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138-621: The Apple Store is a chain of retail stores owned and operated by Apple Inc. The stores sell, service and repair various Apple products, including Mac desktop and MacBook laptop personal computers, iPhone smartphones, iPad tablet computers, Apple Watch smartwatches, Apple TV digital media players, software , and both Apple-branded and selected third-party accessories. The first Apple Stores were originally opened as two locations in May 2001 by then- CEO Steve Jobs , after years of attempting but failing store-within-a-store concepts. Seeing

276-401: A "horrendously low" stop on Apple's percentage rent , as revenue far exceeded initial expectations. In June 2011, Apple began a 5-month renovation of the store, with a cost of $ 6.7 million. The renovation simplified the store's glass cube entranceway, reducing its structure from 90 panels of glass to 15. The renovation also included minor changes to the surrounding plaza. From 2017 to 2019,

414-449: A "park-like" space outside the store featuring free 24/7 Wi-Fi access and will host live concerts on some weekends. Designed by Jony Ive and Angela Ahrendts , the idea was to make Apple Stores into "town squares", in which people come naturally to the store as a gathering place, and to "help foster human experiences that draw people out of their digital bubbles". The new design will be adopted to every store Apple has, and while renovation

552-618: A 30-ft. cube within, one that the Apple executives approved of. The store was then developed in secret, and a prototype model was quietly built in a warehouse near the Apple Campus in Cupertino, California. The store opened on May 19, 2006, as Apple's 147th store. It immediately drew lines of customers; in its first year the store averaged sales of $ 1 million per day. Macklowe's real estate lawyer expressed regret that they had agreed to

690-490: A Genius Bar, where customers can receive technical advice or set up service and repair for their products. The Genius Bar provides hardware service on products that are not classified vintage or obsolete. However, in most cases the Geniuses will at least attempt to assist customers with older hardware. The Genius Bar at Apple Stores offers same-day service for both OLED / LCD screen and lithium-ion battery replacement . If

828-521: A concerted campaign to help sales by improving the retail presentation of Macintosh computers. Even with new products launched under his watch, like the iMac and the PowerBook G3 and an online store, Apple still relied heavily on big-box computer and electronics stores for most of its sales. There, customers continued to deal with poorly trained and ill-maintained Mac sections that did not foster customer loyalty to Apple and did not help differentiate

966-433: A consumerist culture, where a high level of consumption was attainable for a wide variety of ordinary consumers rather than just the elite. In Medieval England and Europe , relatively few permanent shops were to be found; instead, customers walked into the tradesman's workshops where they discussed purchasing options directly with tradesmen. In the more populous cities, a small number of shops were beginning to emerge by

1104-522: A day, and many consumers across the globe have Internet access both at work and at home. The broad pricing strategy is normally established in the company's overall strategic plan. In the case of chain stores, the pricing strategy would be set by head office. Broadly, there are six approaches to pricing strategy mentioned in the marketing literature: operations-oriented, revenue-oriented, customer-oriented, value-based , relationship-oriented , and socially-oriented. When decision-makers have determined

1242-474: A dedicated store-within-a-store section, offering a distinctive Apple-style experience to showcase products. 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. In an interview with Funke Mediengruppe in May 2021 Deirdre O'Brien commented, "Apple is sticking to its plan to open more stores around

1380-673: A design patent in 2002 for its glass staircase design. Historically, Apple has partnered with architectural firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson in designing and creating its original retail stores, and has in recent years partnered with architectural firm Foster + Partners in designing its newer stores, as well as its corporate Apple Park campus. Apple has received numerous architectural awards for its store designs, and its "iconic" glass cube, designed in part by Peter Bohlin , at Apple's Fifth Avenue store in New York City , received

1518-566: A flexible workforce which is available when needed but does not have to be paid when they are not, part-time workers ; as of 2012 70% of retail workers in the United States were part-time. This may result in financial problems for the workers, who while they are required to be available at all times if their work hours are to be maximized, may not have sufficient income to meet their family and other obligations. Retailers can employ different techniques to enhance sales volume and to improve

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1656-508: A foothold in an existing market, a prospective retail establishment must overcome the following hurdles : When discussing the impact of technology on shopping and retail, e-commerce is often the first thing that comes to mind for retailers. However, technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, computer vision and the Internet of Things have used data to transform every part of the shopping experience, from browsing to checkout. It

1794-440: A form of escapism where they are free to indulge fantasy and freedom. Hedonic shoppers are more involved in the shopping experience. Many different shopper profiles can be identified. Retailers develop customised segmentation analyses for each unique outlet. However, it is possible to identify a number of broad shopper profiles. One of the most well-known and widely cited shopper typologies is that developed by Sproles and Kendal in

1932-498: A full service outlet or minimal service outlet, such as no-service in the case of vending machines; self-service with only basic sales assistance or a full service operation as in many boutiques and speciality stores. In addition, the retailer needs to make decisions about sales support such as customer delivery and after sales customer care. Place decisions are primarily concerned with consumer access and may involve location, space utilisation and operating hours. Retailers may consider

2070-576: A glass bottom and top. Its exterior supports 43 cantilevering steps, designed with Bézier curves , evoking the shape of Apple products. The store's secondary staircases are at the north and south ends of the store, with sculpted entries from within the store. Other rooms in the store include two board rooms for private events and meetings, as well as an "Experience Room" to show how Apple products and services work together. The room has leather benches, residential furniture, and fixtures. Apple HomePods are placed to showcase Apple Music in this quieter part of

2208-400: A glass cube as its entranceway, measuring 32 ft (9.8 m) on each side, and with a suspended Apple logo inside. The entranceway originally featured a glass spiral staircase wrapped around a cylindrical glass elevator. At the time, architectural glass was rapidly becoming stronger, and so multi-ply glass was used for nearly the entire structure, with only small stainless steel bolts tying

2346-410: A knitted fabric creating a tent-like effect to the ceiling. The store's central spiral staircase, leading down into the store from the street-level cube entrance, was redesigned in 2017–19. The original staircase was predominantly made of glass. The present staircase has a mirrored stainless steel cylinder and steps, with short glass walls around the steps. The central cylinder contains an elevator with

