Should Disney look into technology used by the Apple store for WDW?

[donsullivan]

Ironically, the handheld devices that Apple has been using in their stores for the last few years are running a version of Microsoft Windows. They are in the final testing phase of an iPhone/iPod Touch app that will replace it but I don't believe they are deployed everywhere yet.

The technology is basically the same (different vendor) as what Disney uses today with their wireless POS terminals for most of the merchandise and food carts.

The email receipt part Apple uses wouldn't be a practical choice for Disney given the substantially higher number of unique visitor transactions. Apple links the credit card to a CRM system which contains your email address which allows them to offer the email receipt. If they don't have your email address linked to the CC, then they ask you for and it and type it in on the handheld device. Can you imagine trying to type email addresses for receipts for everyone buying popcorn before the parade; yikes.

 

[Testtrack321]

The reason why the mobile POS terminals work well at the Apple Store is that people come in to the store expecting something different and almost always ask for help or require help by an employee (all merchandise besides some shelve-able things like cases, cables, headphones, etc, are in employee only areas.) Since this is not the case for anywhere really at Disney World, I see no use. People will get confused looking for check out lines, you'll have to hire way more CM's, etc etc.

Though I still like how we're thinking out of the box here!

 

[flynnibus]

WDW already uses wireless POS terminals at ODV carts and many other locations. Receipts are needed with merchandise, for returns, theft prevention, and simply customer satisfaction in verifying their purchase was done as they expected.

Since they still must have a til for cash purchases, now you are talking about having two systems. For a fixed shop.. that's kind of overkill and adding complexity to a system that doesn't need it.

 

[BAD311]

Apple isn't as smart as you guys think, LoL.

Anyways... Disney should consider, in some food locations, to scan cards faster. I ordered a ice cream come at the Magic Kingdom and the guy in the back already had it made, he set it on the counter behind the cashier, and I literally watched a good bit of it melt away in the middle of April (and it wasn't hot that day either! Maybe 80?)... By the time the machine processed my card, receipt printed, etc... my ice cream cone looked like a crying little boy who didn't get to meet Mickey Mouse. It was that runny, lol. But hey, a few licks and you're good. Maybe all they need to do is hand your ice cream to ya AS you pay or something...

 

[Disney05]

Looks like a good way for Apple to easily get your email to bombard you with advertisement or spam depending how you look at it. It's almost certain they won't be given a bad email address. Kind of smart way to market.

 

[figmentisgreat]

Ehh, maybe in certain contexts, but certainly not all around WDW. Maybe in WoD, or any of the other larger stores, (maybe Art of Disney, emporium, etc.) but not any food carts or anything.
Kind of on this note, how do you pay the people selling things at parades and Fantasmic shows? Is that cash only?

 

[flynnibus]

Kind of on this note, how do you pay the people selling things at parades and Fantasmic shows? Is that cash only?

No, they usually have the hand-held POS terminals. Just swipe and print.

 

[gspin2k1]

In the apple store they only use a cash register if you are paying cash, if you arepaying by credit or debit the associates on the floor have a handheld device that scans your items and swipes your credit card. Your receit is emailed to you so there is no waste of paper on a receit. It greatly helps to reduce lines when it crowded because it us very fast and reliable because I've never had a problem and have been told the # of transaction problems have been greatly reduced.

I think this would be great to reduce lines in WDW gift shops when it is very busy. I bet they would save money not having to buy paper receits and it could reduce litter in AK.

What do you think?

Save paper, yes. Faster not really. If you want a receipt they have to go to the back or hopefully have the printer hidden under the table. Not to mention the added time of them asking you for your email address. Worse yet, let's say you don't ask for a receipt. They charge your card, something goes wrong (shipping, defective, whatever), and they took down your email wrong, and now you have no receipt. You have to go back, call your credit card company to get the info, and/or call Disney and go through how many automated responses and etc to figure out what went wrong. You know what..I'll just stick with the normal registers. Not to mention how many times have you walked into Apple, and you can't buy anything because the same people who are your cashiers are the sales associates and are too busy helping everyone else find something for 5-10 minutes at a time.

Apple cashier design works well when it's not busy, but when it is, it's an absolute mad house and I never walk in the store.

~G

 

[DisneyDreamerK]

All of the Easy Pay machines in my Apple store are Windows based and break often...half of them can't even swipe credit cards correctly anymore...

Might not be logical for Disney...BUT...there is rumor that iPod touches are going to be used as POS systems in the future....which would be really cool and efficient...