Apple to open retail stores in Australia
Apple this year will heat up its retail presence in the land of Oz, offering its own stores while enlisting help from several existing retailers.
Apple Computer in 2005 will expand its retail presence onto the island of Australia, according to reports from multiple sources.
The company plans to open at least two stores initially, one in Sydney and a second in Melbourne. It's unclear if either location will represent an Apple flagship location, though sources say Sydney would be the likely candidate for the larger of the two stores.
In 2003, Apple Australia began marketing its computers through David Jones retail stores -- a pilot program that began with five stores and has since grown to six. Sources say Apple is so pleased with the results of the David Jones pilot that it will be expanding the program across nearly all of the retailer's 35 locations during the next 12 months.
Furthermore, sources say that Myer, a similar Australian retail chain, will also roll out Apple stands this year. Myer will join David Jones and Domayne, another Australian retailer featuring Apple boutiques, or stores-within-a-store.
In related news, Apple has scheduled an Australia-based Macworld Event that will take place at 3:30pm on January 12, 2005 at the Westin Hotel in Sydney (only hours after chief executive Steve Jobs concludes his Tuesday keynote). The event is open to Apple business partners only, and may contain announcements specific to the company's Australian business model.
Apple Computer in 2005 will expand its retail presence onto the island of Australia, according to reports from multiple sources.
The company plans to open at least two stores initially, one in Sydney and a second in Melbourne. It's unclear if either location will represent an Apple flagship location, though sources say Sydney would be the likely candidate for the larger of the two stores.
In 2003, Apple Australia began marketing its computers through David Jones retail stores -- a pilot program that began with five stores and has since grown to six. Sources say Apple is so pleased with the results of the David Jones pilot that it will be expanding the program across nearly all of the retailer's 35 locations during the next 12 months.
Furthermore, sources say that Myer, a similar Australian retail chain, will also roll out Apple stands this year. Myer will join David Jones and Domayne, another Australian retailer featuring Apple boutiques, or stores-within-a-store.
In related news, Apple has scheduled an Australia-based Macworld Event that will take place at 3:30pm on January 12, 2005 at the Westin Hotel in Sydney (only hours after chief executive Steve Jobs concludes his Tuesday keynote). The event is open to Apple business partners only, and may contain announcements specific to the company's Australian business model.
Comments
Now where would the new store be in Sydney, surely they won't put it on George St
I suspect that the Sydney store will be Apples flagship store. I wonder where they will put it?
Can we get a store please?
I'll be very interested if the DJs stores make it to Canberra. AppleCentre Mac 1 seriously needs some local brick-and-mortar competition. I'm not so interested in Myer, since it's frankly such a shit store in the ACT (just a rebadged GBs, go figure).
i'd give them some more of my pink dollar anyday for such quality products
edit: does this mean this is 'the announcement' for wednesday in sydney, or is the chances of a local itms store still viable?
Originally posted by brentonbrenton
maybe they could put it where i'd live near in sydney; oxford st
i'd give them some more of my pink dollar anyday for such quality products
Somehow, I don't think that's likely (although it would make my occasional shopping trips to Sydney much more convenient!)
Australia is not a friggin "ISLAND".
It's a CONTINENT. get wit it.
Originally posted by chrismcelligott
I seriously hope those rumors are true, I don't mind shopping at Nextbyte but the store thats closest to me in really small and it doesn't have that great feeling you should have when surrounded by Apple Products.
Now where would the new store be in Sydney, surely they won't put it on George St
God, George St is a bloody ZOO. and that's just on weekdays.
Originally posted by brentonbrenton
maybe they could put it where i'd live near in sydney; oxford st
i'd give them some more of my pink dollar anyday for such quality products
edit: does this mean this is 'the announcement' for wednesday in sydney, or is the chances of a local itms store still viable?
But there's AppleCentre Taylor Square...!?? Quite nice, although their main retail area is quite cramped...
I just don't know how Apple figures its gonna do this, esp. compared to their existing AppleCentres... and I don't know why all the existing dealers, like NextByte, Frequency, AppleTaylorSQ are complaining about increased competition with Apple.... wait, I do.... hmmm confused i give up
Originally posted by sunilraman
But there's AppleCentre Taylor Square...!?? Quite nice, although their main retail area is quite cramped...
I just don't know how Apple figures its gonna do this, esp. compared to their existing AppleCentres... and I don't know why all the existing dealers, like NextByte, Frequency, AppleTaylorSQ are complaining about increased competition with Apple.... wait, I do.... hmmm confused i give up
I'd have thought that closed to traffic section of Pitt Street would be the go but finding the space will be a challenge.
The existing AppleCentres aren't Apple's, ie. they're not run by the company. They're just resellers. They claim they get screwed over by Apple (I can believe that) and obviously Apple isn't going to screw itself. IIRC, they griped about the online Apple store as well. US resellers certainly haven't been too happy about the burgeoning Apple retail store chain.
Bet those Buzzle guys are glad they went belly up when they did.
Originally posted by crazychester
I'd have thought that closed to traffic section of Pitt Street would be the go but finding the space will be a challenge.
