BGR reports that Apple will be releasing a new Apple Store iOS app on Thursday, November 3, heralding something of a revolution for customers.
There are two major changes: customers will be able to order on-line and pick-up in-store 12 minutes later...and the app will let you pay for shelf retail store goods using your iTunes account and walk out with your goods without even looking at a sales assistant.
If a customer orders an in-stock product, pick up will be available approximately 12 minutes after completing the order. Why 12 minutes? Well, the order goes through the system to the designated Apple Store in about 3 minutes. Apple’s back-of-house employees have 2 minutes to set all of the products aside on a shelf from the minute it was ordered. There is then a 7-minute grace period for employees to get everything else in order. Around 12 minutes after purchasing, customers will be able to walk into the Apple Store, skip lines, skip registers, get their products, sign for them and leave. We’re told Apple is really excited about this, and it’s something customers have been seeking for a while.
If the item ordered on-line is not in stock at the chosen retail store - like customised computers or engraved devices - you'll be given a pick-up date.
Perhaps more interesting is using your iPhone to buy stuff in an Apple retail store. It's for smaller, off the shelf, goods. You'll use your iPhone (or iPad or iPod) camera to scan the barcode, and the money will be taken out of your iTunes account. You can then walk out of the store without - apparently - setting off security alarms.
BGR says both new systems will go live worldwide with the launch of the new app on Thursday.
(Source: BGR)
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