Stores Ready for Holiday Crush

Apple’s retail stores have been prepped and stocked for the expected crush of holiday shoppers, including extended hours, increased staffing, the addition of a front-door Concierge and special quick-purchase merchandise tables. The stores have become a particularly important point of sale for Apple’s products, and the holiday season contributes significantly to annual sales. The retail segment generated 17 percent of ovall sales in fiscal 2007, and 16.3 percent of the company’s total profit. Within the retail operation, the stores have typically generated from 23 percent to 32 percent of their total annual sales during the final three months of the year. Black Friday will kick off the sales season with a grand opening in San Francisco, new display windows and employee T-shirts, and as-yet unannounced one-day sale pricing on selected products. Apple is promoting Black Friday with a “Ready. Set. Shop” slogan on its Web pages. As the season continues, stores will be open longer hours, and special tables will appear with iPods, iPhones and laptops for grab-and-go buyers. Some stores will open as early as 5 a.m. on selected days through New Year’s, while the listed hours for the Somerset (Mich.) and Village Pointe (Neb.) stores seem to indicate they will be open 24 hours-a-day. Previous Black Friday sales offered modest price cuts on iPods ($30 off) and laptops ($100 off), and slightly higher discounts on accessories. [flickr photos by jsc* and Steve Rhodes]