William Gallagher
Apple has now launched a new shop front online which is expressly for making it easier to buy, and get technical help, from home.
Despite the first Apple Stores starting to reopen in Europe and Australia, Apple has launched a new shopping storefront for its US online Apple Store. Rather than the regular Buy buttons on each product page, the store has added a new central location that presents products, services, and information.
"Everything you love about our stores is online," says the page at apple.com/shop. "Chat with Specialists. Apple Trade In. No-contact delivery. And Genius Bar. All right here."
The front page of Apple's site is currently promoting the Beastie Boys Story on Apple TV+ but, at least in the US, also has a one-line ad for the new storefront. "Shop online," it says, "and get free, no-contact delivery, specialist help and more."
This new shop page looks designed chiefly for iPhone and iPad use, with eight large graphics for key areas, followed by another eight smaller ones devoted to product categories. Each main graphic is similar to the equivalent in the company's Apple Store app on iOS, and the online site's Explore Products is identical to the app's Shop by product.
While the overall emphasis is on shopping, the page's main graphics start with ones concerned with getting support, and then reassurance about how Apple offers "no-contact delivery."
While it appears so far to solely be on the US version of Apple's site, it does not appear to be entirely a temporary coronavirus-related move for the States. The page ends with a Find a Store button which at least suggests that Apple plans to keep the page after the US reopens physical stores.
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
3 Comments
Wasn’t this the basic concept of the “online” Apple store section of the website for 20 years or so? Then they eliminated that and the product description pages became the store. What goes around comes around :-)
Yes, I think that was a weird experiment that didn't really pan out. You arrived at the front page and then you kind of had to know what you wanted for, rather than being able to just browse … you know … like a shop.