Apple Retail's Emphasis on Profits Continues, Tied to Operational Perspective of Cook and Browett

[tenks]

yea. this is one of the many things, post-jobs, that will contribute to the Apple bubble bursting in the next few years.


Mark my words.

[class77]

I wonder if this retail philosophy hasn't already spilled over to the hardware/software philosophy of churning out a new OS every year and isolating perfectly functioning hardware from getting the newest software(like iCloud). It's not because the hardware can't run it, it's simply to force customers to constantly update.

I think the kinder/gentler approach makes you more money in the long run. Positive experiences and product innovation has been very, very good to Apple. I don't know why they would change a winning philosophy only to return to the days of Sculley. Surely Apple has seen that doing everything solely for the buck almost ruined the Apple last time.

[Yebubbleman]

1. For all of you doomsaying Tim Cook and the future of Apple under his leadership, please take some time to remind yourselves of the fact that Tim has been with Apple since 1998. Since that time, coincidence or not, Apple has pulled itself out of its own pile of **** and moved on to do many of the things that we all love it for today. His views on retail might not be best, but to say that he will bring about Apple's downfall now that Steve Jobs is dead is downright ignorant.

2. Having been to both a Microsoft Store and an Apple Store this evening, and having done this taste test since the first Microsoft stores opened, I've found both tonight and really, ever since the Microsoft Stores have opened, the Microsoft Store is a much warmer and welcoming experience. Since they opened a few years, ago, I've felt rushed in the Apple Stores; I've felt like a sheep being herded when in actuality, I have my own agenda for visiting. I don't attribute that to Browett or Cook; I attribute it to Apple attempting to push to streamline their retail operation. In the last year however, I've noticed that unlike in the Microsoft Stores, in the Apple Stores, they now treat me like I'm a complete moron despite that I have seven Apple certifications (my ACMT included) and can school even the head genius on everything on the floor and in the back. In the Microsoft Stores, they can tell that I'm not a moron and upon doing so, they treat me like an actual fellow human and not like a customer that inherently doesn't know what they're talking about. I suppose I could attribute that practice to Browett, though placing such blame seems silly. The point is that there's a problem and it's global.

Originally Posted by AustinIllini

Well that's a fair argument except for a few things.

You can't say Microsoft is 100% focused on great products because they still managed to release poor products. Among these are Windows Vista, the worst operating system in the past ten years, Microsoft Office, which for all the high points, is still bloated and cursed by its own monopoly, windows media player, which is awful, internet explorer, which is only a market leader because it is default.

I get that you're not happy with Apple's retail policy, but that does not mean that Microsoft is about to commandeer smart phone supremacy from Apple. You want to see bad retail, take a half hour and go into a Microsoft store. The store is uninteresting, the people are far less helpful, and the products have no innovation.

I haven't had that experience with the Microsoft Store at all. Most people that I talk to there know what they're talking about and they don't treat me like I don't. The products don't lack innovation; they just lack Apple's fit and finish. There's a difference. You'll find laptops there that are faster and technologically superior to even the fastest MacBook Pro. Retina display they may not have, but performance that gives the non-retina 15" MacBook Pro a run for its money, that they have in abundance. And no, I'm not a Microsoft fanboy; I just see fault in your argument.

[tenks]

Also...I never said it out loud or talked about it...but I don't like Tim Cook running apple. All I own is a 4 year old ipod classic. Not a fanboy, just a fan. I'm a fan of what apple was and that was steve job's doing. I liked the vibe and ideals of the company. Not so much anymore.


Tim Cook does not belong at the top running apple, I don't care if he's the smartest and best MBA in the history of man. It's like replacing Walt Disney with Michael Eisner. It just doesn't work.

You don't replace visionaries with business degrees.

[pandamonia]

Tim Cock and John Biscuit will run apple in to the ground.

12 more months and Jobs legacy will run dry and they will be in crisis.

Steve Jobs made this company and they will struggle without his leadership and vision.

Tim Cock has no vision. All he sees is $$$$

[yegon]

It's been said many times, but the appointment of Browett was a truly terrible step. PC World/Dixons/Currys are all crystal clear examples how NOT to retail electronics.

[Will do good]

Originally Posted by EnderTW

Tim cook isn't Scully but they come from the same line of thinking.

Steve you will be missed.

Couldn't agree more. A suit is a suit.

Steve Jobs, as creative person will alway think of the product first. This is my observation as an ad agency CD.

[MacUser5]

Steve Jobs changed the world.

Tim Cook is changing it back.

[Winni]

Originally Posted by koban4max

Till then keep supporting APPLE.

Why?

Apple is just another American corporation, there is nothing special about that company that deserves anyone's "support". They sell products to make a profit, that's all they do. The rest is marketing bam-bam.

----------

Originally Posted by pandamonia

Tim Cock has no vision. All he sees is $$$$

He's an accountant. What do you expect?

[Will do good]

The more I read about this, the more I missed Steve and his vision of what quality is all about...

[apolloa]

Originally Posted by appleguy123

Browett will destroy the retail store experience for customers. You'd figure that Tim would be smart enough to see this.

Why? Read between the lines and I would say Tim Cook is the one driving this change.

It was nice to experience Apple, but I fear they will start to cut costs in it's devices as well one day now, it's on the slope down now.

I have been wondering why all these game changing senior managers and executives and directors left Apple like rats from a sinking ship, This confirms my theory's, they saw what was going to happen, the 5 or 10 year plan Cook has, they obviously disagreed with it and left, or were pushed out make way for people better at implementing the changes.

