Apple to open Beijing flagship in time for 2008 Olympic games

[AppleInsider]

Apple Inc. will flaunt its surging brand before the estimated three million visitors who will flock to Beijing, China for this Summer's Olympic with the launch of a large retail store near the center of the capital city.

The store, which has been shrouded in secrecy for the better part of its developmental process, is due to turn up on Qianmen Street, a historic half-mile long avenue at the south end of Tiananmen Square that is undergoing an extensive $40 million renovation.

According to ifoAppleStore, construction is underway to improve the utilities, repave the street with green and white marble, restore building façades to their 1920-1930 appearance, re-introduce a tram and rebuild the existing Opera House.

"When the street re-opens in May, it will be the second pedestrian-only shopping street in the city, and will feature 300 shops filling over 800,000 square-feet, including several international retailers such as Starbucks and Adidas," ifo said in its report.

Apple's store, which is due to launch ahead of the August 8th Olympic opening ceremonies, will reportedly blend in with the existing Chinese architecture rather than sport the company's traditional glass, black and stainless steel facade.

Decorative flower garden in Tiananmen Square depicting various Olympic sports.

The Beijing store is expected to be just the first of several to arrive in China over the next several years, as Apple seeks to rapidly expand its presence in the region through the launch of products such as the iPhone.

[freelander51]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Apple Inc. will flaunt its surging brand before the estimated three million visitors who will flock to Beijing, China for this Summer's Olympic with the launch of a large retail store near the center of the capital city.
[...[
Decorative flower garden in Tiananmen Square depicting various Olympic sports.
[...]
The Beijing store is expected to be just the first of several to arrive in China over the next several years, as Apple seeks to rapidly expand its presence in the region through the launch of products such as the iPhone.

How about satisfying the quite wealthy 250 Million CONTINENTAL EUROPEAN clients ? In Europe ?

And I am sure that Tianamen Square looks fine these days - after all the bloodshed. Funny how quick people forget.

[Zyniker]

Originally Posted by freelander51

How about satisfying the quite wealthy 250 Million CONTINENTAL EUROPEAN clients ? In Europe ?

And I am sure that Tianamen Square looks fine these days - after all the bloodshed. Funny how quick people forget.

Apple has rather questionable marketing sense when it comes to some things...and fantastic marketing abilities when it actually gets its act together and goes after a segment. Europe is a fantastic market for high-end electronics...why isn't Apple pushing there? Your guess is as good as mind...personally, I'm going to go with ineptitude... After all, even Apple has its fair share of nitwits.

[allstaruk]

Originally Posted by freelander51

And I am sure that Tianamen Square looks fine these days - after all the bloodshed. Funny how quick people forget.

Oh and Europe has never had a drop of blood on its hands .. come on people.

[freelander51]

Originally Posted by allstaruk

Oh and Europe has never had a drop of blood on its hands .. come on people.

Yes it did - but for quite some time exercising your fundamental human rights is not a guaranteed way into prison.

I agree that Beijing is a very nice flag on the map "Where we have shops" and I am sure that 1.x bln people can constitute a very significant market. But pls step aside from the MBA logic "Must go to China" ! Look at per capita earnings. Berlin, Germany - no Apple store. Paris, France - no Apple store, Madrid, Spain - no Apple store, Barcelona, Spain - no Apple store, Hamburg, Germany - no Apple store, the list could go on.

And what about that other "significant" market with 1.x bln customers ? Stable democracy, Human rights respected, free market economy, western judiciary system, speaks good english, seems to be quite good with computers...India. Well - you guessed - no Apple store.

Come on you ppl from Wharton and Co. : use Google Maps to discover other areas of the world then the one it says on the back of most products,

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by Zyniker

Apple has rather questionable marketing sense when it comes to some things...and fantastic marketing abilities when it actually gets its act together and goes after a segment. Europe is a fantastic market for high-end electronics...why isn't Apple pushing there? Your guess is as good as mind...personally, I'm going to go with ineptitude... After all, even Apple has its fair share of nitwits.

I agree, but if they planned this to beat the games, then this really would be a major marketing win. Nearly every country is giong to be represented at the games with atheletes and tourists.

