[nath]

10 new applestores!!!

foreign agents say 'yay!'

p.s. if they go through with all of them that's gotta be a higher density of apple retail niceness that most areas in the the US, hasn't it?

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by nath:
[Bp.s. if they go through with all of them that's gotta be a higher density of apple retail niceness that most areas in the the US, hasn't it? [/B]

I don't think so but it depends on who you figure out the different size of the countries. Here is where they are in the US:



That correlates pretty well to areas with significant population. Probably about half of Americans live within 30 minutes or so from an Apple Store and some of those dots have multiple stores. For example, here in the DC area we have two within ten miles of each other.

Distances are relative. Your article says London and Birmingham, followed mainly by Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton and Southampton. Of course, the whole UK isn't much bigger than a medium size US state, but while an American might commonly hop into a car and drive a couple of hours and not really worry about it, it doesn't seem to me that people in the UK are quite so casual about driving distances. I remember well the time a person asked me if I carried water in the car because I had driven from Chester to Suffolk. Is someone from Norfolk likely to drive two hours to Oxford to buy a computer? An American would and wouldn't really think twice about it just because this country is so much bigger, making such a trip routine.

Of course, an American in Wyoming is equally screwed.

[nath]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
I don't think so but it depends on who you figure out the different size of the countries. Here is where they are in the US:



That correlates pretty well to areas with significant population. Probably about half of Americans live within 30 minutes or so from an Apple Store and some of those dots have multiple stores. For example, here in the DC area we have two within ten miles of each other.

Distances are relative. Your article says London and Birmingham, followed mainly by Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton and Southampton. Of course, the whole UK isn't much bigger than a medium size US state, but while an American might commonly hop into a car and drive a couple of hours and not really worry about it, it doesn't seem to me that people in the UK are quite so casual about driving distances. I remember well the time a person asked me if I carried water in the car because I had driven from Chester to Suffolk. Is someone from Norfolk likely to drive two hours to Oxford to buy a computer? An American would and wouldn't really think twice about it just because this country is so much bigger, making such a trip routine.

Of course, an American in Wyoming is equally screwed.

wow detailed reply!!

i think established apple users anywhere in england south of manchester will probably make the effor,t even if it means driving for an hour or so. but yeah, i doubt they'll draw many potential switchers from outside of the local catchment areas.

the best side effect will be that people will be able to test-drive apple products away from the kind of antipathy you tend to get from pc world sales drones.

i just think it's interesting that they are so keen to get into the UK in such force before really establishing other stores across europe. hopefully we will see a corresponding improvement in service levels etc. Of couse a lot of resellers are going to bite the dust...

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by nath:
wow detailed reply!!

i think established apple users anywhere in england south of manchester will probably make the effor,t even if it means driving for an hour or so. but yeah, i doubt they'll draw many potential switchers from outside of the local catchment areas.

the best side effect will be that people will be able to test-drive apple products away from the kind of antipathy you tend to get from pc world sales drones.

i just think it's interesting that they are so keen to get into the UK in such force before really establishing other stores across europe. hopefully we will see a corresponding improvement in service levels etc. Of couse a lot of resellers are going to bite the dust...

I'm surprised not to see Milton Keynes listed. It may be a sh1thole, but it is convenient for a lot of people.

[Kenneth]

Good for the British..

According to ifoapplestore.com.. there should be one mini-store in WA on the 16th. I missed the last 2 grad openings.. so I should be check this one out..

[TheBadgerHunter]

An here is a map of the concentration of Apple Stores in canada:

[Wiskedjak]

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
An here is a map of the concentration of Apple Stores in canada:

Aren't 2 scheduled for the Toronto area?

[nath]

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
An here is a map of the concentration of Apple Stores in canada:

i feel your pain

[Powaqqatsi]

I'm not even bothering with showing a map of the European mainland

[nath]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
I'm surprised not to see Milton Keynes listed. It may be a sh1thole, but it is convenient for a lot of people.

it's only 30 mins from central london though.


only uk town with a US-style grid street layout, fact fans.

[im_noahselby]

Maybe Apple will announce Apple stores in Canada, after the official ITMS store Canada comes out in November. It sure would be nice. Toronto would be the first place, but Vancouver is the second most likely location in Canada. We'll just have to wait and see and hope for the best.