The existing AppleCentres aren't Apple's, ie. they're not run by the company. They're just resellers. They claim they get screwed over by Apple (I can believe that) and obviously Apple isn't going to screw itself. IIRC, they griped about the online Apple store as well. US resellers certainly haven't been too happy about the burgeoning Apple retail store chain.
Bet those Buzzle guys are glad they went belly up when they did.
yeah i know that 'bout the AppleCentres... overheard quite a few times dude that runs TaylorSq "voicing some concerns" re: Apple Oz Corporate... i just am not in the loop though on why Apple is kinda that aggressive, but it seems clear that slowly they will emulate most elements of the US model and piss off even more Oz resellers.
can someone explain why this has to be a win-lose situation? can't everyone get along? if apple is expanding it means that the market potential is definitely there and growing.
i'd level a claim here though that Apple resellers have HUGE scope to go after consumer/business switchers... especially now with iWork. especially in sydney, they need to think about moving beyond the design/ad/film client base and go after Switchers.... hmmm
Otherwise Pitt Street Mall is definately the prime spot. I hear there will be alot of work going on there with the redevelopment of Centrepoint and some towers going up, so who knows.
As for Oxford St that would be cool and I for one would love to camp out there for the opening, nice thought but I highly doubt It. Apple gets My pink dollar regardless of its location
If its gonna be a flagship store then you need space and lots of it. World Square could be the perfect location for that.
All you Sydney siders, where do you think would be the perfect Apple Store location ??.
Originally posted by walexx
...perfect Sydney location?...
Bondi or Circular Quay
Then there's Glebe corner Glebe Point Road and Broadway
David Jones City (top floor mens' store?)
Myer City (floor 6)
Domayne Alexandria (O'Reardon Street)
City corner of Clarence and Erskine (???) near "the donut place"
A few others in the Surry Hills and East city suburbs (eg. Frequency)
My favourite: Chatswood, they've looked after me very well!
Originally posted by brentonbrenton
does this mean this is 'the announcement' for wednesday in sydney, or is the chances of a local itms store still viable?
Why does Apple choose to make their announcement on the same day as the MWSF keynote? I'd say they have some extra announcement - but who knows what that is!
I still think iTMS is going to happen here - since TripleM are giving away an iPod + $350 of music downloads on Jan 24th. The fine print says "a cheque to be spent on music downloads".
Originally posted by sunilraman
Australia is not a friggin "ISLAND".
It's a CONTINENT. get wit it.
Actually we're the biggest island, and the smallest continent. I haven't heard Australia called an island for a very long time.
I knew primary school "Social Science" would come in handy one day.
Selfish mode on: It'd be nice to have an Apple Store down Cronulla way
Realist mode: Pitt st mall would be best for customers. Circular Quay as a publicity thing but not so good for business.
Originally posted by GregAlexander
Why does Apple choose to make their announcement on the same day as the MWSF keynote? I'd say they have some extra announcement - but who knows what that is!
I still think iTMS is going to happen here - since TripleM are giving away an iPod + $350 of music downloads on Jan 24th. The fine print says "a cheque to be spent on music downloads".
Actually we're the biggest island, and the smallest continent. I haven't heard Australia called an island for a very long time.
I knew primary school "Social Science" would come in handy one day.
Selfish mode on: It'd be nice to have an Apple Store down Cronulla way
Realist mode: Pitt st mall would be best for customers. Circular Quay as a publicity thing but not so good for business.
Pitt Street it is... If they can wrestle some space from those greedy landlords Westfield
If apple are going to open up in the city, then resellers should concentrate on areas that currently dont have any coverage. Miranda Fair, and East Gardens have no Apple coverage in those areas. Hurstville is a great store but in desperate need of some life.
As for the Tripple M promo with $350.00 downloads and an iPod. It better be itms otherwise the poor winner wont be able to play the music they download on their iPod. No aussie download site is iPod compatible. No wonder they are all failures.
Cronulla does need an Apple store... but I fear the sand would cause a problem. ... So it would have to go into Miranda Fair (who seriously goes to the beach for electronics? Leave the cafe's and fashion stores there)
Hell, put it at Caringbah Station so that I can have a browse every day when I get off of the train.
I personally see no need for Oxford St, as the Taylor Square store is there (and have you chacked out their Apple academy fit out? Pretty impressive.
I would like to see the store go in either Victoria's Galleries, World Square or the QVB - but there are no spaces big enough in the QVB.
I think Kinokuniya has the best position in Vic Galleries. And the Levi's Store has a good Position in Pitt St. Hey maybe you could buy out all those bloody two dollar shops in the old Pitt St Greater Union and do that up.
You never know... there have been big walls erected around customs house while they are renovating.... hmmmm, I wonder what they are doing in there.
World Square: Whilst its not the most central (OK it's as good as central) it would be a great location for the new store. Plenty of space and a great deal of people passing by.
Pitt St: In my opinion a great spot, with 10,000's of people passing by each day and also there are a number of other technology type stores like 3 and alike situated here.
QVB: I think a good location, but too small and it doesn't really allow Apple to follow the same style that they have used abroad.