Apple to Open Its Largest Chinese Retail Store in Shanghai

[MacRumors]

Following closely on the heels of rumors of Apple pursuing a new retail store location in Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal, The Wall Street Journal reports that the company is continuing its focus on the Chinese market with plans to open a new store in Shanghai that will stand as Apple's largest in that country.

The company is planning to open a new store - it's biggest in China - on Shanghai's famous Nanjing Road, an Apple spokeswoman has confirmed to China Real Time after news of the plan appeared in Thursday's Beijing Youth Daily.

The newspaper reports (in Chinese) that Ron Johnson, the company's senior vice-president of retail, said the company is now looking for bigger spaces to accommodate the crowds that routinely pack its China Apple stores, which are visited by more than 40,000 people per day–four times the average traffic in their American stores.

The store would be Apple's third in Shanghai, with an additional two in Beijing. Johnson had noted in early 2010 that Apple was looking at opening up to 25 retail stores in China over the following 24 months, but according to today's report the company may be slowing that timetable slightly as it focuses on building larger stores than originally planned.

Apple has reported on a number of its earnings conference calls that it has targeted China for a concerted retail effort that has been paying significant dividends with explosive sales growth and retail stores that rank as the company's top performers worldwide in terms of foot traffic and sales.

Glass tower of Apple's Pudong store in Shanghai in foreground
Apple opened its first Shanghai location, a subterranean store bearing a landmark cylindrical glass tower on the plaza above, in the city's Pudong district last July. A second Shanghai store opened on Hong Kong Plaza in September.

Article Link: Apple to Open Its Largest Chinese Retail Store in Shanghai

 

[iPhoneCollector]

Wonderif they have a giant red apple instead of the white one.

 

[funkyT80]

i think its funny that china actually took to heart all the pictures of "the city of the future" that were flying around in the 50's.

"All buildings must look like cartoon spaceships!"

 

[osx11]

While you're in China, you can just pick up your Apple gear directly from the factory.

 

[finder39]

i think its funny that china actually took to heart all the pictures of "the city of the future" that were flying around in the 50's.

"All buildings must look like cartoon spaceships!"

hahaha so damn true.

I do have to say though. The underground Apple store sounds EPIC!!

 

[notabadname]

Looks like a screen capture from Star Trek or something. Cool architecture in the background.

 

[funkyT80]

hahaha so damn true.

I do have to say though. The underground Apple store sounds EPIC!!

Didn't say it wasn't cool

 

[Full of Win]

I wonder if they allow haggling / price negations ?

 

[flottenheimer]

Congratulations to China. I'm still crossing my fingers for an Apple Store in Copenhagen / Denmark, though. Even a small one would make my day.

 

[Dr McKay]

Keeping my fingers crossed for Lincoln UK. Voted by the Nation as the 'Geek Capital City of the North'

 

[Chupa Chupa]

All your Apples Are Belong To Us!

Sinserially,

Hu J.

 

[camelsnot]

Congratulations to China. I'm still crossing my fingers for an Apple Store in Copenhagen / Denmark, though. Even a small one would make my day.

Why? It's just a store. They don't house the holy grail there. You can't pet Woz or Jobs in a petting zoo. Order iGear online and save youself the stuffiness and fake smiles observed all the time at the Apple Store. So much pretense there it's stifling.

 

[dexx0008]

You can't pet Woz or Jobs in a petting zoo.

damn. time to change the family vacation plans again.

 

[Nebrie]

Why? It's just a store. They don't house the holy grail there. You can't pet Woz or Jobs in a petting zoo. Order iGear online and save youself the stuffiness and fake smiles observed all the time at the Apple Store. So much pretense there it's stifling.

Genius bar

 

[gkarris]

i think its funny that china actually took to heart all the pictures of "the city of the future" that were flying around in the 50's.

"All buildings must look like cartoon spaceships!"

Looks like a screen capture from Star Trek or something. Cool architecture in the background.

Yes, looks like "Tomorrowland" at Disney...

(Where they get all that money?) Did I just say that?

 

[Doctor Q]

While you're in China, you can just pick up your Apple gear directly from the factory.

Even if you can't grab your gear right off the assembly line, the shipping times must be a lot shorter!

 

[Tabris82]

What Apple needs to do is make a store in Manchester CT! Get on it !!

 

[acslater017]

Why? It's just a store. They don't house the holy grail there. You can't pet Woz or Jobs in a petting zoo. Order iGear online and save youself the stuffiness and fake smiles observed all the time at the Apple Store. So much pretense there it's stifling.

It's nice to drop by an Apple store in person. You can get help from the Genius Bar, see new products hands-on (who knew the iPod Nano was actually that thin?!), and test products in person for extended periods of time. It's the best electronics retail experience in the industry, in my opinion.

 

[Consultant]

i think its funny that china actually took to heart all the pictures of "the city of the future" that were flying around in the 50's.

"All buildings must look like cartoon spaceships!"

It's just that one. Here are the other buildings:
http://www.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=shanghai+bund

 

[ghostlyorb]

I always love how beautiful photos of Shanghai look. I would love to see that Apple store!

 

[mcmlxix]

Why? It's just a store. They don't house the holy grail there. You can't pet Woz or Jobs in a petting zoo. Order iGear online and save youself the stuffiness and fake smiles observed all the time at the Apple Store. So much pretense there it's stifling.

Holy Grail, petting zoo, pretense...well if you're looking to find the first two with out the last one, then the store isn't for you. But maybe you should hold your sarcasm and not bother yourself with other's want/need.

Sometimes hands on is good...especially for converters. I know people who like the in store classes. I like the Genius Bar.

 

[Laird Knox]

Why? It's just a store. They don't house the holy grail there. You can't pet Woz or Jobs in a petting zoo. Order iGear online and save youself the stuffiness and fake smiles observed all the time at the Apple Store. So much pretense there it's stifling.

Because you can't pickup a web page and try it out.

 

[nagromme]

Looks like a screen capture from Star Trek or something. Cool architecture in the background.

There’s some fun architecture there, but I have to say that one building looks like bad CGI from Babylon 5

 

[Ricebucket]

The camera is facing the wrong direction...

It's funny how some people are praising the architecture in the photo, when the view behind the camera is *much more* spectacular. The Apple Store is nestled between two 60-story skyscrapers --- the IFC. And right behind those are two even taller ones, the two tallest buildings in mainland China --- the World Financial Center and Jinmao Tower. A third tower at the location --- the Shanghai Tower, which will be even taller, is under construction. Some of the most spectacular skyscrapers in the world are located right behind the photographer.

Although I can understand why the photo is taken this way, since framing the photo in the other direction would be very difficult given how the scale of the buildings dwarf that of the Apple Store.

 

[ValSalva]

I was hoping Apple would get out of China completely. Find another place to build the hardware