Also, China's middle class is sizeable and growing, they're probably the biggest single untapped market for Apple right now in terms of the number of people that can afford an Apple product.

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by Zyniker

Apple has rather questionable marketing sense when it comes to some things...and fantastic marketing abilities when it actually gets its act together and goes after a segment. Europe is a fantastic market for high-end electronics...why isn't Apple pushing there? Your guess is as good as mind...personally, I'm going to go with ineptitude... After all, even Apple has its fair share of nitwits.

Apple would be much smarter to open a store in Shanghai, the people there are generally more technologically savvy and wealthier, although Apple admittedly has hardly made a dent in China thus far.

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

I agree, but if they planned this to beat the games, then this really would be a major marketing win. Nearly every country is giong to be represented at the games with atheletes and tourists.

Also, China's middle class is sizeable and growing, they're probably the biggest single untapped market for Apple right now in terms of the number of people that can afford an Apple product.

Ningbo would be another good spot for an Apple Store.

[pptiger]

Originally Posted by freelander51

Yes it did - but for quite some time exercising your fundamental human rights is not a guaranteed way into prison.

I agree that Beijing is a very nice flag on the map "Where we have shops" and I am sure that 1.x bln people can constitute a very significant market. But pls step aside from the MBA logic "Must go to China" ! Look at per capita earnings. Berlin, Germany - no Apple store. Paris, France - no Apple store, Madrid, Spain - no Apple store, Barcelona, Spain - no Apple store, Hamburg, Germany - no Apple store, the list could go on.

And what about that other "significant" market with 1.x bln customers ? Stable democracy, Human rights respected, free market economy, western judiciary system, speaks good english, seems to be quite good with computers...India. Well - you guessed - no Apple store.

Come on you ppl from Wharton and Co. : use Google Maps to discover other areas of the world then the one it says on the back of most products,

Have you been to Tiananmen square? Or for that matter, have you ever been to China? Sometimes it makes me wonder if people believe talking about something they don't know makes them look intelligent.

[freelander51]

Originally Posted by pptiger

Have you been to Tiananmen square? Or for that matter, have you ever been to China? Sometimes it makes me wonder if people believe talking about something they don't know makes them look intelligent.

Unfortunately not - I have however lived and worked for twenty years in seven different countires and experienced another three countries on a long term basis thanks to the job of my parents. Seen the fall of the Soviet Union while in Moscow though - if that helps matters.

[pptiger]

Originally Posted by freelander51

Unfortunately not - I have however lived and worked for twenty years in seven different countires and experienced another three countries on a long term basis thanks to the job of my parents. Seen the fall of the Soviet Union while in Moscow though - if that helps matters.

And look at how Russia is doing now - not much better - if that is what you want.

The point is you could have just supported your argument based on an economic point of view, i.e., GDP and so on; making ignorant judgement on a country you've never been to doesn't seem very convincing.

[freelander51]

Originally Posted by pptiger

And look at how Russia is doing now - not much better - if that is what you want.

The point is you could have just supported your argument based on an economic point of view, i.e., GDP and so on; making ignorant judgement on a country you've never been to doesn't seem very convincing.

OK - Russia is doing quite fine now last time I checked - Sitting on 30ish% of Oil and Gas suppy to the world helps. As to the rest - I did support my point(s) with arguments based on economic key figures - I chose per capita earnings. Last time I checked they were higher in Europe then in China. Or am I wrong ?

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by freelander51

And what about that other "significant" market with 1.x bln customers ? Stable democracy, Human rights respected, free market economy, western judiciary system, speaks good english, seems to be quite good with computers...India. Well - you guessed - no Apple store.

Last count: There are more millionaires in China than all the people in the Ohio. Now that is significantly significant.

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

Apple would be much smarter to open a store in Shanghai, the people there are generally more technologically savvy and wealthier, although Apple admittedly has hardly made a dent in China thus far.

Just got back from Shanghai.

Some great high-end stores. Lots of new buildings. Apparently there are more large/giant building cranes in Shanghai than any other city in the world. Everywhere you go, particularly in the Pudong New Area, new construction is rampant. Only caveat, there isn't anyone in most of the buildings already finished. No desks, no phones, no people. Just empty space and lots of it. But they still keep building.

