“Apple’s move to make Best Buy an outlet for the iPhone back in 2008 is proving a wise one — lucrative, too,” John Paczkowski reports for AllThingsD.

“Over the past few years, the retail chain has become an increasingly important outlet for Apple, extending its reach and distribution via its 1,100 stores,” Paczkowski reports. “About 600 of them host an Apple Store-within-a-store, most of those in geographic locations that Cupertino feels are too small to support a dedicated Apple store. And they’re selling a lot of iPhones. Almost as many as Apple itself, according to new data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).”

Paczkowski reports, “According to CIRP’s data, Apple sold 15 percent of all iPhones purchased in the U.S. during the period of the survey (retail: 11 percent/online: 4 percent). Meanwhile, AT&T sold 32 percent via its online and retail stores; Verizon, 30 percent — again, online and off; and Sprint, 7 percent. And Best Buy? The big-box retailer sold 13 percent, just 2 percent shy of Apple itself.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Interestingly, Wal-Mart and Radio Shack are among the “other” category which totals a mere 3%.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers "Carl H." and "Dan K." for the heads up.]