New Apple Store App Clip surfaces self-checkout options

A new App Clip for the Apple Store app allows customers to quickly scan a barcode to purchase select accessories without interacting with store staff.

Available now at a limited number of Apple Store locations, the new self-checkout App Clip streamlines contactless shopping at the company's brick-and-mortar locations.

As reported by 9to5Mac, App Clips codes are displayed on placards next to certain accessories like iPhone cases. Scanning the code opens the new Apple Store "Scan. Pay. Go." App Clip, which subsequently launches the app's barcode scanner.

Like the full Apple Store app, the App Clip's barcode reader can be used to scan small items like cases, cables, chargers and more, with checkout accomplished through Apple Pay. No human interaction is required to complete the purchase.

The Apple Store app has long offered a self-checkout option that is enabled when opening the app while in or near an Apple Store. Unfortunately, the feature is not advertised in the app or at Apple's outlets, but the company is now leaning on App Clips to surface the capability for more customers.

Apple introduced App Clips last year with the launch of iOS 14. Activated by special QR codes, the iOS system feature presents snippets of full apps to surface important app utilities like payment processing.

For example, users can walk into a restaurant whose app supports App Clips, like Panera Bread, scan the QR code to launch an App Clip pane and pay for their food via Apple Pay, all without downloading the Panera app.

Apple is in the process of rolling out Apple Store App Clips across its retail network.

4 Comments

Japhey 1772 comments · 6 Years

About 3 years ago

Cool. Now if only they can solve the problem of making people wait in line for 15 minutes or longer for online orders after they have received notifications saying that the order is “ready for pickup”.

bonobob 394 comments · 13 Years

Japhey said:

Cool. Now if only they can solve the problem of making people wait in line for 15 minutes or longer for online orders after they have received notifications saying that the order is “ready for pickup”.

Maybe that's just your particular store. I have not experienced that at mine.

Rayz2016 6957 comments · 8 Years

Japhey said:

Cool. Now if only they can solve the problem of making people wait in line for 15 minutes or longer for online orders after they have received notifications saying that the order is “ready for pickup”.

Your order is ready for pickup, unfortunately so were the other folks’ orders – the folk who understand what “first come, first served” means and had the sense to arrive early.

Maybe you’d have gotten to the store quicker if you hadn’t wasted time packing your entitlement.

Rayz2016 said:

Japhey said:

Cool. Now if only they can solve the problem of making people wait in line for 15 minutes or longer for online orders after they have received notifications saying that the order is “ready for pickup”.

Your order is ready for pickup, unfortunately so were the other folks’ orders – the folk who understand what “first come, first served” means and had the sense to arrive early.
Maybe you’d have gotten to the store quicker if you hadn’t wasted time packing your entitlement.

Maybe you’re right. Thanks for being a c**t about it though. I order online from many, many places, and NONE of them are even close to the same poor experience that Apple is. Macy’s, Target, Kohl’s, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Best Buy, Whole Foods, Staples, local grocers, restaurants, fast food places…I could go on and on. The Apple Store has, hands down, the worst customer service of all. When those other places say your order is ready, they actually mean it. They don’t require you to plan half an afternoon around a simple pickup that shouldn’t take longer than 30 seconds to complete. But, as the poster above replied, apparently that experience is unique to my particular store. So, is it entitlement to expect my store to function more like his/her store? Or to expect Apple to actually live up to their reputation of being the best in customer service? I’m not sure, because the only people who really use that word are virtue signaling brainwashed media puppets. Is that you? Do you also toss the W word around a few times a day so that the kids all think you’re cool? Grow up man, think for yourself…resist the programming being forced on you.

Choose any aspect of Apple’s business…hardware, software, services…if you had a poor experience each time you used one of those, wouldn’t you be justified in expressing your disappointment in that experience? Why is that any different than what I’m trying to do? When a company spends literally decades cultivating an image of excellence, it’s not entitlement to expect them to live up to it…nor is it unreasonable.