Normally, Apple's return policy for the majority of the products the company sells is set at 14 days. There are some exceptions and caveats, but, for the most part, that's the hard and fast rule. That is until the holiday shopping season arrives. That's when Apple decides to extend the policy quite a bit, giving holiday gift givers and receivers some additional time.
In time for the holiday season in 2019, Apple rolled out a boost to Daily Cash earnings for Apple Card owners. Typically, Apple offers 3% cash back when buying eligible products from an Apple Store, either in a physical retail shop or online. And if you use Apple Pay. But while Apple may have skipped last year, it appears the program's boost to 6% was good enough to bring back eventually.
The iPhone 13 lineup is about to launch to the public, which means that retail store employees at Apple's physical shops are going to be very busy (which is not necessarily a new occurrence by any means). But, in addition to that, the holiday shopping season is also right around the corner. As a result, Apple's decided to shell out some more money.
Inventories of Apple's $329 budget iPad are now dwindling ahead of its “California Streaming” event taking place next Tuesday, with a ninth-generation model already lurking.
While Apple has set its sights high when it comes to returning to a sense of normalcy in some areas, it may be grasping at straws for its physical retail spaces. At least in some markets. As the Delta variant of COVID-19 continues to spread, there is still a risk of spread and infection. Just as some staff at one Apple Store discovered.
Apple has had to make a lot of changes for its physical storefronts all across the globe due to the coronavirus pandemic. That included axing in-person "Today at Apple" sessions. And while that left the company to launch online options, obviously going back to "normal" would be ideal. The company does love the in-person vibe after all.
The first Apple store was scheduled to open in Mumbai later this year, but has now been officially delayed because of the current Covid-19 pandemic and public health situation.
Apple has redesigned its online store around a more streamlined shopping experience, bringing back a dedicated Store tab in the navigation bar for quick access to the web store.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the globe, Apple (and other companies) has had to shift tactics in an effort to keep shoppers and employees alike safe. To that end, the company has made a decision that will go into effect this week, and, as it stands, does not have an end date.
Work forces are starting to find some semblance of normalcy in mid-2021, following more than a year of mostly working from home situations. But, while returning to work is in the cards for many employees, there are others who believe that staying home --especially in light of the current pandemic not going anywhere-- is in their best interest.
It has been almost one year since Apple launched a brand new, universal gift card for "everything Apple." At the time of launch, though, the gift card option was only available in the United States. But, today, just a few weeks short of its anniversary, availability has broadened.
Apple considers in-person work part of the experience. Part of the company culture at a very basic level. But working from home has become the go-to option for many companies and people, a forced result of the global pandemic. So plans had to change, and they keep changing.