2484-471: A lack of any significant bonus if a worker manages to secure a business contract worth "hundreds of thousands", a lack of promotion opportunities, and are paid so little that many workers are unable to buy products themselves even with a "generous" discount on any Apple product or Apple stock. According to an April 2022 press release, over 70 percent of the eligible employees in the Apple Store located in

2622-412: A lack of feedback channels for both parties. In addition, because retail enterprises needed to redevelop client relationships for each transaction, marketing costs were high and customer retention was low. All these downsides to transactional marketing gradually pushed the retail industry towards establishing long-term cooperative relationships with customers. Through this lens, enterprises began to focus on

2760-632: A lack of significant bonuses for securing major business contracts. Many Apple Stores are located inside shopping malls, but Apple has several stand-alone flagship stores in high-profile locations, such as the one located in Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Several multi-level stores feature glass staircases, and some also glass bridges. The New York Times wrote in 2011 that these features were part of then-CEO Steve Jobs ' extensive attention to detail, and Apple received

2898-445: A large area for classes and presentations at its north end. A large television screen is installed on the north wall, surrounded by wooden seats. The ceiling features 80 skylights arranged in a grid across the ceiling, surrounded by white LEDs which automatically adjust their white balance from blueish white to golden to match the hue of natural light coming in each day. The skylights' lightwells are identical, round, and surrounded by

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3036-512: A mix of food products and consumable household items such as detergents, cleansers, personal hygiene products. Retailers selling consumer durables are sometimes known as hardline retailers – automobiles , appliances , electronics , furniture , sporting goods , lumber , etc., and parts for them. Specialist retailers operate in many industries such as the arts e.g. green grocers, contemporary art galleries , bookstores , handicrafts , musical instruments , gift shops . To achieve and maintain

3174-453: A multiple-vendor space, operating under a covered roof. Typically, the roof was constructed of glass to allow for natural light and to reduce the need for candles or electric lighting. Some of the earliest examples of shopping arcade appeared in Paris, due to its lack of pavement for pedestrians. While the arcades were the province of the bourgeoisie, a new type of retail venture emerged to serve

3312-400: A need for improved retail presentation of the company's products, he began an effort in 1997 to revamp the retail program to get an improved relationship with consumers and hired Ron Johnson in 2000. Jobs relaunched Apple's online store in 1997 and opened the first two physical stores in 2001. The media initially speculated that Apple would fail, but its stores were highly successful, bypassing

3450-486: A noted business disruption called the retail apocalypse in recent years which several retail businesses, especially in North America, are sharply reducing their number of stores, or going out of business entirely. The distinction between "strategic" and "managerial" decision-making is commonly used to distinguish "two phases having different goals and based on different conceptual tools. Strategic planning concerns

3588-483: A permanent retail shop-front. Research from July 2008 suggests that China exhibited a rich history of early retail systems. From as early as 200 BCE, Chinese packaging and branding were used to signal family, place names and product quality, and the use of government imposed product branding was used between 600 and 900 CE. Eckhart and Bengtsson have argued that during the Song dynasty (960–1127), Chinese society developed

3726-706: A product is placed on the shelves has implications for purchase likelihood as a result of visibility and access. Ambient conditions, such as lighting, temperature and music, are also part of the overall retail environment. It is common for a retail store to play music that relates to their target market. Two different strands of research have investigated shopper behaviour. One is primarily concerned with shopper motivations. The other stream of research seeks to segment shoppers according to common, shared characteristics. To some extent, these streams of research are inter-related, but each stream offers different types of insights into shopper behaviour. Babin et al. carried out some of

3864-435: A range of both qualitative and quantitative factors to evaluate to potential sites under consideration. Macro factors include market characteristics (demographic, economic and socio-cultural), demand, competition and infrastructure (e.g. the availability of power, roads, public transport systems). Micro factors include the size of the site (e.g. availability of parking), access for delivery vehicles. A major retail trend has been

4002-402: A range of other supporting services. Retail workers are the employees of such stores. Most modern retailers typically make a variety of strategic level decisions including the type of store, the market to be served, the optimal product assortment, customer service , supporting services, and the store's overall market positioning. Once the strategic retail plan is in place, retailers devise

4140-443: A real Apple Store." The fake Apple Store was mentioned by U.S. presidential contender Mitt Romney in the second 2012 election debate . Chinese law prohibits retailers from copying the look and feel of competitors' stores, but enforcement is lax. According to The Wall Street Journal , unauthorized Apple resellers are found throughout China; the blogger's original post noted that two such stores were located within walking distance of

4278-410: A retail pavilion. The plaza was again reconstructed around 2005 during the store's construction. The reconstruction involved leveling out the plaza even further and installing low L-shaped parapets on the four corners of the plaza, framing its sides. Shallow decorative pools were installed on either end of the cube, surrounded by tables, chairs, planters, and a few honey locust trees. At first opening,

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4416-610: A room for testing the company's HomePod products. The plaza and neighboring General Motors Building occupy a site which has seen numerous uses. The Savoy Hotel opened there in 1890, and which was replaced by the Savoy-Plaza Hotel in 1927. The Savoy-Plaza was demolished in 1963 to build the General Motors Building and its plaza, completed in 1968. Harry Macklowe purchased the General Motors Building in 2003. One of his first plans to modify his property

4554-428: A second authorized reseller. Challenges still remained, as resellers' profit margins on selling Macs was only around 9%, and selling Macs was only worthwhile if ongoing service and support contracts were provided, of which retailer experiences were inconsistent. In 1997, the year Steve Jobs returned to Apple, Dell founder and CEO Michael Dell was asked how he would fix Apple. Dell responded: "I'd shut it down and give

4692-555: A separate design patent in 2014. Ron Johnson held the position of Senior Vice President of Retail Operations from 2001 until November 1, 2011. During his tenure, it was reported that while Johnson was responsible for site selection, in-store service, and store layout, inventory was controlled by then- COO and now-CEO Tim Cook , who has a background in supply chain management . In January 2012, Apple transferred retail leadership to John Browett . However, after attempts to cut costs, including reducing new hires and limiting staff hours, he

4830-679: A series of mock-ups for the Apple Store inside a warehouse near the company's Cupertino headquarters. On May 15, 2001, Jobs hosted a press event at Apple's first store, located at the Tysons Corner Center mall in Tysons, Virginia , near Washington, D.C. The store officially opened on May 19, along with another store in Glendale Galleria in Glendale, California . More than 7,700 people visited Apple's first two stores in

