Apple stores to go cashwrap-free; media player sales going flat?

[AppleInsider]

Apple Inc.'s retail shops will be some of the first to drop dedicated cash registers almost entirely when the company expands on-the-spot payment system, according to ifo Apple Store. Meanwhile, a study suggests handheld jukebox sales may be flat from this year onwards.

Apple to drop cashwraps in most stores

Shoppers who appreciated Apple's handheld payment systems during the holiday rush can now look forward to encountering the method all year round, ifo Apple Store says in a new report.

First brought out as an experiment to cope with a deluge of customers in November 2005, the system has proven successful in shrinking long checkout lines; by using handhelds from Motorola-owned Symbol Technologies, Apple's floor sales clerks can accept credit card payment wherever the customer happens to be and have an e-mail receipt sent out.

The move has saved paper and reduced the average waiting time for a purchase at the company's stores, prompting the company to expand the system beyond the few months of peak holiday shopping, the report claims.

Most of Apple's stores will scrap dedicated cashwrap stations altogether with the move, shifting tasks that can't be handled by the Symbol handhelds to computers at Genius Bars. Flagship stores such as Apple's Manhattan-area locations will continue to include cashwraps to cope with demand.

The transition should be complete within a few weeks at every location affected by the switch.

Analysts: media player market to peak in 2008, help Apple

The market for handheld music and video jukeboxes is set to finally level off this year but may play into Apple's hands, according to a new report published by iSuppli.

Research by company analysts indicates that world revenue for portable media players grew just 8 percent in 2007 and will shrink further still this year to 3.5 percent. The situation may only get worse: sales between 2008 and 2011 are expected to grow just a single percentage point, the report claims.

Analysts at iSuppli assign blame both to inexpensive players, which reduce the income from each unit sold, and from a market which is increasingly likely to use its cellphone as a music player instead.

However quickly the market for non-phone devices grows, Apple may stand to reap the benefits, the analysts note. In a stagnant industry, Apple's existing control should let it survive where others fail, snapping up customers from floundering rivals. The marketshare lead should also buy time for Apple while it shifts attention to the iPhone.

Archos takes a shot at Apple TV with new media hub

With the Consumer Electronics Show beginning this coming Monday, companies are already announcing their devices ahead of the event -- some of which are likely to challenge Apple.

A premature leak from Archos began the comparisons on Thursday. The Archos TV+ mimics the Apple TV media hub but promises features lacking from Apple's first-generation device, including web browsing, direct downloads, and video inputs for TV recording.

The Archos device is also less costly than its competition and should sell for $250 with 80GB of storage -- double that of the 40GB Apple TV, which sells for $300. A $350 version will supply 250GB of space versus Apple's $399, 160GB media hub.

Nonetheless, the victory may be relatively inconsequential: a recent study by ABI Research claims that the Apple TV is leading a weak industry and that most such devices have failed to gain much attention from the buying public.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[solipsism]

1) I wonder when Apple will use the iPod Touch for their on-the-spot payment system. An in-house device that plugs into the Touch's 30=pin connector and allows for secure CC info to be sent wirelessly. They have to be working on it; I'd think Jobs doesn't like the current WinCE device they've been using.

2) The iPhone and the rumoured video rentals will keep Apple ahead, IMO.

3) HP is releasing one too. This looks to be the year Media Extenders start to become popular. I just hope Apple gets rentals and the other companies figure out how to make their devices work as seamlessly as the AppleTV. No one has a killer device yet.

[iPeon]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Analysts: media player market to peak in 2008, help Apple

Research by company analysts indicates that world revenue for portable media players grew just 8 percent in 2007 and will shrink further still this year to 3.5 percent.

Geez. What a mind warp. Peak in 2008, grew 8% in 2007, will shrink to 3.5% in 2008.

Yes I get it, it will only grow 3.5% this year compared to the 8% growth from last year thereby peaking in 2008.

Anyway, hogwash I say. That market is still in it's infancy.

[djames42]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Archos takes a shot at Apple TV with new media hub

I have to admit that I love my Archos 704. It's not a replacement for my iPod, but it complements it well. My wish would be for this Archos TV to have a built-in docking station for the portable video players (I already have one, but it would be great to de-clutter my entertainment center).

