Had a sour experience picking up an online order at Orchard Road Store.
I was kind of stunned when the staff assisting me showed me a QR code on their device for me to scan, rather than them scanning my order QR code from my device. Did not give it much thought, and followed to scan their QR code. It's a link that eventually pulls up the Apple Store app, and prompts you to agree to disclose some pretty sensitive information, while the staff probes me to simply "accept it" as it helps to facilitate a quicker pick-up process.
I was like "no, this is not right, and how does this even speed up the process of order collection". Instead, the staff just wasted more time explaining what this QR code is about and the more i hear the more uncomfortable it gets as much as they emphasize that data "privacy" is maintained. So i outright rejected this process, and did the usual pick-up process I have always been doing for in-store pick ups.
The QR code that they made me scan was called "Connect and Personalize", for those who are keen to look it up. Quite ridiculous to call it a "faster pick-up process" when it clearly isn't.
The Connect & Personalize thing actually allows them to see how many apple devices we own when they pull out our info via the Apple Store app. It’s actually very secured, as they reassured me always that once they check out their basket, the device doesn’t retain any of our info. Nothing at all. That QR code even has a time out function. Apple is a brand that upholds security very seriously. We can’t even install any app outside of App Store, unlike Android can install .apk files outside of Play Store.
It allows the staff to make some small talk, if they see maybe you don’t have an Apple Watch, they might cross-sell to you after you’ve bought your 18PM. Or maybe you’ve been using your M2 iPad Pro, they might up-sell iPad Pro M5 to you etc.
They just wanna recommend something better to us based on what we have currently, or what we’ve bought before. Or are we an avid AppleCare+ user or not. Instead of them asking us questions one by one. When they see that you have an array of Apple Products, then they’ll know that you’re an iSheep lor.
You are right bro about the fact that this Connect & Personalize thing doesn’t speed up the pickup process at all. It’s the same speed. As this year is the 1st time that I sold off previous year’s iPhone (17PM) before collecting my 18PM, I just ask them to type the W code on their device when I showed them my W code on Messages in my F8 Ultra. Same speed as when they scan your email QR code. I don’t even have the email QR as it’s inside my iCloud inbox as I ordered using my iPad. I’m lazy to log in iCloud email using Samsung browser. After they do that, their inventory staff inside will pick up our order and send it outside to the retail floor.
