Editing Apple Store (section)

=== Expansion ===
[[File:When the Apple logo goes red..... -DC -applecarnegielibrary -WearAMask -SonyAlpha (50696381517).jpg|thumb|250px|An Apple Store located at the [[Carnegie Library of Washington D.C.|Carnegie Library]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], opened in 2019.]]
Several publications and analysts predicted the failure of Apple Stores. However, the Apple retail program established its merits, bypassing the sales-per-square-foot measurement of competing nearby stores, and in 2004 reached $1 billion in annual sales, the fastest of any retailer in history. Sales continued to grow, reaching $1 billion a quarter by 2006. Then-CEO [[Steve Jobs]] said that "People haven't been willing to invest this much time and money or engineering in a store before", adding that "It's not important if the customer knows that. They just feel it. They feel something's a little different."<ref>{{cite web |first=Jerry |last=Useem |title=Apple: America's best retailer |url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/03/19/8402321/index.htm |website=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] |publisher=[[Time Inc.]] |date=March 8, 2007 |access-date=April 30, 2017 |archive-date=September 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917170453/http://archive.fortune.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/03/19/8402321/index.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2011, Apple Stores in the United States had an average revenue of $473,000 for each employee.<ref name="retail army"/> According to research firm RetailSails, the Apple Store chain ranked first among U.S. retailers in terms of [[sales per unit area]] in 2011, almost doubling [[Tiffany & Co.|Tiffany]], the second retailer on the list.<ref name="retail army"/> On a global level, all Apple Stores had a combined revenue of US$16&nbsp;billion.<ref name="retail army"/> Under the leadership of [[Ron Johnson (businessman)|Ron Johnson]], the former senior Vice President of Retail Operations, the Apple Stores have, according to an article in ''[[The New York Times]]'', been responsible for "[turning] the boring computer sales floor into a sleek playroom filled with gadgets".<ref>{{cite news |first1=Stephanie |last1=Clifford |first2=Miguel |last2=Helft |title=Apple Stores Chief to Take the Helm at J.C. Penney |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/business/economy/15shop.html |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 14, 2011 |access-date=March 23, 2017 |archive-date=April 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417084729/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/business/economy/15shop.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The Apple Stores have also been credited with raising the company's brand equity, with Scott Galloway, Professor of Marketing at [[New York University Stern School of Business]], stating that the Stores are the "temple to the brand which is this unbelievable experience called an Apple Store, and then you have this very mediocre experience called an [[AT&T]] or [[Verizon]] connect your phone experience for [[Samsung Galaxy|Samsung]] and the other [[Android (operating system)|Android players]]".<ref>{{cite web |title=This 'crazy, irrational decision' Apple made 20 years ago turned out to be the key to its outrageous success over Samsung |url=http://nordic.businessinsider.com/apple-stores-scott-galloway-iphone-samsung-stores-profits-2017-10 |website=[[Business Insider]] |publisher=[[Axel Springer SE]] |date=October 10, 2017 |access-date=October 11, 2017 |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107173552/http://nordic.businessinsider.com/apple-stores-scott-galloway-iphone-samsung-stores-profits-2017-10 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Apple has since re-established ties with major big box retailers like [[Best Buy]] and [[Staples Inc.|Staples]].<ref>{{cite web |first=Mark |last=Gurman |title=Apple to expand iPad's reach with Staples deal next month |url=https://9to5mac.com/2013/09/26/apple-to-expand-ipads-reach-with-staples-deal-next-month/ |website=9to5Mac |date=September 26, 2013 |access-date=March 23, 2017 |archive-date=March 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323235122/https://9to5mac.com/2013/09/26/apple-to-expand-ipads-reach-with-staples-deal-next-month/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Authorized Apple resellers have a dedicated [[store-within-a-store]] section, offering a distinctive Apple-style experience to showcase products.<ref>{{cite news |first=Hollie |last=Shaw |title=Best Buy Canada looking to become ground zero in Windows, Apple, Samsung electronics battle |url=http://business.financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/best-buy-looking-to-become-ground-zero-in-windows-apple-samsung-electronics-battle |website=[[National Post]] |publisher=[[Postmedia Network]] |date=October 23, 2013 |access-date=May 26, 2017 |archive-date=April 15, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415153822/http://business.financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/best-buy-looking-to-become-ground-zero-in-windows-apple-samsung-electronics-battle |url-status=live}}</ref> The relationship with Best Buy calls for the company to send Apple Solutions Consultants (ASCs) to train Best Buy employees to be familiar with Apple's product lineup.<ref name="together again"/><ref>{{cite web |first=Eric |last=Bangeman |title=Apple throwing its weight into Best Buy Mac sales? |url=https://arstechnica.com/uncategorized/2006/06/7129-2/ |website=[[Ars Technica]] |publisher=[[Condé Nast]] |date=June 25, 2006 |access-date=March 23, 2017 |archive-date=March 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323235220/https://arstechnica.com/uncategorized/2006/06/7129-2/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

In an interview with Funke Mediengruppe in May 2021, Deirdre O'Brien commented, "Apple is sticking to its plan to open more stores around the globe in the future."<ref name=":0" />