“Electronics retailer Best Buy, which announced Wednesday that it will be expanding its Mac pilot program to about 200 stores, is expected to introduce a radically improved store-within-a-store concept at some locations,” Katie Marsal reports for AppleInsider.
Marsal reports, “‘We believe Apple’s store within a store at Best Buy will be much different compared to the current pilot store rollout, which was a table with Apple products on it,’ PiperJaffray Sr. Analyst Gene Munster told clients in a research note Wednesday evening. ‘The difference,’ the analyst added, ‘is we expect some (smaller number) of these 200 stores will have walled-off Apple stores, while others will have improved layouts.'”
Marsal reports, “Best Buy plans to expand its Mac pilot to approximately 200 stores by fall 2007, up from 57 stores today. While that will account for only a 2 percent increase in physical Mac distribution points, Munster said his calculations indicate that the volume of visitors through Best Buy will actually equate to around a 10 percent increase in overall Mac exposure. ‘The relationship is headed in the right direction,’ wrote Munster. ‘Evidently the pilot is succeeding for both parties, which could result in a full expansion to Best Buy’s 822 retail stores.'”
Full article, with photo of Apple’s current “table” display at a Best Buy location, here.
MacDailyNews Note: PiperJaffray maintains an “Outperform” rating with a $124 target on Apple Inc. (AAPL).
Related articles:
Best Buy to expand Apple Mac sales from 50 to 200 stores – April 04, 2007
Best Buy: Apple TV available in all 822 U.S. stores starting Tuesday – March 22, 2007
Best Buy ads: ‘Make Your Move to Mac’ – just weeks after Windows Vista consumer debut – February 19, 2007
Apple expands Mac pilot program to 47 Best Buy locations nationwide – November 14, 2006
Best Buy test-selling Macs using Apple-trained Best Buy employees – June 21, 2006
Since it worked so well for CompUSA.
will this be staffed with apple sales people? that’s the only way it will work
“Since it worked so well for CompUSA.” Actually it did work very well for CompUSA!
I hate dumass comments like this. Apple Sales were one of the few things that were doing very well for CompUSA! And it was due to the fact that they had Apple employees “ASC’s” in most of them! CompUSA’s reasons for closing were more due to an inability to compete with the BB’s and others on HDTV’s and other HE electronics. Which they’re focusing on heavily in there remaining stores with the $440 million Slim is investing in them.
BB needs to just look inside a Frys Electronics store to see how it’s done.
Most of our local CompUSAs are closed but BB is right across the street.
plus,
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British Hostages are FREE – and BTW, FU Iran.. !
Sadly they are certain to also feature idiot-salesmen-within-blue-shirts as well.
Wow, brought the new Mac home last. I is easier to use, Yes. As a matter of fact, too easy….
I wanted to create a few php and html files with the editor. I did, it worked great.
Now when I try to access the html file, the editor shows it as a webpage. I “opened with” just about everything I could open it with and all I get it a nice formatted page….
I want to see my code… This is easy enough to do on 99.9% of the computers in the world. But I guess it just doesn’t work on a Mac huh?
“Actually it did work very well for CompUSA! “
Sure did, since they closed half their stores.
Best Buy is the next to get the “kiss of death” from Madonna err… Apple.
Why would BB need to look at how Fry’s does anything? BB is the number one electronics retailer in the country and is turning a profit when most aren’t. And, yes they’ll be staffed with Apple employees! Do you think BB is that dumb?
I think that the Apple store-within-a-store at Best Buy idea will be more akin to what MicroCenter does. That is, they have a separate mini-showroom for Apple’s products that looks more homely than the rest of the store. Not like CompUSA, where the Apple section looks (in terms of shelving and furnishings) just like every other section of the store, with the exception of the Macs that look better than everyone else’s products (which happens to be the MDN Magic Word).
MW: products. As in, “Microsoft makes third-rate products, while Apple makes world-class products.”
You didn’t read what I said obviously “Wise Guy” What a bunch of dumbasses on this site! (Not all of you mind you just the ones that make stupid uninformed comments like this)
“Now when I try to access the html file, the editor shows it as a webpage. I “opened with” just about everything I could open it with and all I get it a nice formatted page…”
If you’re using TextEdit just click the “Ignore rich text commands” check box when you’re opening the file.
