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Apple Store App Brings Self Checkout and In Store Pickup to the Masses

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Apple has updated the Apple Store app for iOS, adding the ability to order items for in store pickup and allowing you to purchase items in store by checking out on your iPhone.

Apple Store 2.0 is available as a download right now, bringing the new features to your iPhone, iPad an iPod Touch. Previously the in store pickup option was only available in select stores, but with this launch it is rolled out nationwide. You will need an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S to do the self checkout, presumably so Apple can track where you are with better accuracy.

You can download Apple Store 2.0 from the App Store on your iOS device right now.

Apple Store App - Easy Pay

Apple Store App - Easy Pay

New features in Apple Store 2.0:

  • Personal Pickup: Buy in the app and choose to pick up your order at any Apple Retail Store. Most in-stock orders are available for pickup within an hour. (U.S. only)
  • EasyPay: Purchase select accessories in store quickly by scanning the barcode and completing your transaction right in the app. (U.S. only, requires iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S)
  • Track your stuff: View the status of current and previous orders from the order status section in the More tab

The personal pickup option worked great in my test, though I didn’t actually check out and make a $1,500 purchase on my iPhone. If you are ordering a standard configuration, you can stop in to your closest Apple Store within an hour to pickup your new MacBook Pro. If the configuration is not in stock, you can have it shipped to you, or you can opt to pick it up in a few days at the Apple Store. This is a nice feature for keeping gifts form arriving at home or ensuring that your preferred model is in stock and ensuring instant gratification.

I will be interested to test out the EasyPay option, which allows you to use your iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S as a scanner to purchase items and pay for them from the credit card linked to your iTunes account. This is a nice touch, but I have to wonder how Apple employees will know if I paid for the accessory, or if I am just walking out with something. I’m guessing there will be a few weeks of rough patches with this feature, but hope that Apple can make it work. I’d love to see this type of checkout expand to the grocery store so I could scan items as I put them in my cart and pay at the end without waiting in line.

I wonder how this will play out for kids who have an iTunes account tied to mom and dad’s credit card. Assuming they know the password, they could go on a nice little shopping spree at the Apple Store.

Order status will pull up online orders tied to your Apple ID, allowing you to review them and track them from within the app. A nice touch, but definitely not the star of the update.

Apple Store Self Checkout and Pickup Gallery:

3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. вебпромо

    11/08/2011 at 6:45 am

    Hi, nice post. I have been pondering this topic,so thanks for sharing

  2. Rich Sr

    11/10/2011 at 11:28 am

    @Josh – Good detail here on Apple’s offering. Thanks! I think the ‘Easy Pay’ concept will become commonly available in retail in the next year or so. Payment View published an interesting overview about mobile self-checkout here:
    https://paymentsviews.com/2011/11/08/mobile-self-checkout-breaks-out-for-pos-payments/comment-page-1/

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