4968-401: 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." In 2011, Apple Stores in the United States had an average revenue of $ 473,000 for each employee. 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 ,

5106-472: A store" approach still had shortcomings; acting as a mystery shopper , Macworld writer David Pogue observed that all but one of the locations he visited had employees who actively steered him towards Windows PCs and attacked Macs (such as claiming they did not have software available); the company's PR director Suzanne Shelton stated that finding "specialized" talent was difficult. Despite this, CompUSA sales of Macs had increased. Apple then added Best Buy as

5244-448: A strictly legal sense, a store that sells the majority of its merchandise directly to consumers, is defined as a retailer rather than a wholesaler. Different jurisdictions set parameters for the ratio of consumer to business sales that define a retail business. Retail markets have existed since ancient times. Archaeological evidence for trade, probably involving barter systems, dates back more than 10,000 years. As civilizations grew, barter

5382-432: A total known value of US$ 2.255 trillion have been announced. The largest transactions with involvement of retailers in/from the United States have been: the acquisition of Albertson's Inc. for US$ 17 billion in 2006, the merger between Federated Department Stores Inc with May Department Stores valued at 16.5 bil. USD in 2005  – now Macy's , and the merger between Kmart Holding Corp and Sears Roebuck & Co with

5520-412: A value of US$ 10.9 billion in 2004. Between 1985 and 2018 there have been 46,755 mergers or acquisitions conducted globally in the retail sector (either acquirer or target from the retail industry). These deals cumulate to an overall known value of around US$ 2,561 billion. The three major Retail M&A waves took place in 2000, 2007 and lately in 2017. However the all-time high in terms of number of deals

5658-455: A wholesale division that purchases blocks of accommodation, hospitality, transport, and sightseeing which are subsequently packaged into a holiday tour for sale to retail travel agents. Some retailers badge their stores as "wholesale outlets" offering "wholesale prices." While this practice may encourage consumers to imagine that they have access to lower prices, while being prepared to trade-off reduced prices for cramped in-store environments, in

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5796-424: A wholesaler, and then sells in smaller quantities to consumers for a profit . Retailers are the final link in the supply chain from producers to consumers. Retail markets and shops have a very ancient history, dating back to antiquity. Some of the earliest retailers were itinerant peddlers . Over the centuries, retail shops were transformed from little more than "rude booths" to the sophisticated shopping malls of

5934-421: A year, or £2,000 per square foot. Many other electronics retailers from around the world such as Huawei, Samsung, Xiaomi started to follow the designing trend of Apple Store. In May 2016, Apple significantly redesigned its Union Square Apple Store in downtown San Francisco , adding large glass doors for the entry, open spaces with touch-sensitive tables and shelves for product displays, and rebranded rooms for

6072-475: Is a collaboration between Foster + Partners and Apple's chief design officer Jony Ive , while the original structure was designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson , led by Peter Bohlin . Foster + Partners also designed Apple's Miami, Chicago, Macau, and Tokyo stores, while Bohlin Cywinski Jackson was responsible for the designs of many Apple stores, including an earlier store in the SoHo neighborhood. The store has

6210-475: Is a strong relationship between a store's positioning and the socio-economic status of customers. In addition, the retail strategy, including service quality, has a significant and positive association with customer loyalty. A marketing strategy effectively outlines all key aspects of firms' targeted audience, demographics, preferences. In a highly competitive market, the retail strategy sets up long-term sustainability. It focuses on customer relationships, stressing

6348-402: Is important for organizations to embrace digital disruption in order to gain a competitive advantage. When an industry experiences digital disruption, it typically signals that consumer needs are shifting. Retailers enhance their analytics process and make better informed decisions thanks to big data, artificial intelligence, computer vision, and the Internet of Things. The use of data by retailers

6486-487: Is in the luxury shopping district of Fifth Avenue between 59th and 60th Streets, and opposite Manhattan's Grand Army Plaza . The store is considered one of several Apple flagship locations, and the pre-eminent store for Apple in New York City. The store is on and beneath a public plaza by the General Motors Building , built in 1968. Its exposed exterior is a transparent 32 ft (9.8 m) cube in

6624-417: Is loosely based on the marketing mix , but has been expanded and modified in line with the unique needs of the retail context. A number of scholars have argued for an expanded marketing, mix with the inclusion of two new Ps, namely, Personnel and Presentation since these contribute to the customer's unique retail experience and are the principal basis for retail differentiation. Yet other scholars argue that

6762-493: Is mostly evident in the following aspects, based on the above-mentioned new technologies: Many leading brands choose to target tourists who specifically travel to shop or spend money while on vacation. According to the Global Retail Tourism Market Report 2019–2023, the value of the global shopping tourism market was estimated to be around $ 1.2 trillion in 2018. The report also forecasts that

6900-399: Is sometimes known as the retail servicescape . The store environment consists of many elements such as aromas, the physical environment (furnishings, layout, and functionality), ambient conditions (lighting, air temperature, and music) as well as signs, symbols, and artifacts (e.g. sales promotions, shelf space, sample stations, visual communications). Retail designers pay close attention to

7038-642: Is sticking to its plan to open more stores around the globe in the future, as reported by Bloomberg . Due to the popularity of the brand, applicants for jobs at Apple Stores are numerous, with many young workers applying. The pace of work is high due to the popularity of the iPhone and iPad . Employees typically work for only a few years as career prospects are limited with no path of advancement other than limited retail management slots. Apple Store employees make above-average pay for retail employees and are offered benefits including 401(k) plans, product discounts, and reduced price on stock . The retention rate for

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7176-495: Is that with our new products and our new store and our new build-to-order manufacturing, we're coming after you, buddy." In August 2015, Apple revamped the online storefront, removing the dedicated "Store" tab and making the entire website a retail experience. Later, in August 2021, a redesigned store section of the website returned, with products still being able to be purchased directly through their respective pages. Jobs believed