I want to see my code… This is easy enough to do on 99.9% of the computers in the world. But I guess it just doesn’t work on a Mac huh?
Duh, do a “save as” Text or look into something like this
http://www.barebones.com/products/bbedit/
Jimmy, what makes you think that Micro Center has been so successful? I haven’t seen them expanding to more markets! They do have a nice Apple dept, but they often have people staffing them that don’t know enough about Macs to really be effective and they have such a snooty attitude when a PC customer comes in to ask question. Almost as if a Mac is too good for them! What CompUSA and BB will do is focus on the switcher and actually add to the Mac’s market share! If you’re in a roon and you can’t leave it. Then you’re not going to be effective talking to PC users about why the Mac is a better way! With the BB plan and CompUSA’s it was very easy to approach a PC user and say “let me show you something better”
Leader – I am glad you had such a positive experience with the Apple stores within the CompUSAs you visited. I wish I could have received the same service with mine. However, that was not the case, and a Google search proves that a lot of people shared my impressions rather than yours. It would not surprise me that management’s ability to run a top-flight Apple department varied widelyfrom one CompUSA to another. Believe me, as someone who cared about Macs, if you had visited the CompUSAs where I live (the Boston area), you would not have gone back a second time.
Also, in your reply to Jimmy, I believe you neglected to call him a dumbass. I am sure you will rectify this oversight soon enough.
Apple needs all of the exposure they can get, especially now that CompUSA is on the way out. Not every city can have an Apple Store, so Best Buy is probably the next best thing since they are virtually everywhere.
And for those of you that hate Best Buy, simply don’t shop there then. I don’t know why you would even care about this since you can still get your Apple stuff other places.
Nice to see Wiseguy on site, God forbid we comment on a Mac story without some #@$@ing MS troll jumping out from under a bridge to shake his d#@k at us.
I mean, what is it? Zune Tang was at least funny. But Wiseguy is hanging out all day like he has nothing better to do. I suspect he is one of four types of people:
1. A MicroSuck employee who is trying to rattle us up;
2. A government employee who has an internet connection and nothing else better to do;
3. A homeschooled thirteen year old with poor socialization skills; or
4. A shut in who has no other way of getting people to listen to him.
I’m really starting to hate it that people are jumping on discussion forums for other OS’s to troll and flame bait. I’m come to the realization that insulting other people on line will not get them to change their preferences. So to trolls, I can only say to grow up and get a life.
Welcome aboard, New Mac User!
Magic word “step” as in step up and help out switchers.
“Some” and “May” in the same headline doesn’t give me confidence.
I do wish they would say which stores!
Leader: To clarify, I only referred to the layout of the Apple section, not the salespeople. I hope you’ll get the helpful and knowledgable salespeople.
“1. A MicroSuck employee who is trying to rattle us up;
2. A government employee who has an internet connection and nothing else better to do;
3. A homeschooled thirteen year old with poor socialization skills; or
4. A shut in who has no other way of getting people to listen to him.”
5. The same jobless protester that shows up at anti-fur rallies, anti-war rallies, anti gun rallies, anti……….”
At Best Buy, that is.
Dear Follower,
I’m sorry to leave out Jimmy in my reference to “Dumbass” and I’ll make the point of telling him that he too is a dumbass now!
As you yours and my experience. It’s true that an experence from one location to another can and do vary, but the CompUSA managment has very little to do with that experence. It’s the Apple employee that makes the difference! The managment really stays out of their way and lets them do what they’re trained to do.
Hiya!
For all you US military types, I just discovered an Apple Authorized Reseller booth in my local BX. I’m overseas. Maybe this has been the case in the US for some time but it’s the first time I’ve seen it in England. Anecdotally, as soon as they come in, they get scooped up.
Looks an awful lot like the Apple sections at Fry’s electronics. I hope all the BB stores get these, especially the one by my house!
I’ve bought a bunch of mac stuff-including the G5 I’m typing on now-at MicroCenter at St. David’s and the service there has never been anything other than excellent.
No trying to bait and switch me, no please buy our warranty crap, and the Mac section is well organized at staffed.
I’ve overheard the staff talking to other customers and they’ve always given good information.
They even still stock some SCSI and ADB stuff for ancient macs.