Apple considering using its retail stores as distribution centers to speed up deliveries — Apple World Today

Apple is starting to use its retail stores as distribution centers for shipping products to consumers, reports Bloomberg. The tech told staff the shift will mean faster delivery times for customers who live further from distribution centers than from stores, the article adds, quoting unnamed “people who asked not to be identified discussing internal policies.”

Typically, Apple has shipped devices like Macs, iPhones, iPads, and accessories from warehouses located across a customer’s region or directly from China. Now items that are in stock can be shipped directly to consumers from a network of almost 300 retail stores spread across the U.S. and Canada, according to people familiar with the matter.

Bloomberg says Apple started testing the program with a small number of stores after locations started re-opening from Covid-19-related closures in June and July. It has rolled out to more, but not all retail sites across the U.S. and Canada, the article adds.