Nearly 35 Additional Apple Retail Stores to Open in 2013
Posted by zduncan | Posted in Computer | Posted on 31-10-2012
Tags: Apple, Apple retail stores, Apple Stores
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Fresh off the release of the iPad Mini and the 4th Generation iPad, Apple has announced that it is expanding its retail empire as well. In a recent statement, the company announced that it plans to open an additional 30 to 35 retail stores during the 2013 fiscal year, which ends next September. It was also announced that about three-quarters of those stores would be located outside of the United States.
This news came along with the company’s annual report, which was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition to that, Apple announced that it plans to spend around $850 million on the retail expansion. It was also stated that part of that money would go to into investing in the current Apple stores that the company has.
These plans follow the same pattern of the company’s retail store rollout of 2012, which included the opening of 33 new stores. With those stores, Apples total increased to 390 stores worldwide. 28 of those 33 stores, like the 2013 expansion, were opened up outside of the Untied States. Apple opened 40 stores in the previous year and we can assume that they will do the same in 2014.
Since the departure of Retail Chief John Browett, Apple’s operations have been under closer supervision. During Browett’s employment with Apple, it was rumored that the company was making cutbacks on staffing along with in-store features, which prompted speculation that the retail efforts from Apple were not as prosperous as they once were.
In the company’s annual report, Apple stated that retail sales increased by $4.7 billion, or roughly 33%, over the previous year. This growth was speculated to be primarily because of the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 along with the two new iPad models. Overall, sales made at Apple stores comprised 12% of Apple’s total sales for 2012, down from 13% the year before.
Source: CNET – Apple to open another 30 to 35 retail stores next year