New Apple Store in Glasgow

setanta5

Hey all, was just wondering if anyone had heard there was a new Apple store opening in Glasgow? Its gonig to be at the top of Buchannen St, Going to head down next Saturday for the grand opening!

But it has made me wonder just how long Dublin will have to wait for an Apple store. I mean Manchester has 2!!! Surely Dublin could support 1. Are the stores franchised or are they apple owned and operated? What are the criteria for a town getting a store?

su_dios

I'd say we would have had one if it wasn't for 02 and 3g. The main apple store here is in spectra photos at the bottom of grafton street and its opening house are very bad and its about the size of my bedroom. We really should have a bigger store over here.

Cabaal

Yeah I believe O2 and 3G stores have fecked up our chances of getting our own Apple Store, its such a shame too because there's really nothing like a apple store.

Sure you can order a MacBook Pro from 3G but they barely know what a Mac is never mind them giving you advice on it :

setanta5

I'm actually living in Glasgow now so I'm a bit excited about it...sad i know, but will go to the opening anywya. They're giving away free stuff and competitions to win a Macbook and ipods and stuff.

ethernet

Good stuff. Know someone living there. My perfect excuse to visit. Expect it to be better than my Mac experience in those 3G stores here.

Thumper Long

according to apple ireland it will be at least 4 years before there is a store here. Apparently the delay is due to the difficulty in setting up in a new region and its not really worth the effort for only 1 store. they need to setup a new business model etc for a new region. this is why there is no problem opening up new stores in already established regions like the UK, sounds like a load of rubbish, but thats their line on it.

mikemac

Sure isn't Ireland basically the same market as the UK? I don't see the need for a brand new business model which you say will delay things.
Sorry, I'm sure someone might take offence to this but there's little difference in retail between Ireland and the UK.

It'd be great to have an Apple store as the staff in 3G are clueless which is crazy as it's probably the most expensive product they have on display.

Bluefoam

Part of the reason is that the retail centre in Dublin has very large question marks hanging over its head. Even though Grafton street has the best reputation, the store sizes are too small for most international retailers. Harrods are rumoured to be looking at a location on the north side of the city (as are BT). The Arnotts development is going to change the retail landscape, as are other projects under way on the north side. The long-term plan is to pave Westmorland St (where there are larger buildings for retail) and link both sides of the city and bring the provenance back to O'Connell St.

This is all due in some way to the fact that the wealth is now spread across both sides of the city & although there is still some snobbery, the social divide has closed somewhat.

So the retail scene is not secure at the moment & it may be too soon for apple to make a move. However, if harrods were to make an announcement, I'm sure there would be a flurry of activity in the retail sector.

Thats just my opinion...

mikemac

Very interesting, thanks

spidermonkey

i sent a complaint once to o2 about the staff in one of their stores & their lack of knowledge about macs. what ever way i phrased it i dunno, but the reply i got back was more of a thank you and would i like to come in for a job interview.
i had a smile on my face for days after it.
i'd say if the staff new and used macs themselves, sales might increase.
the whole jobs reality distortion thing might erupt in store.:D

su_dios

spidermonkey wrote:

i sent a complaint once to o2 about the staff in one of their stores & their lack of knowledge about macs. what ever way i phrased it i dunno, but the reply i got back was more of a thank you and would i like to come in for a job interview.
i had a smile on my face for days after it.
i'd say if the staff new and used macs themselves, sales might increase.
the whole jobs reality distortion thing might erupt in store.:D

What I never understood is ..they sell macs only and this is the same in 3g.. BUT the staff use pcs. Surely if they had some imacs lined up and they were more on display rather than being hidden it would have more of a positive affect. Its like he we want you to buy a mac..but yeah we don't use them or know how to

setanta5

Another thing i've found is that stores in ireland are generally not keen for you to come in and use the machines. I was in scotsys in Glasgow and when the new imacs were in they were genuinely excited to show them off to customers. With something like that its about the user experience. Getting someone to touch and feel how it works is all part of the sales process. In 3G stores or PC world or somewhere they don't show off the machine and if they do have it on display they hover around you the minute you start playing with it.

