it also means that if an item is out of stock, the store can still book the sale and avoid situations where customers leave empty-handed to look elsewhere.

Currently, Apple store staff are only able to help customers order larger or out-of-stock products online via Apple's website using a shop floor demo Mac or iPad, or by going onto the web themselves using their EasyPay device.

Gurman believes the new option could be effective in reducing the physical space required for stock in future stores. He also suggests the move could aid Apple's retail sales strategy for its Vision Pro headset, which will be complicated by the many different custom combinations of head bands, light seals, and prescription lens inserts.

If any aspect of the customer's required Vision Pro setup is out of stock at the store, the missing part can be shipped directly to them, thereby avoiding a potential no-sale.

According to a memo sent to retail store staff, the new program is called EasyPay Online Ordering and will roll out in early August.

Article Link: Apple Retail Stores to Offer Customers Home Delivery Option

 

[d686546s]

I can see the usefulness as long as the store generally keeps enough stock so that people who want to take stuff home straight away can generally do so.

I'm sure Apple knows more about selling products than I do, but if home delivery were to become the default to avoid having to keep stock on premises this might lead to frustration among customers who go to a store to buy stuff. Keep in mind that bulky computers aren't usually impulse purchases and if someone wants delivery, they'd probably buy online to begin with.

Other than that a good thing!

 

[F23]

feels like this should have been offered a long time ago

 

[Boeingfan]

This is odd. Apple already offer delivery, and now they want to offer in store shoppers home delivery of their in store purchases. If you’re going to buy a big computer then take a strong companion to carry the damned thing home. Also, “if an item is out of stock, the store can still book the sale and avoid situations where customers leave empty-handed to look elsewhere…” you mean ‘give us your money and we’ll get back to you? No deal banana peel. You ain’t got stock, you ain’t getting my money. Tell your inventory guy to do his job better.

 

[saudor]

Definitely a nice option and would cut down on the shipping-carrier related theft that I had to deal with once upon a time. (it was signed for and then stolen by the driver) Been doing in store pickup ever since whenever possible.

Also, post covid, carriers are just leaving packages out on the door stop, regardless of value without even knocking

 

[Yebubbleman]

Screw home delivery, I want that cool shirt/bag/whateveritis that the pictured customer has in this photo!

 

[t0rqx]

Thos should have been done ages ago. This is where AppleGPT could come in handy.

 

[TIMO_737]

Definitely a nice option and would cut down on the shipping-carrier related theft that I had to deal with once upon a time. (it was signed for and then stolen by the driver) Been doing in store pickup ever since whenever possible.

Also, post covid, carriers are just leaving packages out on the door stop, regardless of value without even knocking

Exactly. I buy my products in store because home delivery is always a mess. Delivery guy arrives just when not at home and leaves $$$ at the door for any one to take it. Package completely destroyed. Package missing for a couple of days. I don’t like the idea of “could be effective in reducing the physical space required for stock in future stores.”. If this means stock is gonna be lower at stores it’s going the wrong way. People that want to get stuff delivered at home won’t even visit the store in most cases.

 

[k1121j]

For me I go to the store to have it now. It would be a no sale for me.

 

[1Peace]

I guess Vision Pro is so customisable that it’s too complicated and/or time consuming to pack it in the store ones proper setup is chosen.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

This is nothing new.

When I bought my iMac, in 2008 (from the Regent Street store) it was delivered from the store on the same day.

 

[Pezimak]

I guess that makes sense if it’s expensive and or large. And you want to see the product in person first and discuss it with Apple sales staff. Not everyone buys blindly off the internet.

 

[michaelsviews]

We've had it for maybe 2 years, it's an option when placing your order. You pay $9.00 for the service and within 2 hours you receive your order.

 

[bwintx]

Doubt I’d ever use this for the same reason I don’t want mail-order delivery of prescription medicines — I don’t want my stuff bouncing around in an open parcel truck for hours (days?) in 100+-degree (F.) heat in the summer, not to mention perhaps sitting on my doorstep unprotected if I’m not available to pick it up at the right moment — but I suspect this will be a welcome option for many, nonetheless.

