Apple plans drive in option for stores

Apple plans drive

After the reopening of numerous stores in its own chain, Apple has commented on the further course of action in the context of the Corona crisis. Senior Vice President of Retail & People, Deidre O'Brien, head of the store, wrote in an open letter to customers that things are now going to change in the stores.

Pull over and pick up

Apple reopened its stores in Germany and elsewhere last week; in a next step, the stores in the United States, the company’s most important market, are now on the agenda. One had considered how to satisfy the needs of the customers "more effectively", "whether online or in our stores". For example, the Group has decided to implement a kind of "drive-in" concept, the so-called curb-side pick-up or curb-side drop-off. Customers can drive up with their car and deliver equipment for repair or pick up orders. Whether this is planned outside the USA remains unclear; O'Brien speaks of "many stores" in which one wants to implement this. In Germany, the shops are mostly in inner cities, which speaks here against a practical implementation.

If you want to go into the shops, you should have "enough space" - this means that there will be queues, as they have been in the last days since reopening in Germany. There is a duty to mask both employees and customers - if they have no mouth-nose covering, Apple sets one. Apple also only wants to let people in the stores who have no fever - a measure that German data protectionists do not like at all. Apple also doesn’t let people with coughs into the stores.

There will be more cleaning

After reopening numerous stores in its in-house chain, Apple commented on how to proceed in the context of the Corona crisis. The top store manager Deidre O'Brien, Senior Vice President of Retail & People, wrote in an open letter to customers that a lot will change in the stores.

Apple also wants to step up its activities in the cleaning regime." "Throughout the day, we will be performing enhanced deep cleanings, which place special emphasis on all surfaces, exhibited products and other frequently visited areas," says O'Brien. The retail boss believes that the COVID-19 situation will "continue" - "and we know that the road back will have its turns and curves". By the weekend, Apple had reopened almost 100 of its stores globally - often with reduced times. The Group operates over 500 stores in total.