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No Apples here, just Ice-cream Sandwiches
Back in 2001, Apple announced it was going to open bricks n’ mortar retail stores on the high street, much to the amazement of many retail analysts. Why on earth would Apple open physical stores when giant electronic and computer retailers like Gateway and Circuit City in the US were in trouble? Many such analysts predicted Apple would fail on the high street. All of them were wrong. Apple now has hundreds of stores worldwide, making billions of dollars for the company and it has more value sales per square foot than any other US retailer. How d’you like them apples?
Sincerest form of flattery
Obviously, anything Apple does well causes others to try and imitate. Amazon, for example, the world’s largest online retailer is now considering opening a physical outlet. Why? – is the obvious question. It’s like Google saying it was going into the print business to produce directories and encyclopedias.
Speaking of Google, it too is going to open a store, in Dublin of all places. What it will sell at the store remains anyone’s guess but Google says it will mainly be a branding exercise where fans of Google can buy Google-branded souvenirs. However, this may not be the full story. Google can, after all, sell hardware devices and is said to be going to build and sell a home entertainment device – something to rival the new Apple iTV.
Microsoft too, is getting ready to open more shop doors, this time two in New York. It has opened 16 stores in the US in the past two years and plans 75 more.
Even for the web giants it seems that you’re never really a retailer until you have your name over a door and customers can walk in and buy from you.
