From the monthly archives:
Apple has posted job listings for the future Pacific Centre mall in Vancouver (BC), a location that was confirmed here earlier this month. Based on the timing of previous store openings, the listings mean the store could open as early as next Spring, not early 2009 as previously predicted.
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A second iStore branch has opened in the Phillipines, at the Ayala Center in Cebu City, offering a full range of Apple products and services. The corner store has all-glass walls for complete visibility by passing shoppers, and features aluminum-clad walls, wood display tables with stone tops, and wall graphics. Friday’s grand opening was well-attended, according to managing director Stan Yap, and traffic was high through the entire weekend. The first iStore opened in 2005 at the Banilad Town Centre in Cebu. Photos after the break. read more…
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Stuck with a chain of 150 kiosks in shopping malls across the country for consumer sales, the Dell crew has turned testy. A visitor to one shopping mall noticed the kiosk crew wearing new, bright-orange T-shirts in honor of the Halloween holiday. But the shirts also took a shot at Apple: on the back of the shirt was, “No one wants an Apple for Halloween.” The T-shirt included the Web address for the “Dell Direct Stores,” many of which are located at malls where there’s an Apple store. Dell announced a full retail store initiative last year, but early this year announced a planned New York City store had been cancelled.
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The construction crew at the future Boylston Street (Boston) store took a few moments to celebrate the World Series victory of the Boston Red Sox. They appeared at the front of the building on two floors with signs proclaiming, “We Are the Champions,” with one worker holding a broom signifying the four-game sweep. Thanks to Ted of Tech Superpowers for the photo.
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It was a double event for visitors to the grand opening of the SanTan Village (Ariz.) store grand opening on Friday. The first 500 into the store received a free Leopard commemorative T-shirt, and the first 1,000 also received a grand opening T-shirt. Michelle sent photos of the 6 p.m. opening, noting there were about 12 persons in line at 1 p.m., but the line quickly grew starting at 5 p.m. The line started across the street take advantage of the shade as the temperature hovered near 93 degrees, but then moved back in front of the store around 5:30 p.m. The employees ran out just before the opening, offered high-fives, and then the waiting line was ushered into the store to receive their two T-shirts, investigate the new store and buy a copy of Leopard. Check Michell’s photos after the break. read more…
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The Apple retail stores in Japan were the first to host the official OS X Leopard debut, including the four-story Ginza store in Tokyo. Thanks to Tuds for a report on how well organized the event was and how many people attended. read more…
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After weeks of rumors, it’s been confirmed that Apple retail stores are limiting sales of iPhones to two per customer. Store employees have also been instructed to accept only a credit or debit card for iPhone payments–no checks or cash, the policy states. Those expecting to skirt the policy by buying from different Apple stores will find that their purchases are tracked by Apple’s payment system, and over-limit purchases will be refused. Apple spokesperson Natalie Kerris told the Associated Press the policy is intended to insure a supply of iPhones into the holiday season. However, past customer buying accounts seem to indicate the policy may also be intended to prevent the purchase and shipment of of iPhones to other countries, including Canada and Russia.
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Excitement over this evening’s release of Apple’s latest operating system upgrade isn’t obvious at the Burlingame (N. Calif.) store–there was no waiting line until 3:56 p.m., when several teens began the line. The line formed very slowly–there were just 38 persons in line by 5:30 p.m., but it then grew quickly to about 150 by 6 p.m. During the wait, Apple employees rolled carts of bottled water and coffee down the waiting line. Commemorative T-shirts were handed out in plastic bags instead of cardboard boxes. Photos of the Regent Street (London) Leopard event are posted on the setteb.it Web site. Check these photos by Felix of the Leopard event at the Bluewater (Kent, UK) store. Read about other locations on Macworld, and about one dissatisfied T-shirt wearer. Read my full report with photos here.
