Apple is changing the way it ships devices to consumers

The Cupertino tech giant usually ships devices such as iPhones, iPads, Macs and accessories from warehouses in the customer’s area or directly from China.

In-stock items can now be shipped directly to consumers from a network of nearly 300 retail stores spread across the United States and Canada.

Apple told employees the shift means faster delivery times for customers who live farther from distribution centers than stores.

Products are shipped through UPS in Canada and FedEx in the United States via road freight and may be delivered as early as the day following the customer’s order, Apple told its employees.

The program applies to customers who live within 100 miles of the storeThe change in deliveries at Apple’s retail locations comes as the company prepares to launch a slew of new products soon.

And Apple began testing the program with nearly 300 of the company’s stores in the United States and Canada after it began to reopen.

Apple tells its employees that this practice reduces costs, improves potential product margins, and is good for the environment.

Customers will not be able to choose to ship their order from the store and will not be aware when this happens, as the decision on where to ship an item is decided by Apple’s operations team.

The shift in deliveries ensures that closed stores continue to operate in a way that helps Apple sell devices.

The company has also discussed converting selected stores into online support centers or sales call centers in case sites need to be closed again due to the pandemic.

Some stores began to operate as small call centersSome retail employees have been working for months from home as online sales and support staff.