 

[jlc1978]

This is odd. Apple already offer delivery, and now they want to offer in store shoppers home delivery of their in store purchases. If you’re going to buy a big computer then take a strong companion to carry the damned thing home.

I would guess some people will like the option of seeing the product but not having to lug it around while shopping or dragging it to their car.

Also, “if an item is out of stock, the store can still book the sale and avoid situations where customers leave empty-handed to look elsewhere…” you mean ‘give us your money and we’ll get back to you? No deal banana peel. You ain’t got stock, you ain’t getting my money.

I get it because if I go to a store I want to walk out with my purchase, otherwise I'd order from Amazon.

The flip side is it saves having to go to another store or several in search of a product. Some people may prefer that option; to each his own.

Tell your inventory guy to do his job better.

If you never are out of stock your inventory person may not be doing their job. Having enough stock to satisfy every sale means have a lot of stuff sitting on the shelves longer than necessary, and thus your carrying costs are higher, so sometimes not having a product is more profitable than having it.

I guess that makes sense if it’s expensive and or large. And you want to see the product in person first and discuss it with Apple sales staff. Not everyone buys blindly off the internet.

Exactly. How often have you seen the comment that someone goes into a store to look at it and then buys it from Amazon because it's cheaper? Many people want to see something before they buy, especially something as expensive as a computer; or they want help deciding between several options.

 

[tubomac]

If you don't have the merchandise in store, then bye bye!
I pay now (and always use cash as much as possible to don't feed the seignorage), and you give my product now, I believe this is the way to buy things.
Of course I try to avoid buying online too. I believe we should contribute to create jobs and not contribute to make the billionaires richer.

 

[tomsaccount]

This is odd. Apple already offer delivery, and now they want to offer in store shoppers home delivery of their in store purchases. If you’re going to buy a big computer then take a strong companion to carry the damned thing home. Also, “if an item is out of stock, the store can still book the sale and avoid situations where customers leave empty-handed to look elsewhere…” you mean ‘give us your money and we’ll get back to you? No deal banana peel. You ain’t got stock, you ain’t getting my money. Tell your inventory guy to do his job better.

I had heard rumors that the vision pro would require personalized setup - so if an "at home" option is available then that helps a lot with accessibility.

 

[cmcbhi]

So... who do ya tip? If any?
The in store guy or the delivery guy?
I ain't tipping both.

 

[AppleTO]

As others have said, this isn’t new. I can recall being offered this option for at least a few years now.

 

[MacWiz_007]

Welcome to 2023 Apple!

 

[tomsaccount]

If you don't have the merchandise in store, then bye bye!
I pay now (and always use cash as much as possible to don't feed the seignorage), and you give my product now, I believe this is the way to buy things.
Of course I try to avoid buying online too. I believe we should contribute to create jobs and not contribute to make the billionaires richer.

you buying an artisanal vision pro from Etsy? I have one made out of cardboard I can sell you. huge discount. it's only $2400

 

[MacWiz_007]

So... who do ya tip? If any?
The in store guy or the delivery guy?
I ain't tipping both.

I'm tipping neither. They make plenty of money hourly compared to servers and bartenders.

 

[Sun Baked]

Yay, so even more people can experience the issue of nobody taking responsibility for the Uber Eats driver stealing the customers home delivery purchase.

 

[tubomac]

you buying an artisanal vision pro from Etsy? I have one made out of cardboard I can sell you. huge discount. it's only $2400

I thought most people were smart enough to understand that my comment was intended for "normal" products, so I avoided mentioning this exception. Thank you then for remember me that I should always think that whoever is reading could have a brain of a monkey.

 

[Momof2.1107]

This is probably good for some people. The only purchases I have bought in store are cases and charger accessories. All of my other Apple purchases have been online with delivery via UPS or FedEx. I wonder if Apple will use FedEx exclusively if the UPS strike go on past September 1st. I prefer UPS over FedEx, and this make me breathe easier that USPS probably won’t be added in since we have Ground shipping now instead of First Class shipping.