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Apple’s legendary retail store policy of allowing visitors to wander into a store without any acknowledgment by the staff may be over. The company has posted the job position of Concierge for about 90 of its retail stores. In the job description just posted Apple says that, “The real secret behind the success of the fastest-growing retail chain in history is our commitment to the customer.” The company is already known for “legendary service,” the description says, “and now we are extending that experience with the Apple Store Concierge.” Among the job tasks listed are, “Verbally embraces the customer with a five-star welcome and a fond farewell,” and “Can orchestrate the store adventure in the best possible way.” A Concierge will also be someone who, “Understands customer needs and connects them to the right person at the right time,” and “Provides every customer with a superior customer experience.” Apple is looking for candidates who, “exude warmth, energy and charisma, you love meeting new people, you inspire them, you thrive on the unexpected.” Further, “You get people, and people get you, you have a passion for customer service, you have a passion for Apple products.” Lastly, and perhaps oddly, the perfect candidate is described as, “You nurture all budding technology crushes and lifelong Apple love affairs.” There seems to be no pattern to which stores have the Concierge job listing: in New York City the SoHo and Fifth Avenue stores are listed under “future openings,” but the as-yet unopened 14th Street store is listed under “current openings.” [ job description ]
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The two women who sued Apple in August over accessibility issues at the San Francisco (Calif.) retail store have filed a similar lawsuit against the Loew’s movie theater chain. Jana Overbo and Nicole-Brown Booker filed only their second-ever lawsuit in U.S. District Court, alleging the theater’s design and policies violate the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Their 18-page complaint details a series of visits the women made to the Metreon movie theater in downtown San Francisco, and the access issues they encountered. Their lawsuit against Apple continues: the plaintiffs requested their case be transferred to a U.S. Magistrate Judge, instead of being heard by a District Judge. Apple protested, so on October 19th the case was assigned to Judge Susan Illiston for future actions. Download (pdf) the original Apple lawsuit filing.
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Friday’s debut of the Leopard will generate thousands of sales of the latest upgrade to Apple’s operating system, but at least two people hope it will also generate a love connection and provide some spectacular entertainment. Apple’s retail stores will close at 4 p.m. local time, and then re-open at 6 p.m. to begin selling the highly-anticipated software at $129. Waiting lines are expected to form early for the event, and Apple will hand out 500 commemorative T-shirts to visitors. read more…
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It’s still November, 2006 on one of Apple’s retail Web pages, with a headline that boasts, “Over 170 stores worldwide.” Of course, Apple will open its 200th store at the end of this week. An accompanying map on the Web page shows fewer stores in the United States than are actually open. Apple opened its 170th store in November, 2006 at the First Colony Mall in Sugarland (Tex.). [The Web page was updated at midnight on October 26th with "Over 200...", anticipating that next store.]
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Just days after announcing record retail store revenues, Apple will open its 200th location at the SanTan Village shopping center in the Phoenix (Ariz.) suburb of Gilbert this Friday. The mall will hold its grand opening at 10 a.m., but the Apple store won’t open until 6 p.m. to coincide with the debut of OS X Leopard, the company’s latest operating system release. The store will give away 1,000 commemorative T-shirts to visitors–in addition to the 500 T-shirts being given out for the Leopard release?
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Among the 40 new stores that will open during fiscal 2008 is a long-expected store in Beijing (China), according to Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer during a Monday conference call to financial analysts. He said the Beijing store would open during the summer of 2008. The pace of new store openings is the same as the last three years–from 35 to 40 stores per year. Apple has been committed to a China store for several years, but recent international events have accelerated the company’s moves. China gained full admittance to the World Trade Organization in 2005, and Chinese laws passed last year now permit full ownership of businesses by non-Chinese companies. Apple’s commitment was also solidified by the entrance of Dell and Best Buy into the China consumer market, and timed to coincide with the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing during August.Â
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Apple’s retail store operation reported record financial results for the fourth quarter of 2007, including a record number of Macintosh sales. Revenues from the stores totaled $1.2 billion for the quarter, up from $936 million from the same quarter of 2006, and up from $915 million the previous quarter. The stores tallied $268 million in profit for the quarter, up 46 percent from the previous quarter. CPU sales shot up a huge 43 percent to 473,000 units. Overall, Apple posted revenues of $6.2 billion and CPU unit sales of 2.1 million, both new records. Apple stock closed today just pennies down from its all-time high, at $174.36, then jumped almost $12 in after-hours trading read more…
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