Apple does appear to have a magic sauce. I remember back a decade ago when lots of consumer electronics companies had their own stores. In the Galleria mall in St. Louis there was a Bose store, a Bang & Olufson store, a Brookstone, a Radio Shack. All have since closed and like another post mentioned the Microsoft store is often void of people. Samsung has a very few stores... I guess.
Every single pundit, analyst, and retail “expert” scoffed at Apple opening its own stores. They literally laughed themselves into convulsions. So what do Apple stores have that others don’t? What makes them different?
I'd prefer a location farther west like out in Chesterfield, a stand alone location that looks like the store at Apple Park or at Michigan Avenue. I'm a much bigger fan of the West County location since it got the store update.
If St. Louis would clean up downtown the plaza by the Old Courthouse right next to the Peabody Building would be a sensational location but I'm afraid that will never happen.
Apple does appear to have a magic sauce. I remember back a decade ago when lots of consumer electronics companies had their own stores. In the Galleria mall in St. Louis there was a Bose store, a Bang & Olufson store, a Brookstone, a Radio Shack. All have since closed and like another post mentioned the Microsoft store is often void of people. Samsung has a very few stores... I guess.
Every single pundit, analyst, and retail “expert” scoffed at Apple opening its own stores. They literally laughed themselves into convulsions. So what do Apple stores have that others don’t? What makes them different?
Apple does appear to have a magic sauce. I remember back a decade ago when lots of consumer electronics companies had their own stores. In the Galleria mall in St. Louis there was a Bose store, a Bang & Olufson store, a Brookstone, a Radio Shack. All have since closed and like another post mentioned the Microsoft store is often void of people. Samsung has a very few stores... I guess.
Every single pundit, analyst, and retail “expert” scoffed at Apple opening its own stores. They literally laughed themselves into convulsions. So what do Apple stores have that others don’t? What makes them different?
I'd prefer a location farther west like out in Chesterfield, a stand alone location that looks like the store at Apple Park or at Michigan Avenue. I'm a much bigger fan of the West County location since it got the store update.
If St. Louis would clean up downtown the plaza by the Old Courthouse right next to the Peabody Building would be a sensational location but I'm afraid that will never happen.
OT but ... I was about to correct you and point out Chesterfield is east! Then I realized you didn't mean THE Chesterfield, my hometown.
Apple Store in the Natick (MA) Collection has been closed since May o 2018. Totally missed the Christmas season. Microsoft Store right next to it doing better and better, busy over the holidays. Had to go to Chestnut Hill or Dedham for service.
The Apple Store in Barcelona 'Passeig de Gràcia' isn't mentioned in the article as well. It has been closed for renovation a few weeks ago. There is little information on the internet on when it's going to be reopened, unfortunately.
Apple stores are the coolest looking electronic stores in this planet. They achieved something that other electronic stores couldn't. Apple has got style and it goes with the products. It screams branding in a very elegant way. Where as Microsoft will not work because the moment you walk in, there are Sony, Samsung, Asus, Acer and other brands that elude the main brand plus there's this Xbox thingie that makes the whole store looks like GameStop.
I love Apple, but I'm also free to criticize Apple. And with regard to its stores, Apple's reputation of being a green company can't refute the fact that their stores use more electrical energy per square foot for its lighting than any store on the planet. A total contradiction but Apple gets away with it. If I were in charge of their stores I would install motion sensors that turn lights off in areas where there are no people. THAT would be green and innovative.
What's the latest on the opening date for the Carnegie Library store in Washington, DC? I walk by it every day and it's been under construction/rehabilitation for what seems like a year now.
I love Apple, but I'm also free to criticize Apple. And with regard to its stores, Apple's reputation of being a green company can't refute the fact that their stores use more electrical energy per square foot for its lighting than any store on the planet. A total contradiction but Apple gets away with it. If I were in charge of their stores I would install motion sensors that turn lights off in areas where there are no people. THAT would be green and innovative.
I'm certain that that is not a fact, but rather than assumption on your part. Furthermore, I'm certain that it's incorrect. I assume that Apple's power bill is below average per square foot, but that's just an assumption on my part. Why do you believe they are wasting power on lighting, especially since most of their stores are flooded with natural light?
The speculation about why Apple would close down two stores in East Texas is laughable. Apple Store locations have precisely nothing to do with patent disputes.
I am hoping that post-Ahrendts, the Apple Stores improve. Yesterday, I took my grandson and his 18 month old AppleCare+ covered phone 7 to the Apple Store because the battery was showing only 76%.
The first Apple rep (at check in): "Oh! Just buy a new one!"
Second Apple rep: "Oh! That's silly. Just buy a new one". Us: "Our plan is to get his fixed under Apple Care and soon he will get a new one and I will get his hand-me-down iPhone 7". Second Apple rep: "Oh! Don't do that. Buy TWO new ones!"
But, we pushed through the hard-sell sales hype and demanded that a tech look at his phone. Thankfully the actual tech diagnosed the problem and resolved it quickly, efficiently, professionally and respectfully.
Fourth Apple rep (when picking up the phone): "Wow! Oh Look! It's No Charge! It's FREE!"
I was thankful that I knew what the problem was, what needed to be done (at what cost) and did not have to rely on Apple Store reps for their presumably expert advice. Because it wasn't expert advice. It was bad, incorrect advice reminiscent of car salesmen.
When I go to an Apple Store I expect the same level of quality from staff as I expect from the product. Apple Stores used to be able to meet those expectations. I hope that they get back to it.
Basically, Apple stores, no matter how beautiful, have to get back to serving the customer rather than selling product. (It's possible to do both!)
Comments
I'd prefer a location farther west like out in Chesterfield, a stand alone location that looks like the store at Apple Park or at Michigan Avenue. I'm a much bigger fan of the West County location since it got the store update.
If St. Louis would clean up downtown the plaza by the Old Courthouse right next to the Peabody Building would be a sensational location but I'm afraid that will never happen.
The real Chesterfield
@Chasm and I need a place to shop!
Yesterday, I took my grandson and his 18 month old AppleCare+ covered phone 7 to the Apple Store because the battery was showing only 76%.
The first Apple rep (at check in): "Oh! Just buy a new one!"
Second Apple rep: "Oh! That's silly. Just buy a new one".
Us: "Our plan is to get his fixed under Apple Care and soon he will get a new one and I will get his hand-me-down iPhone 7".
Second Apple rep: "Oh! Don't do that. Buy TWO new ones!"
But, we pushed through the hard-sell sales hype and demanded that a tech look at his phone.
Thankfully the actual tech diagnosed the problem and resolved it quickly, efficiently, professionally and respectfully.
Fourth Apple rep (when picking up the phone): "Wow! Oh Look! It's No Charge! It's FREE!"
I was thankful that I knew what the problem was, what needed to be done (at what cost) and did not have to rely on Apple Store reps for their presumably expert advice. Because it wasn't expert advice. It was bad, incorrect advice reminiscent of car salesmen.
When I go to an Apple Store I expect the same level of quality from staff as I expect from the product. Apple Stores used to be able to meet those expectations. I hope that they get back to it.
Basically, Apple stores, no matter how beautiful, have to get back to serving the customer rather than selling product. (It's possible to do both!)