If you’ve purchased anything from one of Apple’s retail stores, you’ve no doubt seen the company’s EasyPay point of sale system, which is built on their own iPod touch hardware. Now the system is expanding its retail horizons, with a pilot program at Old Navy stores.
9to5Mac is reporting that select Gap Inc. owned Old Navy stores are part of a new pilot program using the Apple-developed EasyPay point of sale systems. As you can see from the photo above, customers use an iPod touch to sign for their purchases using the same technology used in Apple Stores, but rebranded as “ZipCheck” for other retailers.
“The Apple PoS system prints customer’s receipts wirelessly to stationed printers throughout the retail stores (like at Apple stores) and apparently some employees are wearing mini-printers on their belts,” 9to5Mac notes. “According to some Old Navy employees the Apple POS system is perfect for the holiday sales rush as the device’s portability cuts down lines and is simply more efficient for everyone.”
That Old Navy is the first outside retailer to get the Apple POS isn’t totally surprising -- former Gap CEO Millard Drexler has sat on Apple’s board since 1999, and Apple CEO Steve Jobs even sat on Gap’s board from 1999 to 2002.
A Gap, Inc. spokeswoman confirmed the finding with 9to5Mac, noting that “we are piloting Apple’s iPod-based POS system at a few of our Old Navy stores.”
Apple developed the system last year for their own retail chain, where it has been a tremendous success, particularly during crunch times such as the launch of the iPhone 4 back in June. Here’s hoping we’ll see the technology start popping up everywhere, and maybe long lines will be a thing of the past.
Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter
(Image courtesy of 9to5Mac)
samthestringer
December 02, 2010 at 11:27am
Ever since the Apple Store has been using this equipment/system, I have asked them where they got this system. I would like to use it in my shop, especially at tournaments.
