Apple Retail Stores to Offer In-Store Pickup of Online Orders

[MacAddict1978]

Financing

This is welcome for just the financing issue alone.

Unless it's changed and I missed it, you can't go into an Apple retail store and apply for credit like you can with the Apple online store. I had my last two Macs shipped for that reason alone. (Who doesn't want a year interest free?)

It would also be great for people who work and have to take a day off or drive to a shipping facility to pick up their order when they can't be there for the driver.

I just don't understand why it took them so long to think of this?

Is this a move towards having to pay for shipping unless it's shipped to the store?

No. You're actually just reserving an item in that store's inventory, so there is no "shipping." Unless, that store doesn't have the item in stock or it's a custom order.

It's actually cheaper for Apple to ship to it's own store with their regular distribution than to ship to you home "for free."

this isn't new. Apple's been doing this for years, it gives you the option at online checkout. My family and I pick up or Macs at the local apple store all the time so we don't have to worry about FedEx leaving it on our porch to get stolen.

I really was going to call BS on you, but then I do remember an old pilot. Every Apple retail store technically has it's own page on Apple.com (though it's hard to navigate to them). The page looks just like Apple.com/store page, but says "Thank You For Shopping Apple Store Shadyside." I think the idea was to eventually allow you to shop that stores actual inventory, but they never moved forward with it. So you were really just buying from apple.com and getting it shipped. So no, you never were able to do in store pick up. You must be confusing it with another company, but there was the illusion of being able to do so that you might be thinking of.

The store's pages pretty much just let you see in store events on a calendar page, or make Genius bar reservations.

 

[modernmagic]

as long is it NOT like Toys R Us in store pickup

If you order an item through Toys R Us and choose in store pickup, then you only get 5 days to pick it up or they cancel your order. They say that the online sale is not affiliated with the brick and mortar stores.

I hope Apple doesn't do that.


http://twitter.com/#!/search/realtime/#toysrussucks

 

[bryanl]

This is welcome for just the financing issue alone.

Unless it's changed and I missed it, you can't go into an Apple retail store and apply for credit like you can with the Apple online store. I had my last two Macs shipped for that reason alone. (Who doesn't want a year interest free?)

People who pay for their Apple gear in cash or without credit cards? People who don't like debt even if it is one year interest free?

 

[nburns]

Nice to have another alternative for shipping Christmas gifts.

 

[old-wiz]

I would love to be able to do a custom config and pick it up in the store. Waiting for the FedEx or UPS truck is a real pain. I live in an area where the streets are a little complicated - we form a square off of two other streets, and there are four street names and all four have a house with the same number. UPS is particularly bad - they toss packages regularly at number 4 on a different street so we wind up calling each other when a package is missing.

Hopefully they will require ID in the store.

 

[neemienomie]

I know many online items offer free shipping but for those that don't, I wonder if by sending it to the store we'll avoid S/H changes?

Now that would be nice!

yes, any item that usually had shipping (items under $50) will be covered by Apple. You will not be req to pay any shipping charges when picking up items at the store.

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If you order an item through Toys R Us and choose in store pickup, then you only get 5 days to pick it up or they cancel your order. They say that the online sale is not affiliated with the brick and mortar stores.

I hope Apple doesn't do that.


http://twitter.com/#!/search/realtime/#toysrussucks

there will be a time limit, however, we do not know how long yet.

 

[RedRallyeZ]

you can't go into an Apple retail store and apply for credit like you can with the Apple online store. (Who doesn't want a year interest free?)

You can apply for it in the store and get it, you just have to make sure you're applying under the right link. If i remember right, the stores have the correct application page bookmarked, they print off a page with a barcode that doubles as your card for the time being.

 

[elkhockey8960]

Upsell?

Apple's store is not a typical sales environment. If you spoke with an employee who tired to "up-sell" then that employee was not doing the right thing. Apple focuses HEAVILY on the customers needs. I feel like those of you who think that the up-selling is purposeful are HUGELY mistaken. Go back to an Apple store and I guarantee you that on a busy day if you don't check in with the person at the front door and they don't see you come in, you will not get helped.

 

[danny_w]

buy online, return in store. finally.

What's new about that? Except for custom orders you could always return in-store. This is about picking up in-store, a feature that Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and many others have had for years.

 

[siurpeeman]

What's new about that? Except for custom orders you could always return in-store. This is about picking up in-store, a feature that Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and many others have had for years.

many others but not apple. this is new for them.

 

[danny_w]

many others but not apple. this is new for them.

Agreed, in-store pickup is new for Apple, but my quote was referring to somebody saying that in-store returns were new and no, they are not.