Target next in line to sell Apple's iPhone, following Sam's Club
Discount chain Target will be the next major American third-party retailer to team up with Apple to promote the iPhone, AppleInsider has been told.
Target
According to people familiar with the matter, word of the iPhone's impending arrival at Target first began to spread last month during meetings between store and district managers in what was then the lead up to last week's rollout of the iPad at Target stores.
The Minneapolis, Minn.-based retailer is in the process of adding mobile phone centers to approximately 850 of its 1,743 stores by the time holiday shopping season rolls around. It's doing so in partnership with Radio Shack, another Apple Authorized iPhone reseller, which will provide the tools that allow customers to activate their devices in-store.
The move is an expansion of a pilot program that began in about 100 stores last October and is seen as Target's latest effort to keep pace with specialty electronics retailers such as Best Buy, in addition to its larger rival Wal-Mart, which has similarly been upping its electronics presence.
Since it's unclear precisely when Target plans to complete installation of its first 850 mobile phone centers, a rollout date for the iPhone was reportedly not available. A representative for the retailer similarly refused to confirm or deny the report, saying only that Target has "nothing to announce at this time."
Target, which operates stores in every state except Vermont, is the second largest discount retailer in the United States behind Walmart, and ranks number 30 on the Fortune 500 list.
Target has adorned its electronics sections with official Apple signage | Source: ifoAppleStore
Target has adorned its electronics sections with official Apple signage | Source: ifoAppleStore
Sam's Club
Meanwhile, membership-only warehouse club Sam's Club, a subsidiary of Wal-Mart, announced during Wal-Mart's quarterly conference call Wednesday that it too will begin selling the iPhone -- in addition to the iPad -- sometime in the near future. Again, no specific timeframe was provided.
Target
According to people familiar with the matter, word of the iPhone's impending arrival at Target first began to spread last month during meetings between store and district managers in what was then the lead up to last week's rollout of the iPad at Target stores.
The Minneapolis, Minn.-based retailer is in the process of adding mobile phone centers to approximately 850 of its 1,743 stores by the time holiday shopping season rolls around. It's doing so in partnership with Radio Shack, another Apple Authorized iPhone reseller, which will provide the tools that allow customers to activate their devices in-store.
The move is an expansion of a pilot program that began in about 100 stores last October and is seen as Target's latest effort to keep pace with specialty electronics retailers such as Best Buy, in addition to its larger rival Wal-Mart, which has similarly been upping its electronics presence.
Since it's unclear precisely when Target plans to complete installation of its first 850 mobile phone centers, a rollout date for the iPhone was reportedly not available. A representative for the retailer similarly refused to confirm or deny the report, saying only that Target has "nothing to announce at this time."
Target, which operates stores in every state except Vermont, is the second largest discount retailer in the United States behind Walmart, and ranks number 30 on the Fortune 500 list.
Target has adorned its electronics sections with official Apple signage | Source: ifoAppleStore
Target has adorned its electronics sections with official Apple signage | Source: ifoAppleStore
Sam's Club
Meanwhile, membership-only warehouse club Sam's Club, a subsidiary of Wal-Mart, announced during Wal-Mart's quarterly conference call Wednesday that it too will begin selling the iPhone -- in addition to the iPad -- sometime in the near future. Again, no specific timeframe was provided.
Comments
Discount chain Target will be the next major American third-party retailer to team up with Apple to promote the iPhone, AppleInsider has been told.
Do people feel that sales by Target will diminish the Apple brand? ISTM that Apple products are sold in great numbers these days by self-service discount chain stores.
I'm so glad I live near a selection of Apple Stores, since I boycott Target now.
Why do you boycott Target? Is there something wrong with it?
Why do you boycott Target? Is there something wrong with it?
Committing campaign contributions that seemingly discourage their own workforce morale among other more personal grievances.
Committing campaign contributions that seemingly discourage their own workforce morale among other more personal grievances.
I just heard about that on NPR yesterday. Pretty weird goings on there by the sounds of it.
I just heard about that on NPR yesterday. Pretty weird goings on there by the sounds of it.
I used to fairly like the Target stores. Have now decided to take my business elsewhere because of their business practices.
