Apple Tops U.S. Retail Chains in Sales Per Square Foot

Could the average cost of Apple products vs. the average cost of products at other stores also be part of this (meaning Apple has more expensive products)?

I think so.

I take it you don't shop at Tiffany's?

Also take into consideration the PRICE of the machines they sell per squarefoot.

I would think that not only Tiffany's (#2), but also Coach (#3), has a higher average price for their merchandise.

Makes me wonder where the Microsoft retail stores end up in sales per square foot... ;)

Makes me wonder where the Microsoft retail stores end up in sales per square foot... ;)

They will just open realy really small stores to beat apple at this record

This is likely due to Apple's *very* strategic store location planning. They're very careful to not water down their brand by putting stores on every corner a la Radio Shack. Plus, they generally only put them in upscale shopping areas.

Pair that with the fact that people love buying their Apple products in a brick & mortar store, and it's an instant win!

They deserve it, really. Nobody thought their stores would survive, and look at them now. Their stores are what really allowed them to survive and do so well over the last decade. I credit them to really "saving" the company.

I am reading a book called 'Disrupt!' about businesses that thought outside the box, the Apple retail store is listed as one of the examples. Apparently, Apple observed that users like not only to look at a product, but interact with it: Touch it, feel it, as if it is their own. All Apple sales reps are trained not to hassle customers, be responsive but not to be over the customer's shoulder as they are shopping (have you been to a furniture store recently? Jesus!)

Apple sells an experience in their store, and they make it so easy for you to wip the plastic out and any t-shirt wearing sales rep can instantly do the checkout for you. No need to drag all the stuff and go to the 'checkout line'

Actually, i think Apple stores are great. Lots of shiny computers, nice sales people, etc. They're really great when I actually want to BUY something.

But the rest of the time, the dazzle wears off in about 5 minutes, and then I'm standing around bored. I know all about Apple computers. I have no questions, unless it's about an iPod bumper case or some other 3rd party accessory. There's no software there to play with that I don't already have (or don't care about). I can't BROWSE in an Apple store either, because there's such a limited range of products.

Now, compare this to Fry's or Microcenter. Huge selections of all sorts of stuff I can browse through. I can actually keep myself entertained for maybe 30 minutes.

The most time I ever spend browsing a store, actually, is on Newegg.

If you are bored, you should go to the playground, make some new friends there and use the swing set. No need to hang around stores and annoy the people there. You really need to get something to do - why would anyone stay around in a store being bored ????

They will just open realy really small stores to beat apple at this record

LOL....Welcome to the new Microsoft Kiosk....a wagon in the food court next to the cheap sunglasses and mobile phone cases.

The impressive part there isn't that they're on top, it's that massive year over year change, in this economy, and while everyone else is looking at so much less gain, if any.

I am reading a book called 'Disrupt!' about businesses that thought outside the box, the Apple retail store is listed as one of the examples. Apparently, Apple observed that users like not only to look at a product, but interact with it: Touch it, feel it, as if it is their own. All Apple sales reps are trained not to hassle customers, be responsive but not to be over the customer's shoulder as they are shopping (have you been to a furniture store recently? Jesus!)

Apple sells an experience in their store, and they make it so easy for you to wip the plastic out and any t-shirt wearing sales rep can instantly do the checkout for you. No need to drag all the stuff and go to the 'checkout line'

Just checked out this book and picked it up. sounds interesting. Should be arriving to my ipad.........now.