they guy in scotsys (while he probably didn't have all the facts straight) asked me what i was interested in using. told him Imovie so he pulled out a HD camcorder and we begand messing about in it to see what it was like. To me thats the way you make a sale. At the time i was dropping in a machine for repair but if i was a PC user sitting on the fence about my next machine he probably would have done enough to get my custom...just by letting the machine do its stuff. To me they sell themselves but only if you get to use them properly...instead of just seeing them on a shelf

K.O.Kiki

su_dios wrote:

What I never understood is ..they sell macs only and this is the same in 3g.. BUT the staff use pcs. Surely if they had some imacs lined up and they were more on display rather than being hidden it would have more of a positive affect. Its like he we want you to buy a mac..but yeah we don't use them or know how to

It's obviously because PCs are sooo much superior to your overpriced/unfunctional/(insert Mac-stereotype of choice) crapware OS only designed for yuppies//noobs/(insert Mac-stereotype of choice) who only get off on the shiny plastic/metal/glass looks of it.
[/troll]

Cabaal

The simple fact is 3G stores don't use Macs for general use because they hardly know how to use the floor models

To get them using Macs then they'd have to train their staff and Eircom don't like spending money on such things imho,

Gonzo

the apple store in London is great, course we use it for the wrong reasons i.e. after an afternoon of walking around oxford/regent street ye pop into the apple store for 20 minutes to check ur email and surf the net for a bit then head back out again! Aside from that it is an amazing store and it has plenty of great items on display which I would love to buy but simply cannot afford! Its a reall shame they dont have a similar store here.

Dublinstiofán

K.O.Kiki wrote:

It's obviously because PCs are sooo much superior to your overpriced/unfunctional/(insert Mac-stereotype of choice) crapware OS only designed for yuppies//noobs/(insert Mac-stereotype of choice) who only get off on the shiny plastic/metal/glass looks of it.
[/troll]

Don't agree with that to be honest i use windows and Mac's and Macs are much more stable.
They are hugely overpriced in Ireland though, not so much in the States, reasonable over there.

Cabaal

Dublinstiof&#225 wrote: »

Don't agree with that to be honest i use windows and Mac's and Macs are much more stable.
They are hugely overpriced in Ireland though, not so much in the States, reasonable over there.

Dublinstiofán, he was being sarcastic

440Hz

K.O.Kiki wrote:

It's obviously because PCs are sooo much superior to your overpriced/unfunctional/(insert Mac-stereotype of choice) crapware OS only designed for yuppies//noobs/(insert Mac-stereotype of choice) who only get off on the shiny plastic/metal/glass looks of it.

I wholeheartedly concur with this. Crappy Macintosh junk!*


*note this statement may or may not be true.

Thumper Long

micmclo wrote:

Sure isn't Ireland basically the same market as the UK? I don't see the need for a brand new business model which you say will delay things.
Sorry, I'm sure someone might take offence to this but there's little difference in retail between Ireland and the UK.

Thats the common sense approach, I you dont see the need either do i, just change the vat rates and corporation tax rates and hey presto, but the main european giblets are not keen on a potential market of 1 store, as they see only Dublin as a viable location, "their view not mine", only passing along the info i was give from their head of sales.

Bluefoam

Guys accept it, Ireland only has a population of 3.8m. The Apple store has to exist under its own right but must also drive sales through the rest of the region. & 3.8m people aren't enough to be too concerned about.

London has 10m & Manchester has 2.5 but a greater satellite population...

Richard

Bluefoam wrote:

Guys accept it, Ireland only has a population of 3.8m. The Apple store has to exist under its own right but must also drive sales through the rest of the region. & 3.8m people aren't enough to be too concerned about.

London has 10m & Manchester has 2.5 but a greater satellite population...

It might make sense to have one in South Down given that they wouldn't have to worry about entering a new market and that it would be in commuting distance of much of the Republic as well as NI.

They might have difficulty finding an up-market enough location;) , though there is that Outlet Village near Banbridge.

mikemac

Newry would be a good location, roughly equal distance to Belfast and Dublin and it's very easy to get to Newry.

Now who do I email with the suggestion?;)

Bluefoam

Okay guys, get real. Have a look at where Apple has opened stores worldwide & tell me if they were opened in A) an outlet store a town famous for being the location of a mediocure supermarket.

There will be an Apple store eventually, but let the experts work out the details...