Apple to open mini stores inside Target

Target is one of those stores that quietly carries a variety of Apple products. In between speakers and keyboards, you can find iPads, iPods and iTunes gift cards. Soon, you may find an Airport Extreme and maybe even a MacBook Air. This prediction is based on a report from AppleInsider, which suggests Apple may be opening mini-stores within select Target locations. These stores will be similar to the Apple shops located within Best Buy.

The report claims Apple will open these "stores within a store" in 25 Target locations. It's a small fraction of the 1,700 stores Target has nationwide, but it's a start. If the program is as successful as the Best Buy one, Apple will likely expand into additional Target locations. It'll help Apple extend their reach into areas that don't have a nearby Apple Store without the cost of building a new store.

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Source: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/01/06/apple_to_open_…

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Target is one of those stores that quietly carries a variety of Apple products. In between speakers and keyboards, you can find iPads,...

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CM70

So will the employees of the Apple mini store be employed by Target or by Apple?
I'm curious if the people working in these mini stores will knowledgable or trained properly.

January 06 2012 at 6:01 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Rick Ludwig

The thing about the stores, though, isn't the actual buying of the product, it's the support and the Apple staff. You can BUY Apple products in a lot of places, but it doesn't matter if:
A) You can't get support (One-to-One, Genius Bar, etc.)
B) You don't have Apple Employees to ask questions before you buy
C) You can't use Apple gift cards/discounts/etc.
D) You don't have Apple to maintain the "stores"

To that last point, I've been in some BestBuys where the Apple "store" section is terribly maintained. Nothing has been straightened, the computers (or the counters) haven't been cleaned since they were installed, none of the Apple products were shelved properly, and BestBuy started stocking OTHER accessories in the Apple space.

I donno. I guess it increases sales and exposure, but for Apple to put their offical branding on it and not maintain it themselves, they might as well just hand the product to Target and say "put it on the shelf".

Arguably, I expect more from Target than I do Best Buy....

January 06 2012 at 2:49 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Rick Ludwig's comment

Mark Shaw

Not sure what Best Buy you are shopping at, but at the ones I have visited the apple section is overseen by an ASC, i.e. apple employee.

IMO, as one of the better retailers out there, I'm very happy to see Target gaining more Apple products.

January 06 2012 at 6:12 PM Report abuse Permalink +4 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Mark Shaw's comment

haowei

Rick must be shopping at the Best Buys near me because all of them are exactly like he's described. It's pretty bad...

January 07 2012 at 6:39 AM Report abuse Permalink -2 rate up rate down