Apple store dead here in UK
I was working near an Apple store today. It was the one in Touchwood, Solihull for those who know the Uk well. Well i was there all day on Saturday and the store was dead. I mean really dead, not your usual groups of youth messing with the isight camera's in Photobooth or turning up the Zepplins to ear popping volumes. No the store was like a ghost town.
Now i use this shop alot, I bought my Macbook from there before Christmas and have since bought an Iphone and printer from there and it's always buzzing. But not on Saturday, the people working there were even sitting on the ipod tables and chatting out of boredom.
Now i was thinking it was just a funny one off thing. Then today i was in Derby shopping with my kids and the KCRS store was also dead, despite the Sony store next door having relatively good footfall.
Now i'm no troll and love Apple but i'm starting to the think that the economic realities are starting to bite even for Apple here in the UK. We need that cheap netbook.....now please.
Not that i'm moaning, I repair computers and Apple Macs and have seen a jump in my trade of late.
Now i use this shop alot, I bought my Macbook from there before Christmas and have since bought an Iphone and printer from there and it's always buzzing. But not on Saturday, the people working there were even sitting on the ipod tables and chatting out of boredom.
Now i was thinking it was just a funny one off thing. Then today i was in Derby shopping with my kids and the KCRS store was also dead, despite the Sony store next door having relatively good footfall.
Now i'm no troll and love Apple but i'm starting to the think that the economic realities are starting to bite even for Apple here in the UK. We need that cheap netbook.....now please.
Not that i'm moaning, I repair computers and Apple Macs and have seen a jump in my trade of late.
Comments
Sales are down for the entire computer industry. When people can't afford new, they keep using old. Shouldn't be surprising to anyone.
Or they look long and hard at cheaper or more value-for-money alternatives... I am starting to think though Apple may not lower prices even though internationally now Macs are more expensive compared to before.
I was working near an Apple store today. It was the one in Touchwood, Solihull for those who know the Uk well. Well i was there all day on Saturday and the store was dead.
The Meadowhall Store, was very busy as usual. Lots of activity. People walking out with fresh new Notebooks etc.
In the States last week and the Market St and Valley Fair shops were busy too.
Anyone noticed that Apple's share price is on the up.
C.
The Meadowhall Store, was very busy as usual. Lots of activity. People walking out with fresh new Notebooks etc.
In the States last week and the Market St and Valley Fair shops were busy too.
Anyone noticed that Apple's share price is on the up.
C.
It may well have been a one off. And i agree that generally across the whole industry things seem slow around IT purchases. I just think the stimulus a cheaper price pointed machine would bring right now would be a serious boon for Apple.
Was the educational 17inch imac in aluminium ever found to be real or just a typo?
I just think the stimulus a cheaper price pointed machine would bring right now would be a serious boon for Apple.
Perhaps, perhaps not.
Apple are a business and rely on profits from sales.
A cheaper machine may boost unit-sales. But if it comes at a price of lower profits and cannibalization of profitable lines, then it not much of a boon.
The rest of the industry are scrabbling away producing hardware with paper-thin profit margins.
Not sure if that race-to-the bottom strategy is paying any dividends.
C.
And i agree that generally across the whole industry things seem slow around IT purchases. I just think the stimulus a cheaper price pointed machine would bring right now would be a serious boon for Apple.
It's a recession. People spend less money. They cancel or postpone major purchases. I am getting a little tired af all the arguments that say that Apple is going to be especially hard hit. Did you guys see the latest results for companies like Dell and Lenovo? Not good!
Why do you think it will be worse for Apple??
You know that there are cheaper Macs out there? Apple may not have the same range of specs and price points as the PC side.... but there is still a choice of machines. If you can't afford "fastest" then buy "faster". If that's still a little rich for your tastes... buy "fast".
You know that there are more expensive PCs out there? Not all PC buyers are out there buying $699 laptops.
You know you may not have to buy a computer this year? If you are broke (and I have been) you buy cheaper food, maybe cheaper clothes, maybe try to save on bills. You don't necessarily buy a cheaper house or a cheaper car. Can your computer last a few more months before you need to replace it?
Gartner and IDC will be releasing figures in a week or so. Let's see then
It's all about profit margins. I don't know the exact numbers, but wouldn't it be more difficult to sell a couple million netbooks in this economy to even make a profit than to sell several thousand Mac Pros and make the the same, if not more profit?
That Mac Store sells one Mac Pro, and they've made as much (if not more) profit as Acer would selling 8-10 of their netbooks.