[jonyo]

Originally Posted by solipsism

1) I wonder when Apple will use the iPod Touch for their on-the-spot payment system. An in-house device that plugs into the Touch's 30=pin connector and allows for secure CC info to be sent wirelessly. They have to be working on it; I'd think Jobs doesn't like the current WinCE device they've been using.

Minor note: Although the current units Apple's retail stores are using are Symbol hardware using WinCE for an OS, the POS application layer is a custom Apple thing designed in-house. It's pretty easy to use, too. Until recently, I worked in an Apple retail store, and dealt with them all day. They're total life savers over the holidays, keeping tons of customers happy and the store relatively line-free.

I suppose Apple will eventually want to use their own HW and OS/SW for POS, but it made business sense to improve the POS experience in the stores right away, without waiting for a lengthly device development cycle.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by iPeon

Geez. What a mind warp. Peak in 2008, grew 8% in 2007, will shrink to 3.5% in 2008.

Yes I get it, it will only grow 3.5% this year compared to the 8% growth from last year thereby peaking in 2008.

Anyway, hogwash I say. That market is still in it's infancy.

I think more people are using phones for the same thing though. There might still be a solid market for it, but the reasons to have separate devices have diminished a little.

[McHuman]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Archos takes a shot at Apple TV with new media hub

OMG look at the remote on that thing. Makes me nauseous. I'll keep my apple tv, thank you. If Apple adds web functionality, I'll use their sleek wireless keyboard.

[davebarnes]

What normal person in the USA uses the term: "cashwrap-free"?
What does this mean in English?

[jonyo]

Originally Posted by McHuman

OMG look at the remote on that thing. Makes me nauseous. I'll keep my apple tv, thank you. If Apple adds web functionality, I'll use their sleek wireless keyboard.

Unfortunately, there's no bluetooth hardware in the AppleTV, so using Apple's wireless BT keyboard won't be possible, even with a software change. Unless the thing will accept a BT dongle in the USB port in the future?

[jonyo]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

What normal person in the USA uses the term: "cashwrap-free"?
What does this mean in English?

Hehe...It's manager-speak, something those who've worked in retail will recognize. "Cashwrap" is called that by the managers because that's where we "wrap" the sale. It's part of a whole big long sales-ish thing I had to listen to when I first started working there. Pretty dumb. I'm no high-energy über salesman, I'm a tech geek, so it's no great surprise that I'd leave sooner than later.

[iPeon]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

I think more people are using phones for the same thing though. There might still be a solid market for it, but the reasons to have separate devices have diminished a little.

Exactly. A media player is a media player. Combined with another device or not, it's still a media player. To say that revenue for portable media players has peaked implies that this market is on its way out. Alarmists love to create fear and doubt.

[anantksundaram]

What the heck is a 'handheld media player' (or audio/video jukebox, or whatever)?

Does my 5G Video iPod qualify? Or, my iPhone? If 'no,' why not? If 'yes,' is it really possible that the market for products such as these is likely to grow at only 3.5% next year?!

Sounds to me like geek-speak nonsense (almost as weird-sounding as the store manager 'cash-wrap' crap).

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

What the heck is a 'handheld media player' (or audio/video jukebox, or whatever)?

Does my 5G Video iPod qualify? Or, my iPhone? If 'no,' why not? If 'yes,' is it really possible that the market for products such as these is likely to grow at only 3.5% next year?!

Sounds to me like geek-speak nonsense (almost as weird-sounding as the store manager 'cash-wrap' crap).

I don't think geeks would be caught dead using stuffy terminology like that. I think it's an analyst-speak or appleinsider-writer-speak. What was wrong with "checkout counter" or "cash register"? Even Point of Sale is better.

[ascii]

So if you want to buy something you don't find a cash register you find a salesman?

Like any time when you have multiple queues, customers will not necessarily be served on a first-come-first served basis (e.g. if you end up in a slow line), which is potentially unfair. This could end up detracting from the Apple retail experience.

[vinney57]

Originally Posted by ascii

So if you want to buy something you don't find a cash register you find a salesman?

Like any time when you have multiple queues, customers will not necessarily be served on a first-come-first served basis (e.g. if you end up in a slow line), which is potentially unfair. This could end up detracting from the Apple retail experience.

