iPhone 4S Release Date: Pilot Program Allows In-Store Pickup

Apple will introduce a pilot program that allows Apple customers to do in-store pickups of online-ordered products.

The program, reportedly codenamed "Sherwood," will include all products available through Apple's online store.

Apple customers can select any Apple retail store for pickup. The program will also work in conjunction with Apple's retail store system, EasyPay.

Customers need to show proof of purchase and valid identification to pick up a pre-ordered iPhone 4S at the store.

Sources told MacRumors, a technology website, that Sherwood "offers the benefit of being able to avoid home delivery of holiday gifts that might otherwise reveal the nature of the gift during the upcoming holiday period."

The sources also noted Sherwood allowed customers to "designate one additional person to be eligible to pick up the order."

Apple retail stores will also incorporate returns. This is expected to streamline the return process and allow customers to disregard any return shipping issues.

Many products bought from the online store may take several days to ship to Apple retail stores, such as custom-configured computers, engraved and gift-wrapped products and third-party accessories.

Apple offers integration between its online shopping and retail stores, because users can reserve products from available retail store stock.

The company has even expanded the program for busy holiday shopping times to include the gift-wrapping of standard-configuration Macs and iPods.

The Sherwood program will reportedly start its availability through select retail stores; however, the company is planning to expand it across all stores soon.