7314-458: Is undergoing, stores are either relocated or temporarily closed. In April 2017, Apple announced that its "Today at Apple" educational sessions, which launched with its Union Square redesign in 2016 and offer more than 60 free hands-on sessions for creative skills, will also be expanded to all of its stores. Starting May 2018, a Video Wall was added to stores around the world, and upgrade some stores like Apple Palo Alto . All Apple Stores feature

7452-489: The Retail Format (i.e. retail formula) should be included. The modified retail marketing mix that is most commonly cited in textbooks is often called the 6 Ps of retailing (see diagram at right). The primary product-related decisions facing the retailer are the product assortment (what product lines, how many lines and which brands to carry); the type of customer service (high contact through to self-service) and

7590-579: The "Apple retail experience hurts Best Buy" and noted, "Buy a MacBook at the Apple Store and it's hard to go back to the Best Buy Windows laptop buying experience". The publication also wrote that "Apple salespeople are generally more knowledgeable, the products themselves are generally higher quality, and the stores are more appealing, aesthetically and practically." In October 2009, reports surfaced that Steve Jobs and his retail team would help "drastically overhaul" Disney Stores . His involvement

7728-521: The 100 fastest-growing U.S. retailers based on increases in domestic sales. Since 1951, the U.S. Census Bureau has published the Retail Sales report every month. It is a measure of consumer spending , an important indicator of the US GDP . Retail firms provide data on the dollar value of their retail sales and inventories. A sample of 12,000 firms is included in the final survey and 5,000 in

7866-606: The 13th century. Outside the major cities, most consumable purchases were made through markets or fairs. Market-places appear to have emerged independently outside Europe. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is often cited as the world's oldest continuously operating market; its construction began in 1455. The Spanish conquistadors wrote glowingly of markets in the Americas. In the 15th century, the Mexica ( Aztec ) market of Tlatelolco

8004-482: The 18th century, the typical retail store had no counter, display cases, chairs, mirrors, changing rooms, etc. However, the opportunity for the customer to browse merchandise, touch and feel products began to be available, with retail innovations from the late 17th and early 18th centuries. By the late 18th century, grand shopping arcades began to emerge across Europe and in the Antipodes. A shopping arcade refers to

8142-405: The 2017–19 renovation. A 2011 renovation streamlined the design from the original 90 panels that made up the structure, and made the glass panels fit together seamlessly. The cube entrance has no signage save for a large illuminated Apple logo, a feature typical of Apple Stores, and recalling Tiffany & Co. 's fifth flagship building , which only displayed its iconic Atlas statue to signify

8280-561: The Apple retail program needed to fundamentally change the relationship to the customer, and provide more control over the presentation of Apple products and the Apple brand message. Jobs recognized the limitations of third-party retailing and began investigating options to change the model. In 1999, Jobs personally recruited Millard Drexler , former CEO of Gap Inc. , to serve on Apple's board of directors. In 2000, Jobs hired Ron Johnson from Target . The retail and development teams headed by Allen Moyer from The Walt Disney Company then began

8418-456: The Atlantic to experiment with catalogue sales. In the post-war period, an American architect, Victor Gruen developed a concept for a shopping mall; a planned, self-contained shopping complex complete with an indoor plaza, statues, planting schemes, piped music, and car-parking. Gruen's vision was to create a shopping atmosphere where people felt so comfortable, they would spend more time in

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8556-540: The Cumberland Mall in Atlanta, Georgia , have signified interest in unionizing . The employees asked for a $ 28 per hour wage, better benefits, and profit-sharing. If successful, the effort would make the store the first unionized Apple retail store in the United States. Steve Jobs , co-founder of Apple, returned to the company as interim CEO in 1997. According to his biographer Walter Isaacson , Jobs began

8694-561: The Mac user experience from Windows. In fact, the retailer trend was towards selling their own generic in-house brand PCs which used even cheaper components than those by major PC makers, increasing retailer overall margins by keeping the manufacturing profits. This "provided a powerful profit motive to convert customers interested in buying a Mac into the owners of a new, cheaply assembled, house brand PC". Tim Cook , who joined Apple in 1998 as Senior Vice President for Worldwide Operations, announced

8832-467: The advanced one. The advanced estimated data is based on a subsample from the US CB complete retail and food services sample. Retail is the largest private-sector employer in the United States, supporting 52 million working Americans. In 2011, the grocery market in six countries of Central Europe was worth nearly €107bn, 2.8% more than the previous year when expressed in local currencies. The increase

8970-406: The availability of support services (e.g. credit terms, delivery services, after sales care). These decisions depend on careful analysis of the market, demand, competition as well as the retailer's skills and expertise. Customer service is the "sum of acts and elements that allow consumers to receive what they need or desire from [the] retail establishment." Retailers must decide whether to provide

9108-440: The broad approach to pricing (i.e., the pricing strategy), they turn their attention to pricing tactics. Tactical pricing decisions are shorter term prices, designed to accomplish specific short-term goals. Pricing tactics that are commonly used in retail include discount pricing, everyday low prices , high-low pricing, loss leaders , product bundling , promotional pricing, and psychological pricing . Two strategies to entice

9246-399: The buyer, money back guarantee and buy one get one free , were devised by 18th-century retail entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood . Retailers must also plan for customer preferred payment modes – e.g. cash, credit, lay-by, Electronic Funds Transfer at Point-of-Sale (EFTPOS). All payment options require some type of handling and attract costs. Contrary to common misconception , price is not

9384-549: The chief executive officer. The profit margins of retailers depend largely on their ability to achieve market competitive transaction costs. The strategic retail analysis typically includes following elements: At the conclusion of the retail analysis, retail marketers should have a clear idea of which groups of customers are to be the target of marketing activities. Not all elements are, however, equal, often with demographics, shopping motivations, and spending directing consumer activities. Retail research studies suggest that there

9522-419: The choice of policies aiming at improving the competitive position of the firm, taking account of challenges and opportunities proposed by the competitive environment. On the other hand, managerial decision-making is focused on the implementation of specific targets." In retailing, the strategic plan is designed to set out the vision and provide guidance for retail decision-makers and provide an outline of how

9660-591: The company would "cut some channel partners that may not be providing the buying experience [Apple expects]. We're not happy with everybody." Jobs severed Apple's ties with every big box retailer, including Sears, Montgomery Ward, Best Buy, Circuit City, Computer City, and Office Max to focus its retail efforts with CompUSA —which reached an agreement to establish dedicated departments for Apple hardware, staffed by trained employees and representatives. Apple also worked with local user groups to promote launch events for new hardware and Mac OS releases. Between 1997 and 2000,

