Hong Kong Apple Store express counter in additional stores

This isn't news. The Apple Store in Perth, Australia has had this for years.

MicroCenter, an Apple Dealer, has had something like this in their stores. I can go online and specify the exact Apple product I want and they will tell me within minutes if it is in stock ready to pick up. If it is I can take my iPad, bypass everything including the long checkout lines, go to the front, show them my order and they will pull it from a special rack. I get to go to the very front of the check out line past everyone else to pay and leave. In and out in less than five minutes.

I do it all the time, simple to avoid the crowd.

There are four Apple stores near me plus a number of Peach Macs which are similar to an Apple Store, but almost all my Apple gear comes from MicroCenter, they are just more convenient.

Having waited 45 minutes to be served after walking into my local Apple Store and picking up exactly what I wanted - this would be very welcome indeed!

Houston Galleria has had this for months now.

Know Apple (and having worked for them) they bring the express counter back every holiday season (here in Canada, Ontario, Toronto) precisely because of the holiday shopping rush. In some years, their sales predictions causes them to set up the "Express Zone" earlier in the year (such as the Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend) with iPads, iPods, MacBook Airs + Pros, and a bunch of gift cards and One-To-One gift cards. Formerly, they also express sold MobileMe and MacBooks (base, regular). If any one wanted any other product, the express counter would be the place to go and 'line up' with only 2-3 other people in front of them before they would be on their way.

"The Express Purchase Counter is for customers who walk in knowing exactly what they want. For example, the shopper who wants a Bluetooth keyboard can enter the store, grab the keyboard, proceed to the Express Purchase counter to complete the transaction and then go on their way."

I don't wish to sound facetious, but isn't this like... you know... a normal shop?

Apple stores in London used to have counters. Then they got rid of them. Now it looks like they're bringing them back.