Apple's New Causeway Bay Retail Store in Hong Kong Unveiled

[apple-win]

Originally Posted by xxnemoxx

why can't we have Apple stores like that here in the US

Besides the 5th Ave. Store

PC dominates in Hong Kong, China market. Apple products are high-fashion to the people over there. That's why Apple opens two giant boutique stores in Hong Kong and many more in China. Once people get bored with the aluminium toys, Apple will terminate the lease and close down the boutiques.

[SnowLeopard OSX]

Originally Posted by HMI

I forgot they were redesigning the Santa Monica store.

Say wha-a-a-a-a-a-at?!

[charlieegan3]

The buildings are all really nice but always lack any individuality.

[OMGbrandon]

3 floors of just ipads, macbooks, and iphones... thats about it...

[SomeDudeAsking]

Originally Posted by OMGbrandon

3 floors of just ipads, macbooks, and iphones... thats about it...

Maybe there is a statue of Steve Jobs somewhere.

[Tech198]

Nice Apple Store, but where are the crowds ? People are just walking buy, and the store in empty, Isn't this supposed to be a big occasion or something ?

[SomeDudeAsking]

Originally Posted by Tech198

Nice Apple Store, but where are the crowds ? People are just walking buy, and the store in empty, Isn't this supposed to be a big occasion or something ?

See the other news thread about Apple's stock price tanking for explanation. Looks like the Apple fad has passed in China.

[trfjason]

Originally Posted by Tech198

Nice Apple Store, but where are the crowds ? People are just walking buy, and the store in empty, Isn't this supposed to be a big occasion or something ?

Because it hasn't opened yet. It will open on December 15th.

[mr666]

Originally Posted by MadDawg2020

All the Apple stores look the same

Why would you make such a statement without even looking at any of the other stores? None of them look the same. I went to the main store web page....
http://www.apple.com/retail/
and chose 5 stores at random (none of which I have ever visited or knew the look of before hand)....

http://www.apple.com/retail/royalhawaiian/

http://www.apple.com/retail/northmichiganavenue/

http://www.apple.com/retail/soho/

http://www.apple.com/retail/boylstonstreet/

http://www.apple.com/retail/tysonscorner/

What is exactly the same about these?

[flameproof]

Originally Posted by apple-win

Apple over expands its retail outlets in Hong Kong. It's a gambling.

Hong Kong is a small city with very good subway system. It does not need two giant Apple flagship stores which locate in the very expensive downtown area. The rent is very very expensive.

For that size of store area, I would rather run a department store for Italian fasions, because Apple does not have a big product portfolio. It is a waste to use the store for an Apple classroom or for people killing time during lunch hour.

Another thing, I'm not sure if Apple authorized dealers in Hong Kong would be happy about Apple is eating their lunch.

This is Apple Store #3 in HK. IMHO just one would be totally sufficient as all better knows retailers carry the whole Apple line, plus a few retailers that just sell Apple products.

Looks like an act of total desperation. I wonder when they will start to offer other brands, such as Samsung....

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Originally Posted by Tech198

Nice Apple Store, but where are the crowds ? People are just walking buy, and the store in empty, Isn't this supposed to be a big occasion or something ?

Haven't you heard about the S3? That's what people now buy.

[digitalhen]

Folks, here's my live coverage from today: http://blog.henry.im/post/3790292486...-store-opening

I was doing a story for the Shanghaiist. Lots of fun!

[flameproof]

Originally Posted by digitalhen

Folks, here's my live coverage from today: http://blog.henry.im/post/3790292486...-store-opening

That is really, really good!

Btw, I reported the last Apple Store opening in Kowloon, which was also really impressive:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1458468

[digitalhen]

Originally Posted by flameproof

That is really, really good!

Btw, I reported the last Apple Store opening in Kowloon, which was also really impressive:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1458468

Hahaha it wasn't much different today

[MacFoodPoisoner]

Originally Posted by charlieegan3

The buildings are all really nice but always lack any individuality.

apple has become the epitome of boredom, it does one bulding housing one thin aluminum and glass encased device pretty much. An iphone looking like a thin ipad, looking like a thin imac, looking like a thin macbook.

Steve's once visionary and justified insistence on uniformity and clean lines has become dullness personified. That's what happens when the shopkeeper instead of the visionary takes up the company, they don't know when or how to shift gears. Apple is in dire need of a gear shift and the driver is asleep on the wheel.

[macman312]

Originally Posted by apple-win

It does not need two giant Apple flagship stores which locate in the very expensive downtown area. The rent is very very expensive.

HAHA good one you think a multi-billion dollar company like apple worries about rent? They need as many stores as they can fit into one city/state. The whole point of apple stores is the experience.

When I was in new york 2 weeks ago I went to the apple stores heaps of times to look up directions or to check my email or to just play with a ipad and relax for 30 minutes. Same thing in London, my parents went shopping for themselves which I found boring so I stayed in the apple store playing on the all new ipad (ipad 2). People will wonder into the apple store on their way to work and they sell so much that the rent will not be a problem

Today I went to pick up my Macbook Pro in my local store and the store was buzzing with people.

The apple store is meant to be an experience

Originally Posted by apple-win

Another thing, I'm not sure if Apple authorized dealers in Hong Kong would be happy about Apple is eating their lunch.

I agree it will put some small business out of business and they unfortunately can't do can do **** all about it, however they tend to be a bit cheaper then apple official retail stores so they should be OK.

[Lark.Landon]

Originally Posted by MadDawg2020

wow an all glass facade that lets everyone see all the shoppers inside checking out the itoys.
It doesn't look anything at all like any of the other Apple stores.

Seriously you could take a photo of any of the other stores and say its in Antarctica or the Florida swamp and no one would know the difference.All the Apple stores look the same, thats the whole point. I don't understand the fascination with posting photos of every new store as if it is something special.

Are there websites that post photos of all the new Starbucks or McDonalds that open up as well?

I believe this was posted for the people that actually *are* interested. If you are that disinterested it's much easier to scroll down/up the page, more-so than to complain. Almost half of what Arn posts there's at least a few people complaining that he even posted anything. I can imagine that gets a bit frustrating.

[MacFoodPoisoner]

Originally Posted by Lark.Landon

I believe this was posted for the people that actually *are* interested. If you are that disinterested it's much easier to scroll down/up the page, more-so than to complain. Almost half of what Arn posts there's at least a few people complaining that he even posted anything. I can imagine that gets a bit frustrating.

Seeing as a lot of what Arn posts as "mac" rumors is actually paid ad placement (a new bose dock as a recent example) I am sure he's more than well compensated for whatever frustration any commenter/hits and $$$ generator might cause with their comments.

[xofruitcake]

Originally Posted by apple-win

Apple over expands its retail outlets in Hong Kong. It's a gambling.

Hong Kong is a small city with very good subway system. It does not need two giant Apple flagship stores which locate in the very expensive downtown area. The rent is very very expensive.

For that size of store area, I would rather run a department store for Italian fasions, because Apple does not have a big product portfolio. It is a waste to use the store for an Apple classroom or for people killing time during lunch hour.

Another thing, I'm not sure if Apple authorized dealers in Hong Kong would be happy about Apple is eating their lunch.

That is one bizarre argument.. Do you know Hong Kong at all? The store is not only for Hong Kong citizen, it is also for mainland Chinese citizen who want to buy Apple stuff in Hong Kong instead of buying it in China. China has 17% VAT tax and most folks close to the boarder would rather take a day trip to Hong Kong and buy their stuff instead of paying the tax. Did you see any pictures of Apple store during any of the Apple product launch?

[apple-win]

Originally Posted by macman312

HAHA good one you think a multi-billion dollar company like apple worries about rent? They need as many stores as they can fit into one city/state. The whole point of apple stores is the experience.

When I was in new york 2 weeks ago I went to the apple stores heaps of times to look up directions or to check my email or to just play with a ipad and relax for 30 minutes. Same thing in London, my parents went shopping for themselves which I found boring so I stayed in the apple store playing on the all new ipad (ipad 2). People will wonder into the apple store on their way to work and they sell so much that the rent will not be a problem

Today I went to pick up my Macbook Pro in my local store and the store was buzzing with people.