9798-579: 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 and the other Android players ". Apple has since re-established ties with major big box retailers like Best Buy and Staples . Authorized Apple resellers have

9936-439: The company's corporate stores and a similar store design aesthetic. Apple Premium Resellers typically operate in countries and suburban communities not served by Apple Stores. Retail Retail is the sale of goods and services to consumers , in contrast to wholesaling , which is the sale to business or institutional customers . A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from manufacturers , directly or through

10074-418: The consumer's store choice and addresses the consumer's expectations. At its most basic level, a retail format is a simple marketplace , that is; a location where goods and services are exchanged. In some parts of the world, the retail sector is still dominated by small family-run stores, but large retail chains are increasingly dominating the sector, because they can exert considerable buying power and pass on

10212-425: The current competitive retail market, and are also the future of retail enterprises. Presentation refers to the physical evidence that signals the retail image. Physical evidence may include a diverse range of elements – the store itself including premises, offices, exterior facade and interior layout, websites, delivery vans, warehouses, staff uniforms. The environment in which the retail service encounter occurs

10350-453: The customer experience, such as Add-on, Upsell or Cross-sell; Selling on value; and knowing when to close the sale. Transactional marketing aims to find target consumers, then negotiate, trade, and finally end relationships to complete the transaction. In this one-time transaction process, both parties aim to maximize their own interests. As a result, transactional marketing raises follow-up problems such as poor after-sales service quality and

10488-496: The earlier month. For the first 10 months of 2022, retail sales increased by 15.5% by measuring the exact time of 2021. Among its bordering countries, on retail trade percentage of GDP, Armenia ranks more increased than Turkey, but it is still lower than Georgia. Apple Fifth Avenue Apple Fifth Avenue is an Apple Store , a retail location of Apple Inc. , in Midtown Manhattan , New York City, United States. It

10626-426: The earliest investigations into shopper motivations and identified two broad motives: utilitarian and hedonic. Utilitarian motivations are task-related and rational. For the shopper with utilitarian motives, purchasing is a work-related task that is to be accomplished in the most efficient and expedient manner. On the other hand, hedonic motives refer to pleasure. The shopper with hedonic motivations views shopping as

10764-481: The early department stores were more than just a retail emporium; rather they were venues where shoppers could spend their leisure time and be entertained. Retail, using mail order, came of age during the mid-19th century. Although catalogue sales had been used since the 15th century, this method of retailing was confined to a few industries such as the sale of books and seeds. However, improvements in transport and postal services led several entrepreneurs on either side of

10902-613: The end of the twentieth century, stores were using labels such as "mega-stores" and "warehouse" stores to reflect their growing size. The upward trend of increasing retail space was not consistent across nations and led in the early 21st century to a 2-fold difference in square footage per capita between the United States and Europe. As the 21st century takes shape, some indications suggest that large retail stores have come under increasing pressure from online sales models and that reductions in store size are evident. Under such competition and other issues such as business debt, there has been

11040-400: The environment, thereby enhancing opportunities for purchasing. The first of these malls opened at Northland Mall near Detroit in 1954. Throughout the twentieth century, a trend towards larger store footprints became discernible. The average size of a U.S. supermarket grew from 31,000 square feet (2,900 m ) square feet in 1991 to 44,000 square feet (4,100 m ) square feet in 2000. By

11178-477: The first knockoff, one of them with a misspelled sign reading "Apple Stoer". An employee of the first knockoff confirmed that the store was not one of the 13 authorized Apple resellers in Kunming. In a follow-up report, Reuters indicated that local authorities in Kunming had closed two fake Apple Stores in that city due to lack of official business permits, but allowed three other such stores to stay open, including

11316-404: The front of the store, which is known as the decompression zone . In order to maximize the number of selling opportunities, retailers generally want customers to spend more time in a retail store. However, this must be balanced against customer expectations surrounding convenience, access and realistic waiting times. The way that brands are displayed is also part of the overall retail design. Where

11454-412: The glass exterior, wood display tables, winding staircase and large promotional posters found in legitimate Apple Stores, and with employees wearing lanyards and the same T-shirts as actual Apple Store employees. The Wall Street Journal reported that the store had "gotten widespread international attention for the remarkable lengths to which its proprietors seem to have gone to mimic the look and feel of

11592-538: The glass panels together. The cube was designed to motivate people to enter the store, creating a "ceremony of descent", a grand entrance to ennoble visitors rather than put people off entering the basement store. The glass cube was inspired by and likened to the Louvre Pyramid in a 2005 New York Times article; the skyscraper's owner had solicited ideas from the pyramid's architect, I. M. Pei . The glass cube features 15 large panels of glass, unchanged during

11730-444: The globe in the future." Apple Stores have considerably changed the landscape for consumer electronics retailers and influenced other technological companies to follow suit. According to The Globe and Mail , "Apple’s retail stores have taken traffic, control and profits away from Verizon as well as electronics retailers, such as Best Buy , that once looked at wireless phones as a lucrative profit source". CNET has reported that

11868-438: The idea of retail is often associated with the purchase of goods, the term may be applied to service providers that sell to consumers. Retail service providers include retail banking, tourism, insurance, private healthcare, private education, private security firms, legal firms, publishers, public transport, and others. For example, a tourism provider might have a retail division that books travel and accommodation for consumers plus

12006-448: The importance of added value, customer satisfaction and highlights how the store's market positioning appeals to targeted groups of customers. A retail mix is devised for the purpose of coordinating day-to-day tactical decisions. The retail marketing mix typically consists of six broad decision layers including product decisions, place decisions, promotion, price, personnel and presentation (also known as physical evidence). The retail mix

12144-559: The in-house technician needs to send the affected device to an Apple Repair Center, most repaired or replaced iPhones will be returned or ready for pickup in approximately 3 business days. In May 2017, Apple launched a new program called Today at Apple. Customers can come in and receive free training from a Creative in more than 60 different sessions. Topics include basic device knowledge, Apple's professional film, and music editing software, coding for kids, and tools for using Apple products in classroom-based learning. The largest Genius Bar in

