“Apple’s newly launched retail self-checkout program, which allows customers to pay for an in-store transaction on their phone without speaking to a store employee, has reportedly gotten off to a successful start,” Slash Lane reports for AppleInsider.
“The EasyPay launched in November with the release of version 2.0 of the Apple Store application for iOS devices,” Lane reports. “With EasyPay, an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S user can scan the barcode of an accessory while in store, and complete the transaction using the same credit card information tied to their Apple ID.”
Lane reports, “Though the self-checkout option has “seemed a bit crazy” to some, the system is ‘working out,’ a person familiar with Apple’s retail operations reportedly told John Fortt of CNBC. The person said that the benefits of the new system have, so far, outweighted the negatives.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Apple releases Apple Store v2.0 app featuring EasyPay and Personal Pickup – November 8, 2011
Apple Retail Stores to allow self-checkout via iOS app – October 31, 2011
Kinda makes me want to buy something just to try it out…
I guess it’s ok, but the few tea I have been in an Apple store ( live in Mexico) part of the experiance was interacting with the staff!
how does the reciepts work, how do they kno u paid for your merchandise? what’s to stop someone from saying they paid for something and walking right out with any merchandise? it’s possible for a receipt to fail during the email stages, or is every store going to hire a big buff dude to stand at the door and check each persons apple store app?
I know this seems like a minor distinction, but has anyone tried this system that had a Gift Card balance on their iTunes Account… Does the purchase go to the Credit Card on the account or does it use any remaining Gift Card balance first?
It’s my understanding, that the recent closing of some older stores was to upgrade the internal systems (maybe for EasyPay). It is also my understanding that employee iOS devices show a layout of the store and users using the EasyPay system, so there is some tracking of transactions. Since you need an iOS device to use EasyPay and receipts are emailed, you should be able to show a receipt to an employee that asks to see one (the app itself, has an EasyPay Receipts area under More).
As will all systems, *paying* is always easy. They can’t wait to take my money!! It’s when things go wrong or refunds are required that we find out how bad they can be.