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Target Confirms Plans to Bring Dedicated Apple Shops to 25 Stores

Thursday January 12, 2012 6:41 am PST by Eric Slivka
Reuters reports that Target has confirmed its plans to launch "store-within-a-store" concepts for Apple products in 25 of its stores around the United States. The announcement comes alongside a broader effort called "the Shops at Target" that will offer special focuses on certain products and brands.
Target Corp (TGT.N), known to many U.S. shoppers as the place to go for trendy, low-priced merchandise, will soon have shops within its discount stores selling everything from dog treats to high-end home accessories.

Target also confirmed during a presentation on Thursday that it will have 25 stores featuring special displays of Apple Inc (AAPL.O) merchandise, a move that had been speculated about last week.
Word of Target's plans first surfaced late last week, with Apple and Target reportedly teaming up to place the locations in areas without sufficient customer base to support full Apple retail stores.

Neither Apple nor Target has provided details on just what the store-within-a-store concepts will entail, although some are looking to perhaps a scaled-down version of the "Apple Shop" model used in many Best Buy stores as a possibility.
[ 74 comments ]

Top Rated Comments

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ILikeTurtles
30 months ago
I love Target stores and HATE Apple Stores.

Any time I've gone in to an Apple store, it's been more than a frustrating experience to get any help from their employees. Not to mention the store is jam packed with customers "playing" rather than buying anything. Great idea and concept, but horrible in practice.

I avoid the Apple store at all costs.
Rating: 8 Positives
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*LTD*
30 months ago
A touch of class. Sounds good.
Rating: 6 Positives
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sk1wbw
30 months ago
Hopefully they will have authentic Apple employees and not Target employees running the place. You'll remember what ChumpUSA did to the Apple stuff there...
Rating: 6 Positives
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Joos24
30 months ago
This is a very good idea. I wish some of the elitist people here would get off their high horse as if Apple is some premium god. They make incredibly great stuff and IMO they are far ahead of the industry but at the end of the day it's about "Customer Convenience" and not about Apple's premium reputation going down the drain. There are people who don't live near anyplace that showcases Apple products. Ordering online is great but it still doesn't take the place the of hands-on experience before purchasing.
Rating: 6 Positives
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Roessnakhan
30 months ago
As long as they have a trained staff, I'll be fine with it. Consolidating the places I frequent is a good thing, too.
Rating: 5 Positives
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aprilfools
30 months ago
I dont like it. I realize Apple is in the business of selling to the end user consumer but I just don't like the idea of apple being represented by Target. Might as well start selling Apple stuff at a 7-11

I am a professional musician by trade and this is like me going to a Best Buy to purchase my music equipment. No. Not gonna happen. Something is just not right about that.
Rating: 4 Positives
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lycracatsuit
30 months ago
I hope a few of those stores make it to the big hole around Montana.

Praying for one of them to be in Rapid City, SD!

Ratio of Apple stores-to-population

The dark blue indicates more stores, lightest blue the least, and grey none.

Source:
http://appleappraisal.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/apple-retail-stores-fun-facts/

and here's a bit more accurate map:
http://www.ifoapplestore.com/stores/population_density.html


The map might be a little old (Little Rock, AR and Spokane, WA and a few other places now have Apple Stores)

This is the most-up-to-date map I can find of current Apple Stores:
http://www.ifoapplestore.com/stores/store_map.html
Rating: 4 Positives
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Joos24
30 months ago

Target is overpriced and sucks. This won't save them.

One time I went to Target to buy a blu-ray movie and brought with me the Best Buy ad (they were sold out) to ask them to price match. They wouldn't match it for me because the picture in the ad looked different from the product I grabbed from the shelves. I knew that it was an alternative cover and pleaded that if they looked up the model/part number, they'd see it was actually the same exact product. Furthermore, they said it was normally $24.99 Regular Price at Target, but since it said $19.99 Regular Price at Best Buy, it couldn't possibly be the same product. So I left and ordered it online from Best Buy. You suck Target.


This won't save them???
I wasn't aware that Target was having financial problems. While I'm sure the store within a store concept could only help them with more same store sales I don't think they are hurting either. There are many people that just refuse to shop at Walmart because of the type of employees they hire and the customers that attract to that type of store.

In regards to your price match situation, yes, the store could've taken care of you but if it's not the exact same item then they don't have to and they shouldn't. I was at the Nike Clearance Center yesterday and they had the same 2 pairs of shoes that were different colors. One of them was $10 cheaper because the color wasn't as popular. If a customer wanted the higher priced shoe for the same price as the cheaper one the store "could" match it but they don't have to.
Rating: 3 Positives
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soco
30 months ago

A touch of class. Sounds good.

Class indeed, but do you view Target stores as low-class as Walmart? By the way, your 'tar threw me off. :p
Rating: 3 Positives
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Frobozz
30 months ago
I love Target. I love Apple. If they put one in the Jersey City location I am a goner.
Rating: 3 Positives

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