12282-729: The interior was organized around different uses of Apple's technology, with areas themed for creating podcasts and blogs, editing digital media, and organizing music. Since the store's 2017–19 renovation, it has about double the interior space and significantly higher ceilings. The renovation also added the two secondary entrances and replaced the original glass staircase with one made of stainless steel. The interior walls are clad in pale gray Italian Castagna stone with subtle stripes and rounded corners. Its floors are made of off-white terrazzo. The store predominantly has one large room lined with display shelving. The space also features wooden tables and matching storage units. The tables are double

12420-466: The largest retail market in the world in 2016. In 2016, China became the largest retail market in the world. In the Republic of Armenia, retail trade has been increasing recently. In October 2022, it increased by 23.1% year by year, which was the most considerable rise since April 2021, faster than the 20.7 per cent increase recorded a month earlier. Retail dropped by 1.9% after accumulating 2.1%in

12558-552: The latter countries, this fraction is an increase over 1970, but there are other countries where the sector has declined since 1970, sometimes in absolute terms, where other sectors have replaced its role in the economy. In the United States the sector has declined from 19% of GDP to 14%, though it has risen in absolute terms from $ 4,500 to $ 7,400 per capita per year. In China the sector has grown from 7.3% to 11.5%, and in India even more, from 8.4% to 18.7%. Emarketer predicts China will have

12696-412: The length of standard Apple Store tables, the second store to include them. The store has two rows of trees; the trees' circular planters function as benches, upholstered with a caramel-colored fabric atop a white base. The store's Genius Grove has a backdrop of a large plant wall. It spans the length of the store, doubled from its original size during the renovation. The main salesroom also features

12834-429: The market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7% from 2019 to 2023. In 2023 Kogan Page published a critically acclaimed book " Leading Travel and Tourism Retail ", which researched in depth the travel retail sector post COVID . Among retailers and retails chains a lot of consolidation has appeared over the last couple of decades. Between 1988 and 2010, worldwide 40,788 mergers and acquisitions with

12972-755: The meaning of the word retail (in English, French, Dutch, German and Spanish) refers to the sale of small quantities of items to consumers (as opposed to wholesale ). Retail refers to the activity of selling goods or services directly to consumers or end-users. Some retailers may sell to business customers, and such sales are termed non-retail activity. In some jurisdictions or regions, legal definitions of retail specify that at least 80 percent of sales activity must be to end-users. Retailing often occurs in retail stores or service establishments, but may also occur through direct selling such as through vending machines , door-to-door sales or electronic channels. Although

13110-596: The mid-1980s. Sproles and Kendall's consumer typology has been shown to be relatively consistent across time and across cultures. Their typology is based on the consumer's approach to making purchase decisions. Some researchers have adapted Sproles and Kendall's methodology for use in specific countries or cultural groups. Consumer decision styles are important for retailers and marketers because they describe behaviours that are relatively stable over time and for this reason, they are useful for market segmentation. Retail formats (also known as retail formulas ) influence

13248-419: The middle of the plaza. The plaza is partly lined with benches and trees. The substantive interior, below ground, features a reflective steel spiral staircase and elevator, wooden tables with Apple products, and rooms and areas for specific Apple products. Apple Fifth Avenue was first constructed in 2006 and designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson . It was renovated in 2011 to simplify the façade. From 2017 to 2019,

13386-481: The modern Apple Store chain, the store was, at the time, the only place in the world where Apple merchandise could be purchased, including T-shirts, mugs, and pens. In June 2015, the store was closed for renovations, and in September it was reopened, offering a new design resembling other Apple Store locations and, for the first time, selling iPhones . The Infinite Loop location closed on January 20, 2024. As part of

13524-426: The modern era. In the digital age , an increasing number of retailers are seeking to reach broader markets by selling through multiple channels, including both bricks and mortar and online retailing . Digital technologies are also affecting the way that consumers pay for goods and services. Retailing support services may also include the provision of credit, delivery services, advisory services, stylist services and

13662-471: The money back to the shareholders". This angered Jobs, due to Dell's success with its online store originally built by NeXT , his former business that Apple acquired to bring Jobs back. A team of Apple and NeXT employees spent several months building an online store that would be better than Dell's. On November 10, 1997, Steve Jobs announced the online store at an Apple press event, and during his keynote speech, he said: "I guess what we want to tell you, Michael,

13800-476: The most important factor for consumers, when deciding to buy a product. Because patronage at a retail outlet varies, flexibility in scheduling is desirable. Employee scheduling software is sold, which, using known patterns of customer patronage, more or less reliably predicts the need for staffing for various functions at times of the year, day of the month or week, and time of day. Usually needs vary widely. Conforming staff utilization to staffing needs requires

13938-448: The needs of the working poor. John Stuart Mill wrote about the rise of the co-operative retail store, which he witnessed first-hand in the mid-19th century. The modern era of retailing is defined as the period from the industrial revolution to the 21st century. In major cities, the department store emerged in the mid- to late 19th century, and permanently reshaped shopping habits, and redefined concepts of service and luxury. Many of

14076-570: The new relationship with CompUSA. A revised concept for an Apple " store-within-a-store " was designed by Eight Inc., a San Francisco-based firm who had developed Apple's presences at the MacWorld expo ; they were designed as a self-contained showroom with more minimalistic design that emphasized the products themselves. After a trial at retail outlets in Japan, CompUSA began to adopt the new concept for its locations beginning in 1999. The "store within

14214-716: The number of Mac authorized resellers dropped from 20,000 to just 11,000. The majority of these were cuts made by Apple itself. Jobs proclaimed that Apple would be targeting Dell as a competitor, with Cook's mandate to match or exceed Dell's lean inventories and streamlined supply chain. Jobs made an open statement to Michael Dell , "with our new products and our new store and our new build-to-order, we're coming after you, buddy." While Dell had operated as direct mail order and online order company, having pulled out of retailers to realize greater profit margins and efficiency, Apple had direct orders with sales handled by its channel partners, other mail order resellers, independent dealerships, and

14352-637: The one that had attracted international attention. The operators of that store had applied for a reseller license from Apple. At the time of the report, only four legitimate Apple Stores had opened in China, with two in Beijing and two in Shanghai. These imitation Apple Store locations should not be confused with Apple Premium Resellers, which are independent businesses authorized to sell Apple products, and which are expected by Apple to offer services comparable to