Er... have you been to an Apple store? Don't worry, it works very well.

[vinney57]

Portable media players peaking? I'm sorry but that is utter horseshit.

[johnmcboston]

leave it to Apple to rename a "Cashier". cashwrap?? hmmmm

Funny those portable thing also depend on the floor people as well. One time i asked about a product in my hand, the answered. I noticed the hand held and asked if she could cash me out, but she said it 'wouldn't be fair' and made me go stand in the cashier line Nice, eh?

[scottiB]

I worked retail clothing in high school and college in the 80s, and the counter where the registers, bags, sensor removal equipment, etc. were located was called the cashwrap. It's retailer speak - not unique to Apple.

[aaarrrgggh]

Cashwrap is a retail term, not unique to Apple. Cash register and gift wrapping.

I'm not a big fan of ditching it; people expect to go to a register to queue when they need something-- a self-service mentality. The roaming employees feel like far too enthusiastic commission-based salesmen scattered throughout the store in their current layout: there is no focal point. Department stores can pull it off in a big space, but the mid-size and small format Apple stores are just too crowded and need a center.

Hope they either move to bigger stores or look at a redesign.

(the other problem is that this layout makes the Genius Bar look too crowded-- like lots of people are having problems.)

[tuneman07]

Originally Posted by ascii

So if you want to buy something you don't find a cash register you find a salesman?

Like any time when you have multiple queues, customers will not necessarily be served on a first-come-first served basis (e.g. if you end up in a slow line), which is potentially unfair. This could end up detracting from the Apple retail experience.

I thought the same thing- I don't know how many times I have waited patiently for a salesperson's attention when some tard runs up yelling about what they need as if I am invisible (not to mention the person the salesperson is already talking to). Then when I finally do talk to the salesperson that same tard has something else to say and butts into our convo as if they are the only person in the world. Has to be my biggest pet peeve ever.

[jonyo]

Originally Posted by aaarrrgggh

Cashwrap is a retail term, not unique to Apple. Cash register and gift wrapping.

I'm not a big fan of ditching it; people expect to go to a register to queue when they need something-- a self-service mentality. The roaming employees feel like far too enthusiastic commission-based salesmen scattered throughout the store in their current layout: there is no focal point. Department stores can pull it off in a big space, but the mid-size and small format Apple stores are just too crowded and need a center.

Hope they either move to bigger stores or look at a redesign.

(the other problem is that this layout makes the Genius Bar look too crowded-- like lots of people are having problems.)

Weird, the wrap part of the cashwrap term is about gift wrapping? I never knew that. Hmm, I think retail professionals (IE- managers and lifers and whatnot) must just be used to the term, since I used to hear it all the time at various places, all of which had nothing resembling gift wrapping!

Believe it or not, all Apple retail positions are NON-commission. None at all, to my knowledge. I'm not including the managers, I don't know if they get bonuses for stores meeting goals or anything like that. However, when you're part-time, as almost all of the "Mac Specialists" are, how many hours per week you'll get is based on your sales. (Mac Specialist is a fancy name for all generic retail person positions other than the genius bar people, managers, and back room inventory people. Oh, and the guys with extra official training to do the One-To-One sessions, called "Creatives", although they're just Mac Specialists when they're not doing a One-To-One session.)

Well, it's not EXACTLY sales, as in the raw dollars of stuff you sell, the more important part is add-ons for computer purchases, namely Applecare, One-To-One memberships, .Mac subscriptions, and Pro-Care memberships. Even the Mac Geniuses are expected to push the add-on stuff during genius bar appointments. This is the stuff that makes the store look good to the corporate HQ.

It makes sense from a corporate standpoint I guess, since the stores are not independently owned. The people running the stores don't have anything to do with driving bodies into the store with decisions on advertising or what to sell and not sell, or even how the store is going to look, etc. ALL of that comes from Apple HQ.

