I’m just catching up on the lawsuit filed against Apple by several of their former resellers. A KGO-TV story ran just before the San Francisco store grand opening, and noted that MacAdam store owner Tom Santos was hoping to get a judge to delay the opening. Obviously, the judge didn’t…
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eBay Update: Pathetically, a Pasadena grand opening T-shirt sold for just $1.77, while a San Francisco T-shirt sold for $41. A second 10%-off card from a San Francisco Lucky Bag is also up for auction, and is currently at $11. The owner notes the card has a "nearly unlimited" value, since it depends upon how much you plan to spend.
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I’m hardly a fashion statement…good or bad. But I know a fantastic Web site when I see it, and the Nike iD custom shoe site is one of them. Using Java and Javascript, the site allows you to create your own shoe design, complete with a personalized monogram. Apparently someone at Apple likes the shoes, because Apple is teaming up with Nike to promote the iD products. During a 2-month promotion, retail store employees will wear Nike iD shoes, and certain in-store events will have an iD shoe focus. Apple’s retail Web page contains a reference to the promotion (right column). Now, if we could just get Steve to trade his New Balance 991 sneakers for Nikes…
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The Cyber India Ltd. Web site claims that, "Apple has finally opened their first retail outlet in the country." Officially, however, the store in Bangalore is an affiliated Apple Center, at the new Forum Mall in Bangalore. The store is owned and operated by Ample Technologies.
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Apples stores have sprouted tall, stand-alone "phone booths" for displaying iPod accessories. The white-painted, wooden shelves are about 6′-5" tall, and 24-inches on each of the four faces. Two opposing faces hold product shelves, while the other two sides display iPod graphics. The displays are placed near the front of most stores, as a divider between two sections.
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Speaking of iPods, I’ve received several inquiries about the current window displays for the iPod Mini, which feature light tubes that have a distinctive synchronized flashing pattern. The lighting is controlled by a small white box just under the wall counter nearest the display, and no doubt the electronics were custom designed for Apple’s stores. Sorry– you can’t buy it.
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If you ever visit an Apple store with the point-of-sale counter at the front, you’ll notice the sales iMacs are "in the mix" of other shelves of merchandise. It would be easy to mistake the POS computers for display models. Well, Apple has set the screensaver on the POS iMacs to display a message "Employee Station" is large type, and a note to "Contact a sales representative" if you want a computer demonstration. It’s a problem that The Gap would never have!
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Sr. V-P for Retail Ron Johnson will give the luncheon keynote address on April 22nd for the Success By Design conference in Rhode Island. According to the conference Web site, "Listen as Johnson describes how design principles unify branding, merchandising, marketing and people to deliver the best buying experience on the planet, and why an Apple store is coming to a neighborhood near you."
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Thanks to Nathan for the photos of the South Park (NC) retail store grand opening.
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A warning for anyone who has a grand opening T-shirt still in the tube– the tubes soak up the cigarette smoke like a sponge! Not only do the endcaps absorb the smell, but they turn a very obvious yellow color. The T-shirt inside is also affected by the smoke. If you intend on selling or otherwise handing a tubed T-shirt off to someone else, avoid a smoke-filled building.
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Apple is sending out e-mail messages to Charlotte region Mac users to publicize the grand opening of the South Park retail store Friday at 10 a.m.
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The person who placed the winning eBay bid on a sealed, unopened San Francisco Lucky Bag… did not receive an iPod Mini–ouch! The buyer paid $511. By the way, about 32 bags were eventually posted for sale on eBay, or about 1 in 6 that were sold.
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Hang around a parking lot long enough and you’ll hear everything. So… the Barton Creek (Tex.) retail store is scheduled to open Sat., June 12th.
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Well, even an identify thief has a computer preference, and in the case of a Millville (NJ) woman, the thief used her credit cards to purchase computer gear at the Edison (NJ) Apple retail store.
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The Register Web site says that the Mac Support independent Apple reseller in Amsterdam will open two new stores, including a 4-story retail space near Dam Square in the heart of the city. You’ll recall these foreign stores are called "Apple Centres," and have a similar look-and-feel to the early U.S. retail stores– white Corian tables and islands, bright lighting, wall graphics, etc. Follow the links to some photos and renderings of the planned stores.
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