March 16, 2010
It’s officially spring, as Apple has opened up reservations for its annual Field Trip program to bring K-12 students into the stores to learn new skills, showcase their existing work and just have fun. The program pops up each spring and fall, and runs weekdays this year until May 1st. The trips last up to 90 minutes for up to 25 students. Registration is performed by a “School Champion,” and includes contact information and a preference of date. Apple also has an annual Apple Camp program for students, whose registration begins in May, and an on-going Youth Workshops program.
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Steve Jobs has allegedly told a Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) government official exactly why no retail store is planned for the country—”super crazy” import taxes, he wrote in an e-mail. Jobs’ remark highlights an on-going trade dispute between the U.S. and Brazil over cotton trade, and how international affairs can affect the selection of store sites. As reported by MacMagazine Brazil, a story in Gente Boa newsletter recounts that the city’s Secretary of Heritage contacted Jobs to explore building an official store in the city. Washington Fajardo suggested Apple might open a store in the city’s port region or perhaps in the historic city center. But according to the account, Jobs sent an e-mail back to Fajardo explaining that the country’s policy of super-high taxation, “makes is very unattractive to invest in the country.” Jobs went on to tell Fajardo that, “Many (other) high-tech companies feel that way.” So far, Apple has no stores in Mexico, Central or South America, although there have been rumors about future stores in Mexico and Brazil. The United States and Brazil are even now in the midst of a trade dispute over U.S. cotton subsidies, with Brazil threatening to retaliate by increasing tariffs on 100 categories of U.S. imports. read more…
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Anticipation for the breakthrough iPad racheted up even more as Apple today began taking on-line pre-orders for the device, including reservations to pick up an iPad at any of the company’s United States stores on April 3rd. As part of ensuring that everyone arriving at the store on debut day will have a superior experience, retail store shoppers on April 3rd can also reserve other Apple products for in-store purchase. Apple has also established a six-hour window for picking up reserved iPads, apparently hoping to allow the stores to revert to normal operations later in the day. Committed iPad buyers can use the standard on-line store, with shipment on debut day. But for those who want to reserve now and pick up their iPad at a local retail store on April 3rd, there is a special Web page that walks the buyer through the four necessary steps. read more…
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Actor Richard Belzer (Law & Order) was one of several invited celebrities who appeared at the grand opening of the Upper West Side (NYC) store last November and who received free Apple products. Now Belzer may be less welcome at the store after an employee claims he physically assaulted her while yelling, “I need help!” As reported by the New York Post newspaper, Belzer was allegedly seen pacing in front of the store, and then came inside to approach staffer Milan Agnew. Belzer allegedly grabbed the 5-foot-2 employee by the shoulders and neck, shook her and demanded attention. Agnew later called the police to make a report of the incident. According to the newspaper, Belzer explained to police that he was only joking. He has not been arrested or charged with any crime. Update: Belzer denies that any assault took place in a follow-up NY Post story, and that Agnew should “seek help” for a delusion problem.
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Once again, Apple’s retail stores will be the focus for the company’s latest technology gadget, the iPad (Wi-Fi) when it goes on sale for the first time April 3rd only at the stores. In a statement, Apple said customers can place on-line pre-orders starting March 12th for pick-up at the stores on debut Saturday. Apple used the pre-order sales technique previously, when the iPhone 3G-S first went on sale last summer. At that event, the waiting lines were divided into two lanes when the stores opened for the two types of iPhone buyers. In general, there seemed to be few attendees who showed up early for a pre-ordered purchase. Just last week, Apple COO Tim Cook told a technology conference that the iPad debut will be limited to the United States, “where we have sales people that can answer questions, and we feel good about the answers they’ll give.” Apple’s statement today said several other countries will begin selling both models of the iPad “in late April.” Not coincidentally, those countries coincide with the presence of Apple’s retail stores—Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK—with the exception of China. Apple added that the iPad Wi-Fi + 3G can also be pre-ordered starting March 12th, but won’t be available until late April. read more…
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An additional hint about Apple’s future retail plans was revealed in their recent application for the two-word trademark “Joint Venture.” The business-oriented word pair seems to indicate the company will use the trademark as part of a new service, possibly fee-based, intended to bring more business customers into the store. Tipsters have said Apple intends to provide more attention to business customers during 2010, and the company has recently reorganized job positions to kick off that project. As first reported by the Patently Apple web site, Apple’s application to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) described the nature of the trademark in standard, elemental terms. “Retail store services featuring computers, computer software, computer peripherals, and consumer electronic devices, and demonstration of products relating thereto,” the application stated. The same wording has been used to describe past trademarks, including the phrase “Genius Bar.” read more…
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An eager Apple recruiter is reaching out to the elite 2,000 students at Georgetown University in Washington (DC) as potential employees of the store that will open along Wisconsin Avenue NW this summer. Students at the nation’s oldest Catholic university have noticed flyers taped to bulletin boards at the school announcing a recruiting event at 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday. “Do something different for a change,” the flyer states, “get paid to enrich peoples (sic) lives.” The flyers invite prospective employees to visit with the recruiters and, “learn what it’s like to work in one of these revolutionary stores.” Typically, Apple hires only five percent of the applicants for high-profile stores—more selective than Stanford University, Sr. V-P Retail Ron Johnson often says, where he completed undergraduate studies. In this case, Georgetown University admits about 19 percent of its applicants for the freshman year. View the flyer after the break. read more…