As a Mac Specialist, if you sell plenty of computers, but fail to get people to add on stuff too much, they screw you by giving you fewer and fewer hours. An employee who's good at making customers happy and knowing their stuff, but not good at the bottom line of adding stuff on, well... most of them will eventually go away, since they can't get enough hours. This is how they weed out people who aren't really in the "SALESperson" mode enough to positively influence the store's "numbers", but without having to fire them, since they wouldn't officially have proper "cause". Nope, instead they make you want to quit. It's all pretty jacked up. The main reason I get pretty pissed when I think about this is the way this process is all unspoken and yet understood once you've been there awhile. They ("they" being the managers and the training materials) act like the non-commission aspect makes Apple Retail all laid back and easy-going compared to other retail positions, but that is all complete BS, they're on your butt about your numbers DAILY. Yes, I'm saying all this from personal experience working in an Apple Retail store for about 1-1/2 years before getting pushed out by dropping my hours down to nothing for not having good enough "numbers". I'm probably breaking some NDAs by even saying this stuff, who knows, but whatever, I'm not too concerned at this point. I'm done with tech jobs entirely for now, and trying to get into teaching.

Ok, sorry, rant over! We got waaaay off topic didn't we? Sorry about that!

[HardRockCamaro]

Most of Apple's stores will scrap dedicated cashwrap stations altogether with the move, shifting tasks that can't be handled by the Symbol handhelds to computers at Genius Bars. Flagship stores such as Apple's Manhattan-area locations will continue to include cashwraps to cope with demand.

I'm 99% certain that the new Apple store in the Lakeside shopping mall near London in the UK is already working this way. I don't remember seeing any payment area, only a Genius Bar and the staff with the handheld gizmos...

I would have thought most people pay by card nowadays anyway, especially with most stuff in the Apple stores being fairly high ticket items.

[palegolas]

The Apple TV will be better off with movie rentals accessed directly from the Apple TV itself, and not via a second computer. It's still just a very expensive replacement of a regular VGA-cable though... especially for us outside the movie distribution zones. I would be very surprised should Apple decide it will compete in the DVR business. This is a company that almost didn't dare to stand up for itself and let users use their own 30 seconds ringtones for fist's sake. They're afraid the studios will leave them should they enable DVR functions, because it potentially helps end users violate a lot of distribution agreements...

[Sedicivalvole]

Originally Posted by vinney57

Er... have you been to an Apple store? Don't worry, it works very well.

This is a very stupid idea from Apple.

It can work well but as pointed out means that its not first come first served basis. Also when the store is busy and peole want to pay by cash the Genius bar will be overunning and full as it is 100% of the time in the UK and people will have to wait.

The worst idea possible. I have asked 14 of us so far in the office who all use the Regent Street store and we all think its a waste of time and will likely make us shop elsewhere. Might work in the States but not in the UK with the current situation.

[maxmann]

Originally Posted by vinney57

Portable media players peaking? I'm sorry but that is utter horseshit.

I agree it is a stretch to say sales will fall to a 3.5% level so fast. First, saturation of cassette media players over a 10 year period was around 400 million.. and CD is I believe over 800 million.. Both formats lasted about 10 years. Both of these formats suffered extreme price erosion in the last 2/3 of their product cycles because the format was simply fixed in design and very few improvements could be made to keep prices up.... more for less or the same for less ensued in both cassette and curve and just starting to make headway..

saturation is years away mostly because .. a software based format is a moving target and more and more features will be added in the coming years.. We still have no price erosion - this is like a FIRST in consumer electronics! there is no defined saturation of media players when the target is moving this way. And, this moving target is expanding the base of users in other ways - like with the iphone... and we don't even have a viable video package for portable media yet..

Infancy might no be the right word for saturation - but very young in the media cycle would be.. this is far from being a slow grower..

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by Sedicivalvole

This is a very stupid idea from Apple.

It can work well but as pointed out means that its not first come first served basis. Also when the store is busy and peole want to pay by cash the Genius bar will be overunning and full as it is 100% of the time in the UK and people will have to wait.

The worst idea possible. I have asked 14 of us so far in the office who all use the Regent Street store and we all think its a waste of time and will likely make us shop elsewhere. Might work in the States but not in the UK with the current situation.