14490-529: The opening weekend, spending a total of US$ 599,000 . 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

14628-456: The popularity of the brand, Apple receives many job applications, many of which come from young workers. Apple Store employees receive above-average pay, are offered money toward education and health care, and receive product discounts; however, there are limited or no paths of career advancement. A May 2016 report with an anonymous retail employee highlighted a hostile work environment with harassment from customers, intense internal criticism, and

14766-484: The process from transaction to relationship. While expanding the sales market and attracting new customers is very important for the retail industry, it is also important to establish and maintain long term good relationships with previous customers, hence the name of the underlying concept, "relational marketing". Under this concept, retail enterprises value and attempt to improve relationships with customers, as customer relationships are conducive to maintaining stability in

14904-499: The process of moving its corporate headquarters to the new Apple Park complex, a similar store with exclusive merchandise opened as part of the Apple Park Visitor Center on November 17, 2017. In July 2011, an American expatriate blogger who lives in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming reported on her discovery of what she called "the best ripoff store we had ever seen"—a fake Apple Store, complete with

15042-429: The product and service mix will optimize customer satisfaction. As part of the strategic planning process, it is customary for strategic planners to carry out a detailed environmental scan which seeks to identify trends and opportunities in the competitive environment, market environment, economic environment and statutory-political environment. The retail strategy is normally devised or reviewed every three to five years by

15180-528: The retail mix which includes product, price, place, promotion, personnel, and presentation. The word retail comes from the Old French verb retaillier , meaning "to shape by cutting" ( c.  1365 ). It was first recorded as a noun in 1433 with the meaning of "a sale in small quantities" from the Middle French verb retailler meaning "a piece cut off, shred, scrap, paring". At present,

15318-698: The sales numbers of competing nearby stores and within three years reached US$ 1 billion in annual sales, becoming the fastest retailer in history to do so. Apple has expanded the number of retail locations and its geographical coverage over the years, with 531 stores across 27 countries and regions worldwide, opening its latest stores at the Westfield Mall of Scandinavia in Solna , Sweden and Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance , California on September 20, 2024. Strong product sales have placed Apple among

15456-567: The savings in the form of lower prices. Many of these large retail chains also produce their own private labels which compete alongside manufacturer brands. Considerable consolidation of retail stores has changed the retail landscape, transferring power away from wholesalers and into the hands of the large retail chains. In Britain and Europe, the retail sale of goods is designated as a service activity . The European Service Directive applies to all retail trade including periodic markets, street traders and peddlers. Retail stores may be classified by

15594-572: The second retailer on the list. On a global level, all Apple Stores had a combined revenue of US$ 16 billion. Under the leadership of 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". The Apple Stores have also been credited with raising

15732-623: The shift to multi-channel retailing. To counter the disruption caused by online retail, many bricks and mortar retailers have entered the online retail space, by setting up online catalogue sales and e-commerce websites. However, many retailers have noticed that consumers behave differently when shopping online. For instance, in terms of choice of online platform , shoppers tend to choose the online site of their preferred retailer initially, but as they gain more experience in online shopping, they become less loyal and more likely to switch to other retail sites. Online stores are usually available 24 hours

15870-495: The staff were salaried, with no sales commissions. The store is always open to customers, with no hours or days closed, an acknowledgement of New York City's late-night street life in place since its opening. It is the only Apple Store that is open 24/7. The store includes an " Apple Watch Studio", a replication of the company's online tool to customize smart watches. The area allows customers to choose watch size, case material, and watch bands to purchase. The store also includes

16008-422: The store entrance, each in three rows of three. The plaza also features symmetrical sets of honey locust trees, planted on the north and south ends of the plaza, amid benches and low-lying water fountains. Secondary entrances feature stone staircases descending from the plaza into the store below, surrounded by stone planters at street level. The secondary entrances were added during the 2017–19 renovation after

16146-456: The store reopened in 2019, an author for Architectural Digest wrote: "For many, it’s now impossible to imagine the southeast corner of Central Park without it." The store is one of the most photographed landmarks in New York City. A 2009 Cornell University study mapping out geotagged photographs worldwide indicated the store was the fifth-most geotagged site in New York City and 28th-most worldwide, being geotagged in more photographs than even

16284-501: The store was closed and reconstructed. Apple moved into a temporary space within the GM Building during the renovation, and kept the 24/7/365 operating hours. The space, formerly occupied by FAO Schwarz , was considered for an annex to the Apple Store around 2016, though the rent price was an issue. The renovation involved demolishing the former store, starting anew under the plans of Foster + Partners. The new plans nearly doubled

16422-504: The store was rebuilt with about double the retail space to a more modern design by Foster + Partners . Apple Fifth Avenue is on Fifth Avenue between 58th and 59th Streets , across from the Plaza Hotel . The store is located on and beneath a public plaza built for the General Motors Building , built in 1968. The site is adjacent to the southeast corner of Central Park , opposite Manhattan's Grand Army Plaza . The current design

16560-498: The store's opening, the New York Times reported on the flagship, saying it "will burnish the company's reputation for clever design". The newspaper, however, called many of its functions "costly indulgences", where almost half of its staff were there to provide free help on how to use Apple products, and crowds would use its internet-connected display computers and iPods to check email, browse webpages, or listen to music. When

16698-540: The store's popularity had led to severe congestion in the original design. The space was first built as a 12-foot-deep sunken plaza for the General Motors Building, an area by the 1990s seen as an "underused, unattractive desolate place" with green artificial turf and mostly empty retail space. It was raised to street level around 1999, a year after Donald Trump purchased the building and plaza. His renovation involved creating slightly elevated groves of trees on its north and south ends and installing fountains, benches, and

16836-438: The store's presence. The Apple Store sits around and beneath a public plaza, reconstructed during Apple's 2017–19 renovation. The plaza features 62 circular frosted skylights lying flush with the plaza's stone floors. It also includes 18 "sky lenses" which act as seats and public art. The lenses are ocular reflective steel shells with glass tops that provide a view down into the store. Nine sky lenses are placed on either side of