The apple store is meant to be an experience

I agree it will put some small business out of business and they unfortunately can't do can do **** all about it, however they tend to be a bit cheaper then apple official retail stores so they should be OK.

I know, the apple store is meant to be an experience. I love to shop at Apple store in my local mall because I like Apple plastic bag which is much more beautiful than super market plastic bag.

I also know there are a lot of Hong Kong people like you, going to Apple store to kill time but buy nothing.

I know Apple is very rich, it can buy or rent all the business properties in Hong Kong downtown financial district. But wasting money is not a good business practice.

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Originally Posted by MacFoodPoisoner

apple has become the epitome of boredom, it does one bulding housing one thin aluminum and glass encased device pretty much. An iphone looking like a thin ipad, looking like a thin imac, looking like a thin macbook.

Steve's once visionary and justified insistence on uniformity and clean lines has become dullness personified. That's what happens when the shopkeeper instead of the visionary takes up the company, they don't know when or how to shift gears. Apple is in dire need of a gear shift and the driver is asleep on the wheel.

Well said.

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Originally Posted by xofruitcake

That is one bizarre argument.. Do you know Hong Kong at all? The store is not only for Hong Kong citizen, it is also for mainland Chinese citizen who want to buy Apple stuff in Hong Kong instead of buying it in China. China has 17% VAT tax and most folks close to the boarder would rather take a day trip to Hong Kong and buy their stuff instead of paying the tax. Did you see any pictures of Apple store during any of the Apple product launch?

I don't know Chinese mentality. I don't know Hong Kong. You are right.

Do you think Chinese customers are loyal Apple fanboys? When everyone wears a Rolex, do you still want to buy a Rolex for yourself?

[coolspot18]

Originally Posted by apple-win

Hong Kong is a small city with very good subway system. It does not need two giant Apple flagship stores which locate in the very expensive downtown area. The rent is very very expensive.

Hong Kong attracts ALOT of mainland visitors and international tourists. I think that's why they put the store there.

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Originally Posted by apple-win

Do you think Chinese customers are loyal Apple fanboys? When everyone wears a Rolex, do you still want to buy a Rolex for yourself?

Yes, because the iPhone like a Rolex is a status symbol. Only the rich can afford it.

As long as Apple is an "it" product... it will continue to sell well in Hong Kong/China.

[zukernik]

[SemperMac]

Great, BUT what about the Apple Store at Kurfürstendamm (Ku'damm) 26 in Berlin ... they have been working on that for years now ... when will it FINALLY open!?!?!?!?!?

http://www.mr-gadget.de/apple/2012-0...-am-8-november

[Jeans89]

In a few years time we will read news about individual Apple stores that are going to be closed. I think Apple has opened way too many of these.

[xofruitcake]

Originally Posted by apple-win

I don't know Chinese mentality. I don't know Hong Kong. You are right.

Do you think Chinese customers are loyal Apple fanboys? When everyone wears a Rolex, do you still want to buy a Rolex for yourself?

If you want to find out how Apple do in China, start reading some Chinese Apple message board like this one. Iphone 5 launch is so so in China at this point. A lot of the same scuff-gate and wifi problem that US customer experienced and the re-sellers are not doing a good job in handling them.

http://bbs.weiphone.com/thread-htm-fid-466.html

Apple customer sin China are workers, students, business man/woman etc and they are the minority (may be 10-20% of user population). Pretty much the same as in US and Europe. Not sure about your Rolex comment. Is Rolex even relevant in today luxury good market??? And I don't see how it is related to the discussion on hand.

[jayducharme]

$50 million a year in rent seems a bit excessive. I'll be interested to see if they sell that much product out of that store each year.

The glass front strikes me as odd and unnecessary. The huge aluminum-clad pillars dominate the view. Why not just fill the openings between the pillars with glass? Seems like that would create a much cleaner frontage and allow for the same views inside the store.