Apple Stores Switch from Windows PDAs to iPod Touch

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.appletell.com/apple/comment/apple-stores-to-use-ipod-touch-to-handle-checkouts/' target='_blank'>http://www.appletell.com/apple/comm...ndle-checkouts/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"One of the strangest things about the Apple Stores, in my opinion, is how they always used Windows based PDAs for customer checkouts not at the register. Sure, Apple didn't want or really need to make their own system, but it was just a little strange to me."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1256844478.usr105634.jpg" /></p><p>It must have felt strange to them too, as they are now going to be using the iPod Touch with barcode scanner and credit card readers. The only store reported to be using them now, in a trial phase, is the Valley Fair Mall Store in Santa Clara, CA. <a href="http://www.iphonealley.com/current/apple-retail-to-begin-using-ipod-touch-based-checkout-system-unified-shirt-colors" target="_blank">iPhone Alley</a> has a more complete writeup on this switchover in case you want more info on what exactly they are going to be using.&nbsp;</p><p>Apple is also changing how the employees in the store will look, having everyone wear the same color t-shirt to avoid confusion with customers. Some customers reported being a bit confused about which employee they needed to contact since they were wearing different colored shirts. However, they may change the color of the t-shirts just to keep things interesting.&nbsp;</p>

[Vincent Ferrari]

Two of my local stores made this switch a long time ago. The system seems much faster for them; maybe it's more customized to Apple Retail than the old CE devices. They also didn't have a card reader or bar code scanner on their devices so they had to key in item numbers, but all things considered, it went seriously fast.

It was only a matter of time before Apple rolled out their own checkout system for the remotes.

I still think that the new system is quite possibly the best experience ever. It's a bit confusing that the stores dont' have a "register," but it's SO SO SO fast. I never pay cash for anything so I love it and now they can even take cash! What more could you want?

[Macguy59]

What more could you want?

A 27" iMac and 10" Apple tablet ? :D

[doogald]

Apple is also changing how the employees in the store will look, having everyone wear the same color t-shirt to avoid confusion with customers. Some customers reported being a bit confused about which employee they needed to contact since they were wearing different colored shirts. However, they may change the color of the t-shirts just to keep things interesting.&nbsp;</p>

Oh no! Is Microsoft going to have to make every employee wear the same color shirts at their rip-off stores now, too?

I'll ditto the good news that this move to the Touch will be. I was in the local store last week and they were using the Touch to check in Genius Bar appointments. Lickety-split. I also bought a new set of earbuds from a guy with a Symbol device. Painfully slow waiting for it to go from screen to screen (it was faster back when thy had registers.)

[karen]

When I bought my iPhone, I was shocked by a few things:


That I had to have an appointment ahead of time to purchase. The Toronto downtown Apple store runs out of appointments early in the day and I had gone there at 6pm or so. I lucked out in that I talked a manager into letting me buy one anyway.
That there is no clear process on how to buy anything in the store. And what processes do exist seem to change based on the whims of the people working in the store that day/hour.
That the handhelds ran Windows CE.


So while the Apple guy waited for the very slow Rogers system to activate my phone, we chatted about these things. He said that the appointment system gives a sense of scarcity that makes people want to buy. Definitely research in this area. He also said that the handhelds were required because there's no way to attach card readers or other devices to iPhones. I could see that.

I'm still frustrated by the no clear process for buying things. The appointment system still drives me crazy: I don't always know when I'm going to have time to be in a store and I'm more of a "I'll pick one up the next time I'm there" type shopper, not a "I'll make an appointment for next week to go buy one."

Everytime I go into the store, the place or the person I'm supposed to be to actually make the purchase is different, based on how busy they are. Do they have no signs, no WalMart greeter, whatver to say "go here to give us money". Go there to buy a computer.

The Toronto stores are so jam packed with people using the devices to just surf it's hard to tell who is working, who is shopping, and who is playing. So having some sort of indicator of how to get assistance would help. Shirts are the easiest.
Just crazy.

[doogald]

Our local Apple Stores are not nearly like that. There are always at least one concierge at the door to direct you, generally two; I have never needed an appointment to buy anything (Genius Bar appts are another thing, of course.) I agree with Apple that the different color shirts are too confusing (I've come to realize that orange are the Genius Bar concierges, light blues seem to have the point of sale devices, I think dark blues do training and personalized shopping appointments), and having just one color shirt with a Touch that can do anything is far better.

Pity poor Microsoft which will now have to change their new stores to a single color shirt, just to copy Apple , after already investing in all of the color shirts . . . ;)