Apple This

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

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Target, in my opinion, is one of the greatest stores on the planet. The ones around my neck of the woods literally have everything: clothes, electronics, movies, toys, games, cameras, home goods, food and even a Starbucks, Pizza Hut and food court. So, whenever I go into Target, I can’t help but say to myself, “How could this place possibly get any better?” By adding an Apple store, that’s how.

Reuters had originally reported that Target would be installing special displays for Apple products in concordance with a new effort known as “The Shops of Target”, something the retailer announced last week. Target will begin with 25 stores around the country, which is the same number that was initially reported by Apple Insider last week as well.

The Cupertino giant already offers a plethora of devices and accessories at Target, though selection is limited to iOS products like the iPhone, iPod and iPad. The mini Apple stores found within other big name retailers, like Best Buy, include all of that with the addition of Apple computers.

A spokesman for Target could not confirm nor deny whether or not these new mini Apple stores inside of Target would include Apple’s computers as well, though it stands to reason that, if Apple is making a big deal out of it like they are, we may very well see Apple computers added to the list.

Other companies, like Wal-Mart, already offer limited selections on laptops though none offer complete Apple computers. Should Target begin retailing Apple’s famous computers, we could very well see Target become the next big thing in the retail market. I know that this definitely excites me because it gives me yet another thing to look at during one of my many trips to Target on the weekends.

Source: CNET – Target confirms plans for mini Apple stores

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