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In the face of legal threats from the manufacturer of Apple’s glass staircases, a former retail store employee remains defiant by re-auctioning a broken stair tread from the Fifth Avenue store on eBay. It’s not clear if Seele will bid on the item, or if the winning bidder will inherit the company’s legal claim of ownership of the tread. Mark Burstiner says he was working the night shift at the store in 2008, and watched as Germany-speaking Seele GmbH employees replaced three broken treads from the spiral staircase. After he got off work in the morning, he encountered the workers up-top at the curb, apparently waiting for a truck to haul away the glass treads. read more…
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Always moving slowly to ensure perfection, Apple is now prepared to accelerate the expansion of its retail stores in China, opening up to 25 stores over the next two years to serve a country of over 1.3 billion citizens. The rapid expansion is in line with Apple’s overall emphasis on international store expansion, but also signals increased experience and confidence in China retailing, which can be complicated by national politics and local regulations. Apparently Apple has gained sufficient insights from the operation of its first China store that opened in August 2008, and feels it’s ready to tap the potential of the country’s growing economy. The China plans were announced by Sr. V-P Ron Johnson during this week’s stockholders meeting in Cupertino, in response to an audience question about expanding international sales. Johnson didn’t provide any location or timing details, leaving company followers to speculate where Apple might locate 25 stores. read more…
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As the economy began to turn down in fall 2008, Apple’s executives made a strategic decision to dial down the number of store openings for the next year, betting the downturn would offer them significant savings from depressed lease rates. Turns out, they were right, said Apple COO Tim Cook during a session at this week’s Goldman Sachs annual Technology & Internet Conference in San Francisco. Cook said the company has now turned up the dial on store openings, opening about 50 stores this fiscal year, including Shanghai and London store opening this summer that he called “jaw dropping.” Cook fielded questions for 42 minutes, talking thoroughly and intelligently on topics covering financial, technical, marketing and corporate culture. Although his well-recognized, gravely voice rarely expresses enthusiasm, his words were all about success, modestly expressed. And as always, his answers offered as much insight into Apple as there exists. read more…
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If you’ve visited the IFO homepage in the last 24 hours, you’ve noticed the rather dramatic change in the appearance (RSS visitors, give it a look!). I had been using a very old Wordpress theme for the past three years, which was totally inflexible, was took “heavy” and required me to muck with the inner programming to tweak anything. This new Thesis theme is lighter, brighter and totally flexible. It’s very easy to set up, maintain and tweak…and I’ll be doing a lot of tweaking in the coming days. Hopefully for visitors it’s much easier on the eyes, the revised menu layout makes it easier to find valuable information, and you can now reply to specific comments, among other things. Feel free to send me feedback on things you like…or things you don’t. — Gary
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A most incredible auction has appeared on eBay—a 250-pound, seven-foot tread, allegedly from the Fifth Avenue retail store spiral glass staircase, hauled away by the seller after it was broken by a falling object, and then removed for a replacement part. Photos of the German-made tread on eBay appear to show an authentic, tapered section: the size and shape are identical, the cross-section is appropriately laminated, the diamond grip pattern is identical, and the visible attachment hardware appears to be from TriPyramid Structures Inc. The starting bid is $700, with a “Buy It Now” price of $2,500. The seller says the accident occurred “over a year ago,” and that when new, the piece would cost “10k,” or $10,000. The person says the piece is very collectible, since only two other similar stair pieces exist ”outside of the retail stores’ circulation.” [After 24 hours and two bids, the item was de-listed by the seller with no explanation. On February 28th, former Fifth Avenue part-time employee Mark Burstiner went public with the auction aftermath, and then re-posted the glass for auction.]
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An odd listing has popped up among Apple’s usually impeccable Web pages for the retail stores, promoting a store in San Jose (Calif.) called “Another Test Store.” Obviously it’s a placemarker of some type—or is it?
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One day after Idaho’s first Apple store was revealed, Apple has tossed another retail dart at the Pacific northwest. It’s been confirmed that the company will open a store at the River Park Square shopping mall in downtown Spokane (Wash.). The city is just as underserved by Apple stores as Boise, which will also host a store later this year. The red-brick, three-level mall faces onto the Spokane River and, understandably, Riverfront Park. It’s also adjacent to the city’s convention center and arena, which draws visitors to a wide range of events. The store could open by the end of September.
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More visitors, more revenue and more profit do not guarentee future success for Apple’s retail stores, which may be why the company is working hard to improve its retail sales operations, even now in trial at certain Canadian stores. Multiple sources are definite on the initiative, but haven’t provided details on how procedures, staffing or technical systems might change. The best clues come from four Apple corporate job listings that were posted in the last two weeks, focusing on the iPod touch point-of-sale (POS) system, possible introduction of mobile purchasing by customers, mobile marketing, and possibly the mobile Concierge sign-up app that has been rumored for the past six months. Apple’s job postings are notoriously vague, but the new listings provide enough detail to spark significant speculation. read more…
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