I thought the UK was a lot farther along on the eCash business than the US. I suppose eliminating the cash drawers would be a bad idea though.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by maxmann

I agree it is a stretch to say sales will fall to a 3.5% level so fast. First, saturation of cassette media players over a 10 year period was around 400 million.. and CD is I believe over 800 million.. Both formats lasted about 10 years. Both of these formats suffered extreme price erosion in the last 2/3 of their product cycles because the format was simply fixed in design and very few improvements could be made to keep prices up.... more for less or the same for less ensued in both cassette and curve and just starting to make headway..

saturation is years away mostly because .. a software based format is a moving target and more and more features will be added in the coming years.. We still have no price erosion - this is like a FIRST in consumer electronics! there is no defined saturation of media players when the target is moving this way. And, this moving target is expanding the base of users in other ways - like with the iphone... and we don't even have a viable video package for portable media yet..

Infancy might no be the right word for saturation - but very young in the media cycle would be.. this is far from being a slow grower..

It depends of how they define it. Does the iPhone and every other phone designed to play media [well] count for or against in this case? Do portable internet devices that are also emerging also count? If they mean stand-alone, media players that mainly serve that function then I can see how those numbers can be dropping as people want devices that combine there other CEs into one device.

[shaunymac]

Originally Posted by vinney57

Er... have you been to an Apple store? Don't worry, it works very well.

Their little handheld cashregister works well to an extent, until you confront them with a gift card (not apple), check or cash and then you are ushered into a line where you are bound to go mad. Example, this christmas I bought a new macbook pro, ipod classic, and an iphone. Considering I am a college student and I was about to blow alott of loot I bought my mbp separately bc it was for me, ipod for dad, and then tried to pay cash and debit for iphone and they wouldn't except. , So yeah i gave them one of those. Its money, cash at that, yet they look at you like you just asked them for the latest installment of vista. I dont know i just think that is stupid.

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by Sedicivalvole

This is a very stupid idea from Apple.

I have to agree with you.

Just before Xmas, my wife and I drove into town to the Apple Retail Store to get a couple of iPod Touches for the kids. Our local store is in one of the biggest malls in the country and the busiest outlet there.

Even though I have most of the top 50 programs/utilities on my offices' and home systems, I can't resist the temptation to visit an Apple Retail Store (ARS) or an major authorized Apple reseller-in whatever city or country I am in. Yes I am a mac fan and proud of my association with Apple and its products since '84.

I could often spend an hour or so feeding my habit, although my wife will suggest a lot more. However, I can't argue with her when she says I can't keep my nose to my self. Many a time, I have often gotten into lengthy discussions with the management and staff, and even ended up helping sell a system or two before I leave the premises.

So what is my beef? Well, considering the size of the crowd, I thought that I would have at least half hour before my wife could get through checking out. No such luck. Before we could get to the middle of the store, we were accosted by a 'CashWrapper' and in less than a minure I was being dragged off to look for winter boots for my brother-in-law, (don't worry, I can't stand him either).

Now my wife expects me to be in and out when I tell her that I have to go to the ARS. However, being a creature of habit, I expect to have extra time looking, touching and playing, and when my cell phone rings, have another 20 seconds to pay for my purchases and be on my way home.

So the kids got iPod Touches for Christmas. Whereas, I got new boots. Apparently, my wife wanted to get one for me too, but she couldn't do it while I was standing there.

Thanks Apple.

But hey, I am planning to be off to SanFran next week. Alone.

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Does the iPhone and every other phone designed to play media [well] count for or against in this case? Do portable internet devices that are also emerging also count?

If they don't count, is there even a story here?

Or more likely, is it just the usual pre-MWSF nervousness and finger-twiddling, just a white-noise filler?

[maxmann]

Originally Posted by solipsism

It depends of how they define it. Does the iPhone and every other phone designed to play media [well] count for or against in this case? Do portable internet devices that are also emerging also count? If they mean stand-alone, media players that mainly serve that function then I can see how those numbers can be dropping as people want devices that combine there other CEs into one device.

Yes, when they started keeping track there were not so many variables on the player format they were keeping track of. This is an example of how statistics will prove to be wrong because the product format they were keeping track of has evolved to a mix of several media formats combined, slurped, mixed, and blended into several ways to listen to.. archive.. and buy our media.. and as important as music is as a category - the singular use player is doing a lot more these days than a singular use media device of the past.. Unit volume of music players as defined 5 years ago might be slowing down on a growth curve.. but it is silly to think that media players as we know them today have even started to slow down..