People say don't worry, well, when a business like Apple changes the board around, has as much money as it does, and starts "cutbacks, enforcing sales and efficiency over customer experience", you worry.

[Winni]

Originally Posted by Yebubbleman

I haven't had that experience with the Microsoft Store at all. Most people that I talk to there know what they're talking about and they don't treat me like I don't. The products don't lack innovation; they just lack Apple's fit and finish. There's a difference. You'll find laptops there that are faster and technologically superior to even the fastest MacBook Pro. Retina display they may not have, but performance that gives the non-retina 15" MacBook Pro a run for its money, that they have in abundance. And no, I'm not a Microsoft fanboy; I just see fault in your argument.

I'm afraid that nobody wants to hear something positive about Microsoft or any other competitor to Apple here... You know, Apple, by definition of this audience, is the mother of all invention and superior even to ancient gods. Apple can't fail nor can Apple do any wrong. And even if you find evidence for failure, then you're just holding it wrong...

[Mums]

Originally Posted by tenks

yea. this is one of the many things, post-jobs, that will contribute to the Apple bubble bursting in the next few years.
Mark my words.

It just goes to show that there are real differences in people and their approaches. Steve Jobs was a dynamo. Ive is a real artist. Mansfield is a proper engineer. Cook is an operations manager. Everybody has their talent, but there was a magic composition under Jobs which led to success in quality and profit.

[afd]

As there are no Dixons shops left in Glasgow city centre now, this means we will be able to have the Dixons experience by visiting the Apple store!

[Pyrrhic Victory]

Quality, service, price. Pick any two.

[inlinevolvo]

I just switched to Apple for the experience, and it sounds like that could be in jeopardy during the life of my mac.

[MagicWok]

Originally Posted by yegon

It's been said many times, but the appointment of Browett was a truly terrible step. PC World/Dixons/Currys are all crystal clear examples how NOT to retail electronics.

Totally agree. PC World in particular is a store I've vowed never to step into. They're all perfect examples of awful store and customer experiences.

[mbrannon47]

Originally Posted by Drunken Master

Don't these stores make a ton of money already? They're the most profitable chain retail store per square foot in the U.S.:

http://m.gizmodo.com/5903437/foot-for-foot-apple-stores-rake-in-17x-more-cash-than-other-retail-outlets

This is a big mistake that they're making, but it looks like maybe they'll back off a bit after "screwing up".

Hang tight...that's REVENUE per square foot; not profit. We're talking about two different things here. What Cook is reported as saying is that the profits aren't strong enough to warrant the operational costs involved in running the retail stores they way they are.

[Zerotolerance]

Apple's Brilliant Evil Plan: Apple knows all too well that its competition copies its every move, and now that Microsoft and Samsung are copying Apple's retail store model, Apple is one step ahead of them. By adopting the Circuit City/Crazy Eddie retail model, Apple will eventually force its competition to do the same, and Apple is betting that its competition will fail. Apple, on the other hand, believes it will be able to weather the temporary storm of acting just like Circuit City due to 1) better products, and 2) the better Apple experience customers will still be able to get at Best Buy! And once the competition is destroyed, Apple can go back to being Apple, well, Crazy Apple City.

[prestomusic]

Having attended the Carindale Opening on the weekend, there was certainly no sign of cut backs or focus on profits before customer focus. it was quite remarkable the number of staff on hand. Sure it was the launch and the numbers will be scaled back, but no one could argue that the customer was anything but king on the weekend.

Check out the video in this blog post if you're not convinced.

http://www.mattersolutions.com.au/bl...ng-25-08-2012/

[ggmissmolly]

In my estimation most of you are correct. Corporations have evolved to care only about this quarter and this year and their on stock price. Customers are just the cattle that eat too much before they can be turned into profit.

Apple stores were the exception because they (at least) appeared to want to provide customer satisfaction and promote loyalty which they did. The converted me, a long time IBM'er, over to Apple products because of their apparent caring about customers....unlike MS which has long been mismanaged. Unlike the competitors like Dell and HP who produce crap hardware for cheap prices.

Unfortunately I see my fellow Auburn alumnus and south Alabama native, Tim Cook, falling prey to the current corporate fab of screw the customer and maximize short term gains. I want to be wrong but corporations have long ago given up measuring CEO's by whether they leave the company better off than the found it and measure them by this quarters and years results.

This is Wall Street at work and it's the same bull crap that moved American jobs out of America...thanks Tim...and sunk this ship.

[Lennholm]

Originally Posted by Morod

Sorry, you just lost all credibility with me right there. They may make some of the best known guitars in the world, though.

What the hell are you talking about?, the Stratocaster is the best electric solid-body guitar ever designed. Just ask Ritchie Blackmore, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix' ghost etc.

[ChrisTX]

Originally Posted by EnderTW

Tim cook isn't Scully but they come from the same line of thinking.

Steve you will be missed.

Honestly this sounds more like it's Browett. Tim Cook just seems like he's easily convincible, or taking the "Let's give this guy a chance" approach. Sad day for Apple when the worlds most valuable company no longer sees customer service as important. At least there is always ordering from their website.

[Sheza]

Frankly this disgusts me.

[Summersify]

Originally Posted by gooberwilson

Steve Jobs would've never allowed this.

Yeah, but the sad thing is that this time he really wouldn't have...