[pptiger]

Originally Posted by freelander51

OK - Russia is doing quite fine now last time I cheked. as to the rest - I did support my point(s) with arguments based on economic key figures - I chose per capita earnings. Last time I checked they were higher in Europe then in China. Or am I wrong ?

So you know how to properly construct an argument - there is no need to involve any politics.

What irritates me is that on an Apple forum, when people are discussing a market movement of Apple, someone opened his sentence with "blood on Tiananmen square". That was twenty years ago. Compared to that time, China is also getting better in those areas you mentioned in previous post. Should I mention all the terrible things Europeans did whenever there is a discussion on things about Europe? There was blood everywhere around the world; it doesn't make where you are a better place only because you did it long time ago. Why not look at the bright side? Anyway, this has been dragged too far away from the topic. All I want to say is paying proper respect to other people won't diminish your points or argument.

Now back to the topic, most of Apple laptop and iPod are shipping from China now. Europe certainly has its advantage as those you pointed out above, but opening a store next to the manufactory doesn't seem unreasonable either.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by Abster2core

Last count: There are more millionaires in China than all the people in the US. Now that is significantly significant.

Don't you mean there are more millionaires in China than in the US? I don't think China has 300 million millionaires.

[bwik]

Huh???

China has NO Where near as many millionaires as the US does. Not even in 5th place would be my guess.

Japan would be second, far behind the USA. Then probably Germany. Somewhere below that, China.

Of course, that will change in years to come. Beijing for example has many millionaires -- many of them, foreigners who live and work in China. Will they want iPhones, YES of course they will.

Shanghai will have a major store too before 18 months are up. After all, Apple builds many of its products near Shanghai. It is a wealthy city that will someday rival Tokyo (although it is nowhere near Tokyo at the present time -- not even 1/8 by my estimations.

For reference, Tokyo has 30 million Japanese people. Japanese people are rich. Shanghai has 20 million Chinese people + some foreigners. The foreigners are rich but the Chinese generally not... yet. Oh, they are getting there fast. But a match for Tokyo, certainly not. Maybe in 15 more years... possibly.

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

Don't you mean there are more millionaires in China than in the US? I don't think China has 300 million millionaires.

My error. China has over 350,000 millionaire. About 70,000 in Shanghai. I believe the number is about 3 million in the US, but that was before the housing crisis.

[801]

Will they ship products made in Taiwan to mainland China?

[bwik]

In the USA, we have 7.5 million millionaires in 2004 (says CNN / money study). The stock market has done well since that year. Other estimates top 9 million.

It really varies how you decide to simulate things. Any which way, China is not similar to the developed world in terms of net worth, yet. Frankfurt alone will have more millionaires than all of China. That is my extrapolated guess at this time.

[Zeppos]

watch this (16 min): then continue replying

A wake up call, isn't it ?

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by Abster2core

Just got back from Shanghai.

Some great high-end stores. Lots of new buildings. Apparently there are more large/giant building cranes in Shanghai than any other city in the world. Everywhere you go, particularly in the Pudong New Area, new construction is rampant. Only caveat, there isn't anyone in most of the buildings already finished. No desks, no phones, no people. Just empty space and lots of it. But they still keep building.

I love Shanghai. Try to go there every chance I get.

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by Zeppos

watch this (16 min): then continue replying

A wake up call, isn't it ?

Oh, come on. It's a film with critical commentary in equal measure for China and the US. It played at Sundance in 2006, director Jon Daniel Ligon.

http://www.hahahaamerica.com/

[anakin1992]

Originally Posted by freelander51

Unfortunately not - I have however lived and worked for twenty years in seven different countires and experienced another three countries on a long term basis thanks to the job of my parents. Seen the fall of the Soviet Union while in Moscow though - if that helps matters.

man, after having been to 7 countries w/ your parents and seeing USSR fall, you still don't get what capitalism is all about! in order to sell a product, you have to find buyer who can afford your products, otherwise what are you going to sell for?

