Next month the Apple Store will reportedly offer a new delivery option to customers
Did you ever go to an Apple Store hoping to buy an iPhone with a certain configuration only to be told that the store is out of stock? That particular store misses out on the sale and you have to find another store that has the device exactly the way you want it. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, says that Apple will soon allow its physical retail stores to book a sale and have the device shipped to the customer's home or office. This is achieved through the stores' EasyPay point-of-sale machines.
This will be the first time that Apple Stores will offer to ship devices paid for in-store and not only does this help the store generate a sale when it is out of stock of a particular device, but it also helps customers who buy a device like an iMac or Mac Pro that might not be so easy for them to schlep home. This also might be the way that Apple sells the $3499 Vision Pro spatial computer.
The Vision Pro will offer different sizes for the headset's light seals and head bands. Different strengths in prescription lens inserts will also need to be kept in stock which will be hard for each Apple Store to do. The more logical solution is to take Vision Pro orders at the Apple Store and have whatever parts are not immediately available in the store shipped to the buyer. This might not scratch the itch that some consumers have to immediately use a new tech device that they have purchased, but it might be the best strategy for Apple.
Some parts for the Vision Pro headset not in stock at an Apple Store could be shipped directly to the customer
Apple calls this plan "EasyPay Online Ordering" and it will debut early next month according to an internal Apple memo printed in Gurman's newsletter. The memo reads, "We want all our customers to leave the store with exactly what they came for. And this will be easier with EasyPay Online Ordering, launching in early August. With a single bag transaction, you’ll have the option of different fulfillment methods, like shipping or personalizing a product."
If you've never had the experience of shopping at an Apple Store, the current process for those who want or need to have a product shipped is to place the order online using the store's demo iPad or Mac. Or the Apple Store employee uses his EasyPay device to place the order using the internet.
Gurman also notes that Apple is planning on making changes to its Today at Apple hands-on sessions held at certain Apple Stores. These are free sessions that show Apple device owners how to be more creative by using their iPhone, iPad, or Mac products to their fullest capabilities. Gurman didn't note what these changes might be but did say that they will take place starting next month.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: