Details on Apple Retail's New In-Store Pick Up and Self Check Out Process

[MacRumors]

MacRumors had previously revealed some interesting changes coming to Apple Retail stores this Thursday. These changes include an expansion of the ability to pick-up online orders at Apple Stores as well as a surprising new self-check out capability. These new features will be released as an update to the Apple Store App in the App Store.

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As reported on BGR, the new system works as follows:

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.

According to BGR, Apple will not be manually verifying purchases.

Both In-Store Pickup and Self Check Out are expected to be launched on Thursday, November 3rd worldwide.

Article Link: Details on Apple Retail's New In-Store Pick Up and Self Check Out Process

 

[addison1203]

Shoplifters

How will Apple employees know if someone is shoplifting?

 

[TennisandMusic]

That in store purchase plan is ... odd.

 

[Schtumple]

Honestly, this seems far too trusting. I can see shoplifting becoming rife with "oh my phone must've messed up" being the excuse if caught.

 

[aluren]

Time to grab some free cases and headphones...

 

[GiantSteve]

Perhaps this is a test of in store shopping capabilities to be extended WELL BEYOND the Apple Store.

 

[campingsk8er]

While I think this is very cool, I don't think the self check-out is a very smart idea. It is going to be too hectic.

 

[YeahBuddy]

In store purchasing seems like a bizarre idea...but i like it.

 

[foidulus]

How will Apple employees know if someone is shoplifting?

by limiting the price of the items that can be self-checked out, they are limiting the amount that one person can reasonably steal in one trip. To prevent "repeat business" they will probably will have ways to guarantee that the same people aren't constantly coming in and taking stuff out....

My guess is they probably ran some models and figured that they still come out ahead, even if there is a little bit of extra "shrinkage".

Plus most shoplifters probably aren't really smart enough to realize this system exists and will instead focus on ripping off the more expensive merchandise.

 

[rorschach]

How will Apple employees know if someone is shoplifting?

At the store where I worked we had plainclothes security and cameras all over. Plus, employees always kept an eye on people. Not that hard.

Beyond that, Apple is probably making enough money on the computers and "big" items that a few cases or iPod cables getting stolen is not really a big deal.

 

[ArcaneDevice]

Beyond that, Apple is probably making enough money on the computers and "big" items that a few cases or iPod cables getting stolen is not really a big deal.

But somehow I still think you'll be arrested if you get caught.

 

[bob118]

In store purchases

What happens when you leave the store after a self check out and the box starts letting off sirens when you leave because you didn't disarm the anti theft device inside the box!

 

[j-a-x]

Sounds awesome and very convenient. I will be interested to see the shoplifting stats though.

 

[highdough]

What happens when you leave the store after a self check out and the box starts letting off sirens when you leave because you didn't disarm the anti theft device inside the box!

My guess is that's how this is going to work. When you buy the item, the security device will be deactivated. How it will work, I have no idea, but it seems logical.

 

[Obscurelight]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

Thanks Tim cook for finally integrating the online and retail apple stores.

 

[Xtal]

What happens when you leave the store after a self check out and the box starts letting off sirens when you leave because you didn't disarm the anti theft device inside the box!

Easy. Each item has a unique RFID tag. When you make the purchase your phone sends a message to the store notifying the systems to let that RFID tag through the detectors.

 

[dimi94941]

They are putting ideas into shoplifters lol.

But do you think that they won't check even if it's an iPad, or Macbook Air or something like that?

 

[ashoka8350]

Yes

but somehow i still think you'll be arrested if you get caught.

you bet!!

 

[TMar]

At the store where I worked we had plainclothes security and cameras all over. Plus, employees always kept an eye on people. Not that hard.

Beyond that, Apple is probably making enough money on the computers and "big" items that a few cases or iPod cables getting stolen is not really a big deal.

So how is your plainclothes security, cameras and force attuned employees going to tell that someone isn't just holding their phone up like they are buying an item in-app when they're not?

 

[ashoka8350]

Easy. Each item has a unique RFID tag. When you make the purchase your phone sends a message to the store notifying the systems to let that RFID tag through the detectors.

That would be great, if they can really do that !

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They are putting ideas into shoplifters lol.

But do you think that they won't check even if it's an iPad, or Macbook Air or something like that?

This privilege is only for the items on the wall and Will Not include any expensive stuff which is in the back of counter.

 

[IbisDoc]

Thank goodness there will no longer be a need to wait 20 minutes for an annoying salesperson to stop chatting with his high school friends and actually (gasp) allow someone to make a purchase.

 

[Trauma1]

What happens when you leave the store after a self check out and the box starts letting off sirens when you leave because you didn't disarm the anti theft device inside the box!

My guess is that's how this is going to work. When you buy the item, the security device will be deactivated. How it will work, I have no idea, but it seems logical.

What siren?

 

[KPOM]

According to 9to5 Mac the self-checkout system is being dubbed "EasyTheft."

I think it will be tweaked. Apple Stores are often mobbed, not only during the holidays (when most stores are), but also during product releases. While it would have been nice to have this system when I was shopping for a new case for my iPhone 4S (5th Avenue had the one I wanted, but there was no one around to check me out, UWS had people who could process payments, but not the case I wanted), shrinkage could be a real issue here. It will be nice if it works, though.

The in-store pickup for online orders is long overdue, and very welcome. It was a short "pilot," having just started in San Francisco last week and New York yesterday. However, I'm guessing Apple figures it will save enough in shipping costs to make it worthwhile (perhaps the "free" shipping on orders over $50 will eventually go away).

 

[Trauma1]

Easy. Each item has a unique RFID tag. When you make the purchase your phone sends a message to the store notifying the systems to let that RFID tag through the detectors.

There are no RF tags, or even a system to support that.

 

[ashoka8350]

Time to grab some free cases and headphones...

Bad idea unless you want to end up in jail !