Source: MacWorld
I was in the Apple Store in downtown Walnut Creek yesterday to get my MacBook Pro looked at by a Genius Bar technician. On my way out, I was taken aback by the rows and rows of iPod Shuffles, Nanos, regular iPods in all colors.
What the…?
Maybe you’ve been avoiding the Apple Store because the perception is that it is always crowded. Perception is reality. But don’t be deterred if someone on your shopping list insists on a certain iPod in a certain color.
There’s Express Shopping for that!
Talk about hiding out in the open…
Anyway, the deal is that Apple has a special service they offer only during the holidays. As it was explained to me, the intent is to help the customers that need to get in and out of the Apple Store quickly because they know exactly what they want. There is a streamlined process to get that product in a much faster manner — point to it, pay and go. Pretty cool. Like fast food with the food already made.
This is ideal for folks with metered parking too. In and Out — no waiting.
When I was there on Sunday at noon, two store employees were standing by the display ready to help speed folks along. The rest of the staff was geared up to help folks decide which device to buy.
The products available for Express Shopping are indicated on a sign at the front of the store, close to the display table. If there is something you need that isn’t on the table, you will be handed off to one of the friendly red-shirted sales people who will gladly assist you with your purchase.
People… as the days before Christmas click off, keep this service in mind!
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Here’s what MacWorld’s Leah Yamshon wrote about Express Shopping in her piece on beating the crowds at the Apple Store:
To keep things slightly less chaotic during the busiest shopping time of the year, most Apple stores have an Express Shopping station set up. These long counters are manned by a handful of Apple Store employees and function much like a traditional register system. Stock-configurations of the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iPhone, iPad, and various iPod models are kept behind the counter, so customers won’t have to wait for an Apple employee to run to the back to grab their desired item.
More information can be found here.
An empty Apple Store?
This is the picture from the Apple website of the Walnut Creek store.
Fast Fact: Did you know that of the 50,000 people employed by Apple in the United States, about 26,000 work in retail? That was the number as of September 2012. Probably higher with seasonal work thrown in. (Source: WSJ)
Lots of Red Shirts to help...
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