Some Europe Retail Plans Outlined

Apple wants to increase European segment revenue by 25 percent during fiscal 2007, helped by a doubling of Premium Resellers, more stores-within-a-store and the launch of iTunes Video. As reported by the macgeneration Web site, Pascal Cagni (Apple VP and General Manager of Europe, Middle East and Africa) told Les Echos newspaper the company’s revenue goal for 2007 is $5 billion dollars, up from $4.0 billion last year. Cagni said the company will increase the number of resellers holding the “Premium” status from about 250 now, to 500 within the next 12 to 18 months. Likewise, Apple will increase the number of retailers like Saturn who have stores-within-a-store to 70 throughout Europe by the end of 2007, including 15 in France. Cagni said Apple will begin selling videos via the European iTunes Music Store by the end of the year, and confirmed Apple’s long-term plans to open a retail store in Paris.