Noah

[TheBadgerHunter]

Originally posted by im_noahselby:
Maybe Apple will announce Apple stores in Canada, after the official ITMS store Canada comes out in November. It sure would be nice. Toronto would be the first place, but Vancouver is the second most likely location in Canada. We'll just have to wait and see and hope for the best.

Noah

Quebec badly needs one and Alberta and Mantioba would be good choices.

[bradoesch]

Originally posted by im_noahselby:
Maybe Apple will announce Apple stores in Canada, after the official ITMS store Canada comes out in November.

November? Link? I didn't think Apple cared about us Canucks.

[Jellytussle]

Originally posted by nath:
it's only 30 mins from central london though.

By what, helicopter??

[im_noahselby]

Originally posted by bradoesch:
November? Link? I didn't think Apple cared about us Canucks.

http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2004/...14012819.shtml
http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2004/...12011843.shtml

Noah

[Kenneth]

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
An here is a map of the concentration of Apple Stores in canada:

Good news...
Don't you love to support the local Mac store?

[turtle777]

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
An here is a map of the concentration of Apple Stores in canada:

Hehe, and I thought this map shows the availability of the iTMS

-t

[Mediaman_12]

Originally posted by nath:
Of couse a lot of resellers are going to bite the dust...

Which ones? The ones who used to be the old 'Apple centers' and just open 9 to 5 Monday to Friday and are more interested in selling 5 G5 systems to local businesses than talking to people interested in buying an iMac (not one located in a City Centre location). PCWorld Who are still selling the old G4 iMac without ANY reductions (no signs of the new ones ether). Micro Anvika embedded in to Selfridges department stores. or is John Lewis suddenly going to give up selling Apple computers.
Theses new Apple Stores will rase the profile of Apple in the UK and help build on the success of the iPod, and possibly sell Mac's to people who would have ended up with a generic PC with there 'computer friend' doing there tec support.

[nath]

Originally posted by Mediaman_12:
Which ones? The ones who used to be the old 'Apple centers' and just open 9 to 5 Monday to Friday and are more interested in selling 5 G5 systems to local businesses than talking to people interested in buying an iMac (not one located in a City Centre location).

actually i was thinking of the three mac-only micro anvika stores on tottenham court road, which open 7 days a week. that close enough to a 'City Centre' location for you?

PCWorld Who are still selling the old G4 iMac without ANY reductions (no signs of the new ones ether). Micro Anvika embedded in to Selfridges department stores. or is John Lewis suddenly going to give up selling Apple computers.
Theses new Apple Stores will rase the profile of Apple in the UK and help build on the success of the iPod, and possibly sell Mac's to people who would have ended up with a generic PC with there 'computer friend' doing there tec support.

I certainly agree with the quality of service. the embedded stores iin john lewis and selfridges will probably stay, as they are there to sell expensive toys to those that can afford them but don't necessarily know anything about computers (still a key market for apple i suspect)

[nath]

Originally posted by Jellytussle:
By what, helicopter??

er no, by train. do keep up 007.


all right, it's 45 mins, but hardly helicopter-requiring velocity. you only have to see the trains loaded down with plebs leaving euston on saturday night to see the extent to which MK shops in london.

[Jellytussle]

Originally posted by nath:
er no, by train. do keep up 007.


all right, it's 45 mins, but hardly helicopter-requiring velocity. you only have to see the trains loaded down with plebs leaving euston on saturday night to see the extent to which MK shops in london.

Yes, but not vice versa. I was born and bred in the North London massive, and not once did we ever think "Hey, lets go to Milton Keynes! Great shops!". Also, that 45 minutes is station to station, not counting you journey at each end, or waiting for the train.

Course, i'm all Home Counties now (Hertfordshire), so a think a smart Apple Boutique in St Albans would be peachy.

[nath]

Originally posted by Jellytussle:
not once did we ever think "Hey, lets go to Milton Keynes! Great shops!".

"trains loaded down with plebs leaving euston on saturday night" = MK mongs returning home from their Oxford Street shopping.

