Wear a trench coat in the summer when it is 100+ degrees. That'll get some attention.
Try this. Scan and pay for an item A, put it back on the shelf, then take a different item A and walk out of the store. If checked at the door you can show the receipt.
Also impressive is Zoom System's Best Buy Express (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZoomShops). I can buy an iPod Touch at 2am from an automated vending machine with the swipe of a card and a few clicks.
I can see the possibility in a few years to be able to find and purchase something on my iPhone and find a local automated pick up location 24/7.
While I like the idea of these kiosks, I got screwed over by one once: There were two different Sony headphones, very similar style, but different price. Needed new mic/headset for my phone, so figured I would give it a try. Picked out the one I wanted, started the transaction, looked back at the code, and entered the code for the other model (no mic). Realized it once I opened the package, so I just put it in a bag and dropped into a real Best Buy to swap it for what I needed.
...But, Best Buy isn't really affiliated with the kiosks. You can't return things.
I have to think Apple could find a great way to make these things work, even for high dollar items.
. How: By wearing a hoodie, dark sunglasses, avoiding looking at the cameras, avoiding talking to the personal, and walking quickly to and from the door in the most suspicious way. Any other ideas, like what to buy?
if you walk in like that you might not be stopped but you will be watched. And you are asking for it
I guess Apple is using Data Warehousing/Mining to identify patterns, analyse past "EasyPay" purchases and compare all purchases to inventory figures to identify stock "leakage".
I am sure Apple didn't launch this without knowing predicted possible theft and revenue loss. The model would take such figures into account and Apple figured out that % of revenue loss is ignorable and/or outweighs additional revenue generated plus reduced costs based on self-service.
Just so that we can make the proper judgments/decisions.......
If you think it might help you, I'm a middle class, middle aged white guy. Fairly average in most environments.
If a typical townie or bro were to try to pull a scam at one of the fancy mall stores or at one of the big stores in the fancy shopping district, my guess is that they would be questioned. Likewise, if someone who looks like a tourist were to buy a new laptop charger at the store near the hotel, my guess is that the most they would get is a smile and a nod.
Some people, unfortunately, will be questioned no matter what. IME, that is the way things generally work.
i went to my local apple store a week or so ago and purchased a new airport extreme. as i've been doing for some time now, i asked one of the (in this case) red-shirted employees to check me out (mind out of the gutter). and they did. normally they offer a bag or a blue "thank you" sticker and i just take the sticker. this time she offered me a bag and i said "no, i'll just take a sticker". she said i didn't need one. even that felt weird when i walked out the front door, so i imagine doing it all myself will feel even more odd.
The same way they prevented theft in the past without EasyPay. If you were planning on stealing, you could pick up te item and leave with it in the past even before EasyPay existed.
EasyPay does not change any of that. If theft becomes a problem, the simple solution would be exit scanners at the door. Maybe hae RFID chips which broadcast a unique item number on each item which can be read by the scanner, which looks into an online database to make sure it was paid for.
Even with RFID those are disabled when you scan and pay at the counter. Does the iPhone disable the RFID?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SwingerJ
Used it a few days back when buying a new apple remote (kids trashed the last one, don't ask). Worked like a charm and I walked right out without being harassed. Felt a little weird, but it was really nice seeing as how the store was very crowded that day.
Comments
Wear a trench coat in the summer when it is 100+ degrees. That'll get some attention.
Try this. Scan and pay for an item A, put it back on the shelf, then take a different item A and walk out of the store. If checked at the door you can show the receipt.
1) I can't get my EPP Discount with the self checkout.
2) I also shop for work, I want to have two accounts, one personal and one business.
Edison Carter
Network 23
Also impressive is Zoom System's Best Buy Express (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZoomShops). I can buy an iPod Touch at 2am from an automated vending machine with the swipe of a card and a few clicks.
I can see the possibility in a few years to be able to find and purchase something on my iPhone and find a local automated pick up location 24/7.
While I like the idea of these kiosks, I got screwed over by one once: There were two different Sony headphones, very similar style, but different price. Needed new mic/headset for my phone, so figured I would give it a try. Picked out the one I wanted, started the transaction, looked back at the code, and entered the code for the other model (no mic). Realized it once I opened the package, so I just put it in a bag and dropped into a real Best Buy to swap it for what I needed.
...But, Best Buy isn't really affiliated with the kiosks. You can't return things.
I have to think Apple could find a great way to make these things work, even for high dollar items.
Can I walk into a store, scan the product, buy it with my phone, then leave the store with the item, all on my own?
Likely it depends on various factors, like your socioeconomic class and skin color.
. How: By wearing a hoodie, dark sunglasses, avoiding looking at the cameras, avoiding talking to the personal, and walking quickly to and from the door in the most suspicious way. Any other ideas, like what to buy?
if you walk in like that you might not be stopped but you will be watched. And you are asking for it
And not just at Apple
But he won't haggle!
? Do a lot of haggling at the Apple Store, do you?
I have to think Apple could find a great way to make these things work, even for high dollar items.
nope. Too risky, too much added info needed like serials, apple care etc
I am sure Apple didn't launch this without knowing predicted possible theft and revenue loss. The model would take such figures into account and Apple figured out that % of revenue loss is ignorable and/or outweighs additional revenue generated plus reduced costs based on self-service.
Just my guess
Likely it depends on various factors, like your socioeconomic class and skin color.
What's yours?
Just so that we can make the proper judgments/decisions
Any other ideas, like what to buy?
Something generic and easy to resell, like a dozen of the same expensive iPhone case.
Something generic and easy to resell, like a dozen of the same expensive iPhone case.
I was thinking of trying to buy 10 AEBS or TCs.
What's yours?
Just so that we can make the proper judgments/decisions
If you think it might help you, I'm a middle class, middle aged white guy. Fairly average in most environments.
If a typical townie or bro were to try to pull a scam at one of the fancy mall stores or at one of the big stores in the fancy shopping district, my guess is that they would be questioned. Likewise, if someone who looks like a tourist were to buy a new laptop charger at the store near the hotel, my guess is that the most they would get is a smile and a nod.
Some people, unfortunately, will be questioned no matter what. IME, that is the way things generally work.
Yes, that's exactly how it works. Did it myself.
But I wonder how they prevent theft.
The same way they prevented theft in the past without EasyPay. If you were planning on stealing, you could pick up te item and leave with it in the past even before EasyPay existed.
EasyPay does not change any of that. If theft becomes a problem, the simple solution would be exit scanners at the door. Maybe hae RFID chips which broadcast a unique item number on each item which can be read by the scanner, which looks into an online database to make sure it was paid for.
I was thinking of trying to buy 10 AEBS or TCs.
That should work
I wonder how they track who paid and who didn't
Even with RFID those are disabled when you scan and pay at the counter. Does the iPhone disable the RFID?
Used it a few days back when buying a new apple remote (kids trashed the last one, don't ask). Worked like a charm and I walked right out without being harassed. Felt a little weird, but it was really nice seeing as how the store was very crowded that day.
If you think it might help you,...
Note to self: remember to include [/sarcasm] the next time.
If you think it might help you, I'm a middle class, middle aged white guy. Fairly average in most environments..
Except for intelligence. Based on your posts, you're way below average in that department.