[mariofreak85]

Originally Posted by HardRockCamaro

I'm 99% certain that the new Apple store in the Lakeside shopping mall near London in the UK is already working this way. I don't remember seeing any payment area, only a Genius Bar and the staff with the handheld gizmos...

I would have thought most people pay by card nowadays anyway, especially with most stuff in the Apple stores being fairly high ticket items.

Any newly remodeled Apple store has already hidden the cash wrap. The registers are NOT at the genius bar, but they are near it. The genius bar is the busiest part of the store, there is no way Apple is going to have more people line up at it.

That being said, I work at an older Apple Store where we have two registers up front and center. They are a pain. Few people pay with cash, but everyone lines up behind them. Once a line starts forming, everyone else starts lining up, to ask questions, get their computer fixed etc.

As a concierge it is my job to direct customers to where they need to go, including how to pay. When the store is busy I will send the customer to a mac specialist who is almost done with their sale. This way many people can be rung up at the same time, compared with the two at a time at the registers.

I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked "Where do I pay?" and when I respond "Right here" people get a curious look on their face. I grab a specialist and he or she will ring them up right there and they are pleasantly surprised with the experience. I have had several people get mad about the lack of traditional cash wraps, but as with most things, Apple isn't afraid to change the process to something that works better.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by solipsism

It depends of how they define it. Does the iPhone and every other phone designed to play media [well] count for or against in this case? Do portable internet devices that are also emerging also count? If they mean stand-alone, media players that mainly serve that function then I can see how those numbers can be dropping as people want devices that combine there other CEs into one device.

They are talking abolut pure stand alone music players- iPods, Zune , etc. So by this rationale iPhones and iTouches or cellphones are not included. Simply tack on a camera, phone and then you have a device that is excluded.
Listen Sony had the Walkman for 10-15years years- the iPod is now 5 years old and technology is growing at least 3 times as fast as it was back during the walkman era. My guess is that the camera will be added next to the iPod. If it's on the phone - why not the iPod.

[Gustav]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

What normal person in the USA uses the term: "cashwrap-free"?
What does this mean in English?

Nobody outside of retail uses this term. Hardly anyone inside of retail uses it either. AppleInsider should have simply used "checkout-free" or "cashier line-free" or something that people understand. I had no idea what the term meant either.

[Richardlol]

Come on AppleInsider. You have been doing this for long enough to know to post one idea per post. This should have been three posts - Cashwrap Free - Media platers - Apple TV.

Having all three in one post make these comments a pain to follow.

[SDW2001]

Personally I think the mobile checkout system sucks. When the store is crowded and you want to buy one thing, good luck finding someone who realizes all you want to do is pay and get the hel out of there. Apple is also terrible and letting customers know how to use the system. No one knows WTF is going on, and they start complaining that no one is helping them. It's chaos. You have someone selling a computer and ringing up an iPod skin at the same time.

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by vinney57

Portable media players peaking? I'm sorry but that is utter horseshit.

IMO, portable media players are still a product looking for a market. Apple would be better off developing the next-gen iPhone/gaming device.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

IMO, portable media players are still a product looking for a market. Apple would be better off developing the next-gen iPhone/gaming device.

Apple's managed to sell maybe 130+ million of them and you think they're a product looking for a market?

Or is this some sort of sarcasm?

[iPoster]

So we can look forward to arguments for and against the existence of 'Peak Player' now?

[Blah64]

Originally Posted by SDW2001

Personally I think the mobile checkout system sucks. When the store is crowded and you want to buy one thing, good luck finding someone who realizes all you want to do is pay and get the hel out of there. Apple is also terrible and letting customers know how to use the system. No one knows WTF is going on, and they start complaining that no one is helping them. It's chaos. You have someone selling a computer and ringing up an iPod skin at the same time.

It sucks alright. And I'll give you another reason:

I pay cash for stuff. It's nice, clean, and it's no one else's effing business who I am and what my shopping trends are. This system makes you feel like a 2nd class citizen when you pay cash. All smiles until you say "cash", and then you get the "Oh, uh, ok, go over there", and get shuffled to the back corner of the genius bar where you usually have to wait in line.

Some people may think this new scheme is "cool", but for people who prefer to use cash (especially for small sales), it really leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Not the kind of feeling that ARS should provoke.