The Good Guys - Apple Shop

The Abt Electronics store in suburban Chicago isn't the only one to attempt the "look and feel" of an official Apple store. The Good Guys electronics retail chain also has mimicked the wooden furniture look of Apple's retail stores--although not very successfully. Here are some photos of their slightly-successful attempt to create a special Apple section, which they very carefully call a "shop."

Also check my report on the CompUSA/The Good Guys megastores section devoted to Apple products.

The front door of The Good Guys uses a sandwich board to advertise their "Apple Shop" on the inside--a careful choice to avoid the use of the word "store."

After you enter the store, you wander left to find the Apple section, prominently announced with a simple logo-on-white overhead sign. Everything looks good... Ouch! What's that dead-ahead? It's a "Priced To Go" table and banner that blocks your path and view, and generating the impression that this cheap, left-over merchandise somehow part of the Apple products display. Given the huge amount of unused space in other parts of this particular store, this sale table should be moved.

A rear view of the entire section, showing a much more approachable display. At the far left is a wall pegboard of Apple-related accessories. Beyond the Apple section to the right is one of the store's special rooms devoted to sound gear. Note the large open space directly in front of the camera, which could be used for the "Priced To Go" table--why did they put it in front of the Apple section?

One of the two double-sided aisles displaying Apple products. Notice the fake-wood on the front of all the shelving and pegboard. The vertical facing is a paper or cardboard-type product with a printed light-wood grain to make the appearance of wood. The pegboard under the shelving looks a little bare, but otherwise the displays are orderly, in working condition and attractive. The slogan along the white facing edge says, "Great for work. Better for play."

Another side of the double-side product aisle, this one showing laptops and cases, and a Bose iPod speaker. Everything looks in order here, although the laptop security brackets are slightly disconcerting. Not the slogan along the white facing edge: "Create. Surf. Play. Organize. Explore."

The endcap of an aisle display, showing a 20-inch Cinema Display and Mac mini. All the wood-grain surfaces are plastic or cardboard, but with a printed wood finish. In front of the Cinema Display is a small placard with price and feature information for what's displayed. To the right along the white edge of the shelf is the slogn, "Set your imagination free."

The side wall software display, which also uses the fake wood theme. Not the most complete collection of Mac software, but it's orderly and looks good.

Sorry for the shake... but I want to re-emphasize the major merchandising mistake here: This is the entrance to the Apple section as you approach from the center of the store. The "Priced To Go" merchandise table physically blocks access to the section, blocks the view, and creates confusion on to what the banner refers.

July 2, 2005