I'm so glad I live near a selection of Apple Stores, since I boycott Target now.
Me too
Committing campaign contributions that seemingly discourage their own workforce morale among other more personal grievances.
Would you mind mentioning just what or linking to it for those of us who are not yet aware of it?
Do people feel that sales by Target will diminish the Apple brand? ISTM that Apple products are sold in great numbers these days by self-service discount chain stores.
I was wondering the same thing. For example, whenever the iPhone comes up, you hear all sorts of posters claim that Apple aims for the mid to high end customers, and Android and MS are for the low end customers. In other words, Apple targets the more affluent crowd.
However, as noted, Target is a discount change, Walmart (the epitome of inexpensive products) and there are now reports that Sams Club (a discount warehouse) will be sell Apple products.
Given this move, I wonder how much this "high end customer" label will continue to stick.
This Target and Walmart news is great for Apple. Now they can sell their products in all the podunk country cities that aren't close to an Apple Store. This should provide a huge bump in revenues.
I just learned a new word thanks : Podunk ... middle of nowhere... but now often used to have a class conscious, belittling connotation. Wow! Sarasota FL where I live has no Apple Store ... we are doomed here
Would you mind mentioning just what or linking to it for those of us who are not yet aware of it?
You can also search "Target campaign contributions" where there are many more articles which go further in depth.
NPR
Business Week
Would you mind mentioning just what or linking to it for those of us who are not yet aware of it?
I was driving so only paying scant attention but from what I recall the owners of Target gave heavily to back a political candidate in a particular election whose campaign rhetoric was not exactly conducive to engendering the love of the average working Joe. The very market the company professes to serve ... (their words not mine). I don't remember much else. I am sure it will be easily Googled.
These Target stores (and Walmart stores) have ipads packed in boxes, inside a cupboard! I mean I went yesterday to my local Target and had to really hunt to find the iPad. And seeing it in a cupbard packed in its box, will not entice me a bit to buy it. I mean really. They should be smart enough to have a demo unit up and available for people to play it. That will *sell a lot* - if they do that. But I guess they dont have the expertise to keep restoring it if people mess with it, and delete apps, jailbreak etc. But they should get it. I mean, really, restoring is not that difficult. At least Walmart is supposed to have a demo unit out and playing a demo video (not available to operate upon), thats half way there -- much better than Target's approach -- but I think really if the availability needs to have an effect, they need to get the units out and available for customers to use. Really.
You can also search "Target campaign contributions" where there are many more articles which go further in depth.
NPR
Business Week
That may or may not address your particular concerns. Target probably makes more than one campaign contribution, but I guess you do mind mentioning the reason which makes me wonder just why you bothered to post in the first place.
They should be smart enough to have a demo unit up and available for people to play it. That will *sell a lot* - if they do that. But I guess they dont have the expertise to keep restoring it if people mess with it, and delete apps, jailbreak etc. But they should get it. I mean, really, restoring is not that difficult. At least Walmart is supposed to have a demo unit out and playing a demo video (not available to operate upon), thats half way there -- much better than Target's approach -- but I think really if the availability needs to have an effect, they need to get the units out and available for customers to use. Really.
People rip off everything in the cases at Target as it is.
Put one out where people have even easier access and it wouldn't be in the store more than 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, membership-only warehouse club Sam's Club, a subsidiary of Wal-Mart, announced during Wal-Mart's quarterly conference call Wednesday that it too will begin selling the iPhone -- in addition to the iPad -- sometime in the near future. Again, no specific timeframe was provided.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
Do you realize that Sam's just confirmed that Verizon will carry the iPhone?
The cellphone kiosks in Sam's are completely Verizon. If they carry the iPhone then that means their Verizon kiosk is carrying the iPhone.
Do you realize that Sam's just confirmed that Verizon will carry the iPhone?
No. Why do you say this?
The cellphone kiosks in Sam's are completely Verizon.
Except for all the kiosks in Sam's Clubs that are not Verizon only.
The clubs here in Colorado are mostly ATT & T-Mobile.
Pretty sure all the kiosks are independent dealers, not cell company owned.