Help Yourself: Report Says Apple Stores to Offer Self-Checkout

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It looks like the self-checkout concept may be moving from the supermarket to your local Apple Store. MacRumors reports, through an anonymous source, that Apple is planning to update its retail store iOS app to allow people to to buy off-the-shelf items via an EasyPay device within the store, with the charges going to customers’ iTunes Store accounts.

If you’ve ever stopped into an Apple Store looking to pick up a spare USB cable or earphones during the holiday shopping season, you probably know the pain of waiting in line with hordes of people buying iPods as gifts. This should help cut down on wait-times nicely, as those buying simple accessories are whisked through the store without adding to the holiday rush.

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Those who do want to pick up high-value items such as iPads, MacBooks and iPhones can still pre-purchase them through the app—they just have to get an employee’s help when picking them up. Once you purchase something, a receipt will be emailed to you, which you can show to the Apple Store employees when leaving with your iStuff.

The rumored update is supposed to start on November 3rd. MacRumors also claims that the Apple website will be updated with the option to ship different items in a single order to different locations, making it easier to do all of your online gift shopping at once.

Apple did not respond to an email from Techland asking to confirm the existence of the rumored self-checkout system.

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[via MacRumors]