The Apple Online Store recently added a "Ship to Store" option for refurbished products, allowing customers to pick up refurbished items at their local Apple Retail Store. Ship to Store is a service that Apple first began offering in 2011.
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Currently, Apple offers the Ship to Store option for the majority of its refurbished items, with the exception of the fourth generation iPod touch, which was discontinued last week with the introduction of the new low cost 5th generation iPod touch.
At the end of the checkout cycle for a refurbished product, customers can now choose whether they wish to pick up the item at a local store, or have it shipped to a home or business.
Ship to Store delivery times are similar to home delivery times, so while the option does not eliminate wait times, it does allow Apple customers to avoid home delivery.
Update: A number of MacRumors readers have reported that the in-store pickup option for refurbished items is not new, although there seem to have been some issues over the past several weeks with in-store pickup not being available for orders through the Apple online store.
Top Rated Comments
Remember the infamous FedEx delivery in which the driver threw a computer monitor over the wall of a home in 2011? Didn't even ring.
FedEx Guy Throwing My Computer Monitor (//www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PKUDTPbDhnA)
I think Apple is dumping their inventory of new but unsold 4th gen iPods.