Apple to Use Retail Stores as Distribution Centers for Faster Deliveries

Apple is planning to use its retail store locations as distribution centers to ship products to consumers more quickly, reports Bloomberg. This would be a departure from the current strategy that sees products shipped from warehouses or direct from China.

applestorepaloalto
Items that are in stock are now able to be shipped from a network of close to 300 stores across the United States and Canada, and Apple told staff members that this will allow the company to offer faster delivery times for customers who live closer to stores than the distribution centers.

The move to shipping from stores has been popularized by some grocery stores in recent years and has expanded to other retailers. The practice reduces costs, potentially improving product margins, and is beneficial to the environment, Apple told its staff.

Depending on what's purchased, some orders will be delivered as soon as a day after a customer places an order, with Apple planning to ship through FedEx in the United States and United Parcel Service in Canada.

The direct from store shipping will be available to customers who live within 100 miles of an Apple retail location, but customers will not be able to choose a ship-from-store option nor will customers be aware when a device is shipped from a store. Choosing where to ship an item from will be handled internally by Apple's operation team.

According to Bloomberg, Apple started testing the new shipping program with a small number of stores when store locations began reopening earlier this year, and has since expanded it, but not all retail stores in the U.S. and Canada are participating.

Apple on Tuesday plans to announce new iPhone 12 models and a smaller HomePod, plus there are other major products on the horizon such as Apple Silicon Macs and AirPods Studio, so some customers who purchase these devices could see quicker deliveries. Apple in September launched the Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE, but most initial orders of these devices appeared to ship direct from China rather than retail stores.

Apple's shift to store-based shipping will provide a way for Apple to make use of Apple retail locations that have remained closed due to the ongoing global health crisis. Bloomberg says that Apple is also considering converting some stores into online support or sales call centers should those stores need to be shuttered again.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...

Top Rated Comments

JPack Avatar
62 months ago
Personally, I enjoy receiving a product direct from the factory and knowing which city it originated from. And with a zero chance the box was previously returned by another customer.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justperry Avatar
62 months ago
Makes sense if they have stock.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citysnaps Avatar
62 months ago

Personally, I enjoy receiving a product direct from the factory and knowing which city it originated from. And with a zero chance the box was previously returned by another customer.
Not going to happen with Apple.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
62 months ago
Good move. I like that Apple does its best to ship our purchases as fast as possible.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zed1291 Avatar
62 months ago

Personally, I enjoy receiving a product direct from the factory and knowing which city it originated from. And with a zero chance the box was previously returned by another customer.
Even with this change you haven’t increased in a chance of receiving a returned iPhone
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JPack Avatar
62 months ago

Even with this change you still have a 0% chance

Not going to happen with Apple.
From Reddit. ('https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/d3d887/iphone_xs_max_purchased_from_apple_store_turned/')
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)