Course, i'm all Home Counties now (Hertfordshire), so a think a smart Apple Boutique in St Albans would be peachy.

ha ha good luck with that one!

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by nath:
"trains loaded down with plebs leaving euston on saturday night" = MK mongs returning home from their Oxford Street shopping.

I think this kind of misunderstands what I was getting at. It may be that "plebs" and "MK mongs" can get to central London by train relatively quickly. But what I was getting at was convenience. If you were in the Home Counties and you wanted to buy a bulky piece of computer equipment, would you prefer to:

1. Drive to the train station, pay for parking, wait 15 minutes, ride a train for 45 minutes, change to the Tube (paying again), walk to the Apple store, buy the item, and then carrying your purchase in its bulky box walk back to the Tube, struggle through the turnstyle, squeeze onto the train, get out, wait for your return train, squeeze onto that train with your box, ride another 45 minutes home, get out, walk to the parking lot, and drive home.

or

2. Jump in your car and park at the store, buy your equipment, load it into your car, and drive home.

What I noticed was that Apple UK seem to be going for relatively monied and "hip" locations where there are art galleries. Cambridge, Brighton, and Oxford particularly struck me. It has been many years since I was last in Oxford but I was recently in Brighton and Cambridge. Neither of them struck me as especially friendly to shoppers. Not impossible by any means, but also not that great. On the other hand, MK has pretty good access for cars because it is a new town with a big shopping center designed for cars. It's also very centrally located. It's not a hip tourist destination, but it is convenient to a lot of people.

In the US, Apple stores are located in a mix of places. Some are in prestige locations, but I think most of them are in fairly pedestrian shopping malls where accessibility is good. The easier it is to get to a store and back out again with your heavy expensive Apple purchase, the more likely it is the "plebs" will actually make a heavy expensive Apple purchase. I thought that was the point of the Apple stores.

[nath]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
1. Drive to the train station, pay for parking, wait 15 minutes, ride a train for 45 minutes, change to the Tube (paying again), walk to the Apple store, buy the item, and then carrying your purchase in its bulky box walk back to the Tube, struggle through the turnstyle, squeeze onto the train, get out, wait for your return train, squeeze onto that train with your box, ride another 45 minutes home, get out, walk to the parking lot, and drive home.

People from places like MK don't really think that way about going shopping in London. It's often referred to as 'going to town'. Many of the same people work in central London every day, so don't see the commute as a big deal. For a bulky purchase it's my understanding that Apple offer free delivery.

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by nath:
People from places like MK don't really think that way about going shopping in London. It's often referred to as 'going to town'. Many of the same people work in central London every day, so don't see the commute as a big deal. For a bulky purchase it's my understanding that Apple offer free delivery.

I used to live near Aylesbury, and after that near Ipswich. I disagree.

And if you are going to have things delivered, why would you go to an Apple store?

[nath]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
I used to live near Ayelsbury, and after that near Ipswich. I disagree.

fair enough. you are one person though, and the packed trains coming and going on the silverlink line all day every saturday would indicate that a lot of others feel differently.

And if you are going to have things delivered, why would you go to an Apple store?

to try out your intended purchase perhaps?

[SimeyTheLimey]

Originally posted by nath:
fair enough. you are one person though, and the packed trains coming and going on the silverlink line all day every saturday would indicate that a lot of others feel differently.

You could say the same about the hordes who pack the stores of Central Milton Keynes.

Not that I am recommending the place as a tourist destination. My sister used to live in Stony Stratford and my brother lived for a while in Luton. I get the heeby jeebies every time I go near the place. But it is a more convenient place to shop in than Central London for a lot of people. An awful lot of people really don't like going into the city. They live elsewhere, and would rather shop elsewhere where they can drive without congestion charges or without being forced to carry their shopping on and off trains.

[nath]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
I get the heeby jeebies every time I go near the place.

i was getting a little concerned about the strength of your convictions about it!

[vexborg]

Originally posted by nath:
10 new applestores!!!

foreign agents say 'yay!'

p.s. if they go through with all of them that's gotta be a higher density of apple retail niceness that most areas in the the US, hasn't it?

And they love not only England - but also Scotland as well (ok, 1 store only, but there would be room for one in Glasgow as well)