Apple’s newest store in New York redefines retail – again

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Saturday, 08 December 2007 12:55

Opinion and Analysis

Apple say that the initial sale isn’t the end of the transaction as it essentially is in other major computer stores, such as Best Buy, Circuit City or others. Apple say that the initial sale is just the beginning of your relationship with Apple, with customers welcome to come in and learn from Apple’s own designated experts, technicians and teachers.

All of this adds up to a very interesting and appealing way to work with your customers to help them get the most out of their computer and their technology. Other manufacturers have their own ‘company store’ concept, but Apple’s implementation seems to be the most advanced and the most generous, and should really be explored by competitors seeking to develop their own retail experiences.

As you’d expect, Apple wanted the store opening to go off in style, and they succeeded in generating a long queue that Cnet says started at 1am on Friday the 7th of December, which according to one commenter at Cnet's site had, at around 5pm, "stretched around the entire block and extended well down 15th street”, with “a hefty crowd of people just watching the line . . . I really couldn't believe the turn out”.

Part of the reason why was because of Apple’s invitation, which stated: “Come celebrate with us this Friday as we'll be giving away thousands of limited-edition posters and commemorative T-shirts. You might even win one of several great surprise gifts such as an iMac, a MacBook Pro, or an iPod Touch”.

So, although the only ‘new’ product to be launched was the store itself, it’s no surprise loyal Apple fans turned out in numbers, as well as anyone wanting to see how retailing should really be done.
Apple has built a large store and clearly expects it to become popular, filled with people on a regular basis, buying, evaluating, switching, learning and more.

If this happens, as you’d have to reasonably expect it will given Macs are more popular than ever, alongside the undeniable domination of the iPod and iPhone in the digital media space (with Apple now a serious contender in handheld computing and telecommunications spaces too), Apple’s current rise is but the beginning of a new phase of popularity and market share for Apple, Inc.

If Steve Jobs launched a new MacBook nano or MacBook mini incorporating some of the iPhone’s multi-touch technology in an ultraslim form factor and more, something similar to that, or something even more amazing at Macworld 2008, Apple could well be an unstoppable force next year with yet another product being bought in the tens of millions and more worldwide, with the aim of getting into the hundreds of millions units sold, of course.

Steve Jobs said in January that the last 30 years were just the beginning. Now with 2007 nearly at an end, and the next chapter of Apple’s journey about to start, 2008 represents Apple’s best chance in a generation to maximise their market share to amazing new levels.

Apple’s latest store and the many more to follow worldwide will certainly help to make it happen, as Apple demonstrates to the even the retail world that the using your mind to ‘think different’ really can produce some spectacular results.