A shame really!
It's about time Apple expand their retail stores to more European countries.
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Apple Constructing Second Retail Store in Turkey, May Open This Fall
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A shame really!
It's about time Apple expand their retail stores to more European countries.
There are many retail stores in Turkey, that sell Apple exclusively. They are owned by the official reseller, PUPA (http://www.pupabilisim.com.tr). The new Apple stores are actually owned and run by Apple themselves.
A few people in this thread have complained about stores being opened here when they think their aren't enough elsewhere. Well, this is simple economics. Turks love apple products, particularly iPhone and iPads, they can't resist them. Pretty much anyone who can even barely afford them, buys them, then buys them again and again when new models are launched. Turkey's economy has done well in the past 10 years, so more and more buyers can dig deep enough to get their hands on a prized Apple product, so they sell big volumes. It's still a developing market too, and saturation point is still far off.
The only real competitor is Samsung, who are seen by many as a distant second in desirability. This is odd in a country with a relatively low GDP, as iPhones and iPads are by far the most expensive options, more expensive than almost anywhere in Europe. Strangely, other Apple products compare well price wise, Macbooks are cheaper here than in the UK, and compare well with US pricing.
Put simply, Apple are following the money in a growth market where they are already the product most young people aspire to, and Turkey's population is young, upwardly mobile and eager to spend.
A few people in this thread have complained about stores being opened here when they think their aren't enough elsewhere. Well, this is simple economics. Turks love apple products, particularly iPhone and iPads, they can't resist them. Pretty much anyone who can even barely afford them, buys them, then buys them again and again when new models are launched. Turkey's economy has done well in the past 10 years, so more and more buyers can dig deep enough to get their hands on a prized Apple product, so they sell big volumes. It's still a developing market too, and saturation point is still far off.
The only real competitor is Samsung, who are seen by many as a distant second in desirability. This is odd in a country with a relatively low GDP, as iPhones and iPads are by far the most expensive options, more expensive than almost anywhere in Europe. Strangely, other Apple products compare well price wise, Macbooks are cheaper here than in the UK, and compare well with US pricing.
Put simply, Apple are following the money in a growth market where they are already the product most young people aspire to, and Turkey's population is young, upwardly mobile and eager to spend.
Just to add a few more lines to the above message:
1) There are other exclusive Apple APRS İN THE COUNTRY: the already mentioned PUPA is probably the largest chain (in the number of shops), ARTI/TROY follows Pupa with the biggest number of shops in Istanbul town. Plus othermini chains or individual APRs in other major towns.
2) I can start comparing the situation in Istabul with Hong Kong: in HKG there are three Applestores, one of them is a real mammoth over three storeys. Starting from Fridays they are really swarmed with buyers and fans (not only locals, but with Chinese coming from Mainland as shopping tourists, plus those arriving from Taiwan and even Australia... The APR network is pretty much the same as in Istanbul, something round 20 APRs belonging to 4-5 chains. Ironically these are not crowded at any day and time of the week; if you just pop in for an iPhone screen protector; they will gladly do it for you free-of-charge for the handling and there willbe at least two staff idling around, while you are served...I'm a bit relieved and comforted as I see the APRs in Istabul attract a much higher volume of buyers than those in HKG.
3) Other than reasons like young aged buyers/users, technological attractivity, etc. in this country a very important issue has been the following: APPLE PRODUCTS ARE EXPENSIVE EVERYWHERE. But they were excessively expensive till recently, until the first Applestore opened in Istanbul (and the Internet Store also became online a few months earlier...). Now the local retail prices (except for the iPhones where the State levies very abnırmal duties for importing...) are pretty much the same as in USA retail prices (w/o state particular Sales Taxes) plus 18% VAT (something unavoidale). This price improvement really banged out the salesfor İPads and laptops!
1) There are other exclusive Apple APRS İN THE COUNTRY: the already mentioned PUPA is probably the largest chain (in the number of shops), ARTI/TROY follows Pupa with the biggest number of shops in Istanbul town. Plus othermini chains or individual APRs in other major towns.
2) I can start comparing the situation in Istabul with Hong Kong: in HKG there are three Applestores, one of them is a real mammoth over three storeys. Starting from Fridays they are really swarmed with buyers and fans (not only locals, but with Chinese coming from Mainland as shopping tourists, plus those arriving from Taiwan and even Australia... The APR network is pretty much the same as in Istanbul, something round 20 APRs belonging to 4-5 chains. Ironically these are not crowded at any day and time of the week; if you just pop in for an iPhone screen protector; they will gladly do it for you free-of-charge for the handling and there willbe at least two staff idling around, while you are served...I'm a bit relieved and comforted as I see the APRs in Istabul attract a much higher volume of buyers than those in HKG.
3) Other than reasons like young aged buyers/users, technological attractivity, etc. in this country a very important issue has been the following: APPLE PRODUCTS ARE EXPENSIVE EVERYWHERE. But they were excessively expensive till recently, until the first Applestore opened in Istanbul (and the Internet Store also became online a few months earlier...). Now the local retail prices (except for the iPhones where the State levies very abnırmal duties for importing...) are pretty much the same as in USA retail prices (w/o state particular Sales Taxes) plus 18% VAT (something unavoidale). This price improvement really banged out the salesfor İPads and laptops!