The Apple Store and the Future of Retail

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The Apple Store and the Future of Retail

Written by Michelle Haimoff

I went to the Apple (AAPL - $175.92) store today to get a new laptop charger (the old charger’s wires are frayed near the power port and it doesn’t work anymore).

The Apple Store and the Future of Retail

Photo: MacRonin47, Creative Commons, Flickr

I happened to be on my cell phone as I walked in but a salesperson approached me and said, "Can I help you with something?" I handed him the old charger (old, three years) and he led me upstairs and said, "Macbook or Macbook Pro?"

"Macbook Pro," I said. They were the only words I spoke during the entire transaction. He handed me a charger.

I then went downstairs to pay and a woman with a small, portable electronic register type-thing swiped my card as we stood in the middle of the store.

"You’re on file," she said. "Do you want the receipt emailed to you?" I nodded. "You’re all done," she said.

I bet if Apple wanted, it could predict exactly when their products would break and a salesperson could greet me with, "Hi Michelle, you’re here for a new charger, right? Upstairs to the left." And then when I left, the salesperson could say, "See you in November when your iPod breaks!"

At least they recycle. Or maybe that woman was just humoring me. I'm not 100% sure she wasn't a robot.