Natrium sets sights on Apple Store in Clerys building

Cabaal

We "might" finally get a store!

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/natrium-sets-sights-on-apple-store-in-clerys-building-1.2619976

The consortium that bought the Clerys store in Dublin for €29 million is trying to lure Apple to open a flagship retail outlet on the ground floor of the site.

It is understood the Natrium consortium, fronted by D2 Private developer Deirdre Foley, has held numerous discussions with Apple over several months.

Type 17

You can be sure that if towns as small as Norwich and Exeter in the UK have Apple retail stores, then all Irish towns & cities with larger populations than, say, Sligo or Athlone would have had one by now, unless there is a good reason:

Apple's EU HQ is in Ireland, and they are (presumably) registered for tax purposes as a manufacturer/distributor.

They would have to change this status to manufacturer/distributor/retailer, and there is obviously a good reason not to do this.

Graham

Type 17 wrote: »

Apple's EU HQ is in Ireland, and they are (presumably) registered for tax purposes as a manufacturer/distributor.

They would have to change this status to manufacturer/distributor/retailer, and there is obviously a good reason not to do this.

That myth has been doing the rounds for ever, nobody has ever been able to back it up.

Type 17

Graham wrote: »

That myth has been doing the rounds for ever, nobody has ever been able to back it up.

I agree that there is no firm evidence, but I also cannot see why a country the size/population/economic status of Ireland has no Apple Retail Stores, when Apple already has a corporate presence here.

Either way, for whatever reason, I can't see a store opening in Dublin any time soon, if Portugal and Poland don't have even one yet...

Sad Professor

Type 17 wrote: »

You can be sure that if towns as small as Norwich and Exeter in the UK have Apple retail stores, then all Irish towns & cities with larger populations than, say, Sligo or Athlone would have had one by now, unless there is a good reason:

Apple's EU HQ is in Ireland, and they are (presumably) registered for tax purposes as a manufacturer/distributor.

They would have to change this status to manufacturer/distributor/retailer, and there is obviously a good reason not to do this.

This makes no sense. They already operate an online retail store here and pay Irish VAT on sales.

Combination of two reasons why I think there isn't an Apple Store here yet:
- Ireland is a very small market
- Apple products are already very popular here

If only one of these things were true, we might have a store here by now. But since both of them are true, we're a low priority for Apple, who most likely look at every new country they expand to in terms of "how much market share will we gain by opening a store in this place?" In the case of Ireland, the gain would probably be fairly small compared to other regions. Most of their focus now is on Asia.

dmcg90

Sad Professor wrote: »

This makes no sense. They already operate an online retail store here and pay Irish VAT on sales.

Combination of two reasons why I think there isn't an Apple Store here yet:
- Ireland is a very small market
- Apple products are already very popular here

If only one of these things were true, we might have a store here by now. But since both of them are true, we're a low priority for Apple, who most likely look at every new country they expand to in terms of "how much market share will we gain by opening a store in this place?" In the case of Ireland, the gain would probably be fairly small compared to other regions. Most of their focus now is on Asia.

Plus, we are very well covered by iConnect, CompuB, Arnotts, Currys / PC World etc. The only unique things an Apple Store can bring are:

Genius Bars
Brand Experience

There is little to gain from Apple putting a store in here apart from repairs and branding, two things I don't think are going to generate massive revenue for Apple. I'd love to see it happen but I don't think it will, especially for a store the size of clearys. The old HMV unit on Grafton St would make much more sense size wise. Retail at the front, Genius bar at the back.

Sad Professor

And as I mentioned in the other thread, CompuB are 5 years into what is probably a 10 year lease in Grafton Street. They would have had some assurance from Apple that they didn't have plans to open an Apple Store in Dublin in that time. In fact, prior to CompuB opening in Grafton Street there had been rumblings for several years about Apple considering locations in Dublin, which all pretty much died once CompuB opened. It'll be interesting to see what happens when that lease comes up for renewal.

I do think Apple will open a store here eventually, it's just not a high priority right now for the reasons mentioned above.

Johnmb

Sad Professor wrote: »

And as I mentioned in the other thread, CompuB are 5 years into what is probably a 10 year lease in Grafton Street. They would have had some assurance from Apple that they didn't have plans to open an Apple Store in Dublin in that time. In fact, prior to CompuB opening in Grafton Street there had been rumblings for several years about Apple considering locations in Dublin, which all pretty much died once CompuB opened. It'll be interesting to see what happens when that lease comes up for renewal.

I do think Apple will open a store here eventually, it's just not a high priority right now for the reasons mentioned above.

Apple would be highly unlikely to give any legally binding guarantees to a tiny (to them) chain of shops. I would seriously doubt CompuB even got to speak to anyone senior. Assuming they got any reassurance at all, it would not have been from anyone who makes the strategic decisions, and it would have been about as specific as "we've no plans in the short-medium term". CompuB took a business risk that they felt would pay off, and it has.

Red Alert

Once you strip the covers back, CompuB are far from being an Apple Store...

Sad Professor

Johnmb wrote: »

Apple would be highly unlikely to give any legally binding guarantees to a tiny (to them) chain of shops. I would seriously doubt CompuB even got to speak to anyone senior. Assuming they got any reassurance at all, it would not have been from anyone who makes the strategic decisions, and it would have been about as specific as "we've no plans in the short-medium term". CompuB took a business risk that they felt would pay off, and it has.

Certainly any assurances would have been informal, but that's all Compub would have needed. They were and still are the biggest Apple Premium Reseller in Ireland. And one of the few AASPs. Dublin was poorly served by Apple resellers at the time their Grafton Street store opened. They are small but significant in terms of their Apple sales and services in Ireland. It's not in Apple's interests to screw them over by moving in around the corner a few years after they've signed a 10 year lease in the most expensive street in the country.

Anyway, this talk of CompuB reminds me of when their two branches were pretty much the only places in the country to get *anything* Mac related. I remember hassling my mother to bring me down to their old Naas branch to buy software. The place was always empty and seemed on the verge of going out of business. It really felt like I was the only Mac user in the country.

Doodah7

Interestingly, if you use the official Apple store app on an IOS device and search for the nearest Apple Store, it will list Belfast but also all of the CompuB and iConnect stores in Ireland under the Premium Reseller Brand.

I would assume that having the designation Apple Premium Reseller carries some rights with Apple itself. Certainly it must guarantee timely delivery of the very newest product as well as all of the other stuff but perhaps other rights also.