16974-492: The store's space, and substantially raised its ceiling by digging deeper into the ground. In early September 2019, for a few weeks before the store was set to reopen, the new exterior was revealed. It had a temporary rainbow iridescence, created by a film wrap around the glass cube. The store reopened on September 20, 2019, coinciding with the release of iPhone 11 series phones and the Apple Watch Series 5 . At

17112-471: The store. "The Avenue" is the central location for hardware, as well as for receiving advice from salespersons and "Creative Pros" with specialized knowledge of music, photography, creativity, and apps. The "Genius Bar" becomes the "Genius Grove", a tree-lined area for help and support. "The Forum" features a large video screen and offers game nights, sessions with experts in creative arts, and community events. "The Plaza", while limited to select locations, offers

17250-414: The store. The Experience Room, added in the 2017–19 renovation, is the second in the U.S. and third in the world. The store operates with about 900 employees, most of whom are bilingual; the team collectively speaks about 36 languages. The store originally had 300 employees, with 5,000 initial applications. At its opening, about half were assigned to provide free assistance on using Apple products. All of

17388-528: The technicians who staff the Genius Bar is more than 90%. A May 2016 Business Insider article featured a lengthy interview with an anonymous Apple Store retail worker in the United Kingdom, where the employee highlighted significant dissatisfaction and issues for retail workers, including harassment and death threats from customers, an intense internal criticism policy that feels "like a cult",

17526-1046: The top-tier retail stores, with sales over $ 16 billion globally in 2011. In May 2016, Angela Ahrendts , Apple's then-Senior Vice President of retail, unveiled a significantly redesigned Apple Store in Union Square, San Francisco , featuring large glass doors for the entry, open spaces, and rebranded rooms. Many Apple Stores are located inside shopping malls, but Apple has built several stand-alone flagship stores in high-profile locations. It has been granted design patents and received architectural awards for its stores' designs and construction, specifically for its use of glass staircases and cubes. The success of Apple Stores has had significant influence over other consumer electronics retailers, who have lost traffic, control and profits due to perceived higher quality of service and products at Apple Stores. Apple's notable brand loyalty among consumers causes long lines of hundreds of people at new Apple Store openings or product releases. Due to

17664-402: The type of product carried. Softline retailers sell goods that are consumed after a single-use , or have a limited life (typically under three years) in they are normally consumed. Soft goods include clothing , other fabrics , footwear , toiletries , cosmetics , medicines and stationery . Grocery stores , including supermarkets and hypermarkets , along with convenience stores carry

17802-567: The world is located in Amsterdam. Apple Store openings and new product releases can draw crowds of hundreds, with some waiting in line as much as a day before the opening. The opening of New York City's Fifth Avenue store in 2006 was highly frequented, and had visitors from Europe who flew in for the event. In 1993, Apple opened a store, then known as The Company Store, at its Apple Campus on Infinite Loop in Cupertino, California . Predating

17940-551: Was described by The New York Times as "particularly notable", given his work on the "highly successful" Apple Stores and his election to Disney's board of directors in 2006. In August 2009, the London Evening Standard reported that Apple's first store in the United Kingdom, at Regent Street , was the most profitable shop of its size in London, with the highest sales per square foot, taking in £60 million

18078-453: Was fired after six months, later telling a conference that he "just didn't fit with the way they ran the business". In October 2013, Apple hired Angela Ahrendts from Burberry . When Ahrendts left in April 2019, Deirdre O’Brien expanded from Worldwide Sales and Operations, to People, and currently, to People and Retail. In an interview with Funke Mediengruppe in May 2021 she commented, Apple

18216-575: Was generated foremost by the discount stores and supermarket segments, and was driven by the skyrocketing prices of foodstuffs. This information is based on the latest PMR report entitled Grocery retail in Central Europe 2012 National accounts show a combined total of retail and wholesale trade, with hotels and restaurants. in 2012 the sector provides over a fifth of GDP in tourist-oriented island economies, as well as in other major countries such as Brazil, Pakistan, Russia, and Spain. In all four of

18354-553: Was in 2016 with more than 2,700 deals. In terms of added value 2007 set the record with the US$ 225 billion. Here is a list of the top ten largest deals (ranked by volume) in the Retail Industry: As of 2016, China was the largest retail market in the world. The National Retail Federation and Kantar annually rank the nation's top retailers according to sales. The National Retail Federation also separately ranks

18492-619: Was invited to meet with Apple CEO Steve Jobs in November 2003. The meeting established the idea for a flagship store open 24/7 at the space; it was attended by several architects and designers, including from Bohlin Cywinski Jackson , who designed the Soho Apple Store. Jobs pitched the idea of a 40-ft. glass cube at the center of the site, while Macklowe proposed a glass pavilion close to the street; both ideas ended up merging. Macklowe thought Jobs' proposed 40-foot (12 m) cube

18630-472: Was replaced with retail trade involving coinage. Selling and buying are thought to have emerged in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) in around the 7th-millennium BCE. In ancient Greece , markets operated within the agora , an open space where, on market days, goods were displayed on mats or temporary stalls. In ancient Rome , trade took place in the forum . The Roman forum was arguably the earliest example of

18768-585: Was the largest in all the Americas . By the 17th century, permanent shops with more regular trading hours were beginning to supplant markets and fairs as the main retail outlet. Provincial shopkeepers were active in almost every English market town. As the number of shops grew, they underwent a transformation. The trappings of a modern shop, which had been entirely absent from the 16th- and early 17th-century store, gradually made way for store interiors and shopfronts that are more familiar to modern shoppers. Prior to

18906-399: Was to monetize its large plaza on Fifth Avenue. Architects and industry insiders had called it the "problematic plaza", considering it was a large unused space with a valuable street presence, and with an unused basement. Macklowe viewed the space as ideal for a store for the up-and-coming Apple Inc., and repeatedly brought his ideas up to Apple's vice president in charge of real estate until he

19044-409: Was too large for the site, violating zoning restrictions and obscuring and not harmonizing with the scale of the GM Building. With thoughts that he wouldn't convince Jobs without visual proof, he had a mockup of the 40-ft. cube constructed in the late night on the plaza. Apple executives viewed the structure at 2 a.m. and agreed the cube was too large. Macklowe then had the structure dismantled, revealing

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