merely 10 years ago, if apple wanted to push for macintosh in china, it would be very hard: who the heck could afford macintosh? now things are changing and apple's market goal of 10 millions of iphones in the first year is highly depending on how well chinese accept it. asian, specially eastern asian from china/japan/korea, treat cell phone differently from US: it looks like that if a fancy cell phone can lift their social status or is a fashion thing, so they are willing to upgrade their phone ( $300-400 ) per 2-3 years. i don't know how european would behave in this regard. well, my point is that if marsian can afford it apple shall sell it over there too.

one more day of no-deal w/ a chinese mobile provider will cost apple and account more unregistered iphones. i read on web where is saying that in the first couple of month of release an iphone can be sold over $1000 in china. to unlock it is merely $15. installing a text msg software is free.

who can afford it over there? i don't know. if just for one set, it might be fine, but it looks like after almost 7-8 months after iphone release, it is still a hot product and people just want to get hand on it in china. i knew a guy who took 5 iphone sets to china when he tripped over there in dec.

[ascii]

Originally Posted by freelander51

Berlin, Germany - no Apple store. Paris, France - no Apple store, Madrid, Spain - no Apple store, Barcelona, Spain - no Apple store, Hamburg, Germany - no Apple store, the list could go on.

I'm really surprised they are putting an Apple Store in China before Paris or Hamburg. Personally I like Chinese people but I don't think their country has much of a future. They are probably pretty close to their peak already.

[ksec]

Might be part of the Marketing strategy from Apple to have an Apple Store there for free advertising.
Otherwise, i would agree it makes more sense to have store in Shanghai or even better in Hong Kong rather then Beijing.

While some one has pointed out China has less millionaires then US and less Capital per earning. No one has pointed out the fact the Chinese spend HUGE amount of money on Mobile Phones. Might be a factor for considering from Apple.

[AllenKids]

Hi everybody

Normally I just browse this forum for information. But this one I gotta reply

I'm a chinese and now lives in Bejing

Our "fruit lovers" here are dying to see a apple store opened in china for years and years and years

Finally Jobs seem to begin to notice the growing market here and I say HOORAY!!!

There are already noticable amount of people here buying apple products(mostly iPods), and there are a lot more people here wanna a iPod or iPhone if they can get their hands on one or two.

But for decades, I MEAN DECADES, Apple have no real marketing stretegy for china, hell! Apple have no real branch in china except the manufacturing part

It's really hard to get a warrented apple product here, many smugged ones of course: i.e. no official iPhone release, but unlocked ones are clogging taobao.com(chinese version of ebay, sort of ... btw ebay china suckes too). Only 30 MBA availabe for pre-ordering for WHOLE CHINA REGION! yet I have at least 7 friends would luv to get one for theirselves or as a chinese new year gift to their loved ones.

and for some gadgets they do manage to release (Often months after debut shipping) There are no real localizing going on - iPod Touch sells well here in beijing, and it lack of a chinese input methed! One can only browse browse browse, no chinese replies in forums, no online quicknote, I can't even loggin some site if I chose to set a chinese charactor username previously.

Further more, their retailers constantly put a much higher price tag on the products than in the US If something sells well or short on shelf, they retag a even higher price, these things happens all the time even with most of these so-called "certified retailers",

Certainly one Apple Store or Two won't solve all these problem, but I see this as a good sign. For our Chinese apple users to get a adequate service as most of you already have for years. For Apple to Broard Its Realm and Became a Even GREATER Company.

And about the Tiananmen Square thing...... Come On Man! I mean really...It's a tragedy indeed but it's also 20 years ago. We will not forget but we choose to move on and give this goverment another chance - so far it did pretty well on the economy part...as for the political part (democracy adn stuff) it's getting there, quite quite slowly. Generally we are happy with it now and have moved on from whinning and weepping long time ago. Give me a break, seriously. We've lost some brave youngsters, they will be remembered, but please dont use their name to flame.

[peter236]

Originally Posted by ascii

I'm really surprised they are putting an Apple Store in China before Paris or Hamburg. Personally I like Chinese people but I don't think their country has much of a future. They are probably pretty close to their peak already.

Don't be so jealous little kid. China is just starting to develop, but they already have so many local millionaires now. Hong Kong alone has more millionaires than Frankfurt. Please do not get jealous when Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Taipei and Tianjin get the Apple Store before you get it. Paris, Frankfurt and most of western Europe have reached the peak already, but China is still booming, for decades to come.