Apple In-Store Pickup Product Program Now Offered in New York City

By Elton Jones, Christian Post Reporter Monday, October 31, 2011

Apple's in-store product program has now been initiated at the Fifth Avenue Apple Store location in New York City.

Two other New York City locations are also taking part in this new customer program: the Upper West Side, West 14th Street stores and Soho stores.

The Soho Apple Store is currently undergoing renovations and expansion. A temporary store, which is a block and a half away from the permanent Soho location, is open for now.

The in-store program previously launched as a pilot program at three of San Francisco's Apple retail stores.

After these three stores received the program, all 16 stores in the San Francisco Bay Area integrated it as well.

MacRumors has also offered some more information on Apple's international retail store plans: "Apple has given no indication on exactly how quickly it will expand the pickup program to all stores in the United States, and perhaps internationally. But with the program already expanding to include 20 stores in less than a week, it's clear that the company is rapidly filling out the pilot program with an eye toward offering in-store pickup at as many stores as possible heading into the holiday shopping season."

Apple is also upgrading its retail stores iOS app, which will allow customers to utilize a self-checkout process for the company's products.

Apple customers who already own an iOS-enabled device can finalize their purchases through the Apple store application. They will soon be able to pay for any other Apple product, which will streamline the process for other Apple store customers.

Sources for website MacRumors said that "self-checkout purchases will be charged via the Apple Store app to the customer's iTunes Store account."

High-priced items such as the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S will still require the assistance of Apple store employees. Only now, customers won't have to get the attention of employees with an EasyPay device in order to finalize their payment.

This self-checkout process will be heavily monitored by Apple and the store's employees.

This is being done in order to verify customers' email receipts of any Apple device.

Once the buyer's information has been verified, Apple store employees will just have to bring customers their items from the stock room.