Apple Centres

[Veljo]

I live in Australia, and when I was nine years old I headed and bought myself a Macintosh LC575 from a store. I loved it. I still do (even though it's so sad!)

The fact is, ever since the introduction of 'Apple Centres', Apple Computers are only sold in these stores. It's so dumb! I, for one, attend high school. The closest Apple Centre is almost half an hour drive away, and it is only open on weekdays. There is no way I could ever step foot in this store because of the times.

Also, don't you think that if somebody saw a futuristic Apple in a computer shop running Mac OS X sitting next to an ordinary computer or a sad attempt at a futuristic looking computer from Hewlett-Packard or Compaq that the Apple would come out on top? That way Apple Computer would bring back a lot of their customer's interest (including me).

I hope somebody from Apple reads this. It is so important!

 

[TiBrian]

I completly agree with you - and for anybody that doesnt know, Apple pulled out of general retail here in about 1996, meaning department stors like Harvey Norman or Myers (think CompUSA and Sears) dont sell ANYTHING Apple or anything specificly for the Macintosh.

Here in Canberra its really pathetic. There used to be only once "AppleCenter" that has always been around, at the ANU University campus. Then there were 2 other resellers, both in the same street, both with the same darth of products.

Now Apple has opened two other AppleCenters in major shopping centers, but really they shouldnt have wasted their time. I was in one the other day - shoebox size, literally HALF bare sheves, almost zero accessories or software, and the only things on display were a new imac and a second hand (pre-quicksilver) G4. This is pathetic -- how are people expected to buy something they cant even see? Granted, there have been a few variations in the displays -- there was previously an iBook in the window along with some old Apple II computers (im not kidding).

Come on Apple -- get it together and get some products into your damn stores!!

 

[symphonix]

I've just moved out to Ballarat, Australia, and the Applecentre here is a joke. They have one iMac on display, a G3 running OS 9, and it shares the front showroom with a number of expensive Dells with flat-panel screens. While the Apple-Centre idea may work well in large population centres, the model just doesn't work for small towns outside the U.S.
I remember saying to the one-and-only Apple expert there, who is only there for limited parts of the week, that this wasn't going to impress many people.
"If I want a new iMac on display, I'm going to have to buy one."
This is a far cry from the AppleCentres in Melbourne, or even Geelong (where I usually travel for accessories), where they usually have each and every current product line well presented up front, lots of software and accessories in the middle and a handful of second-hand systems up back (all cheap, well maintained and well supported).
Apple Australia should consider reviewing their approach to try and get macs out there into regional Australia.

 

[Matrix Agent]

The problem with retail is that they don't put the macs next to the lame gateways of compaqs. They hide them in the corner where its easy to miss, and don't bother puttting up signs. That way, people can just scoff and say,"sh***y macs" and never visit that part of the store. I think Apple has the right idea by opening their own stores. If they can have real trained people instruct people and tell them why macs have advantages, they will sell many more computers than if they hide the macs in the corner of circuit city.

- edited by Moderator (I didn't change the meaning of the message!)

 

[Koelling]

I am glad to say that my one stop shop for Mac stuff is CompUSA and it isn't too far from where I live. The closest Apple store is 30 minutes away, and that's not including the time it takes to find a bus out there since I have no car.

CompUSA still falls into the trap of pushing the Mac section to the back of the store however I have to walk past the gateways and the dells to the Mac corner. They just need better management to change the floor plan. The "Mac Guru's" they have are wonderful. They are always able to answer questions from a more experienced user like me or debunk myths that the people who wander over from the dell side. I also think they keep that corner of the store cleaner because they just care. People who don't own Macintosh computers don't understand and that's why Apple started pulling them from retail stores. They couldn't get people to understand and care enough to present the Mac computer as it really is. A friend more than machine.

Okay.... That was a weird tangent so it must be time to hit the sack.

 

[alexachucarro]

I worked in an Apple Centre for seven months in Sydney. There were about 15 Apple Centres. That's more than London!!! Anyway, I worked on George Street, and there were always visitors from other parts of Oz moaning about your situation.

I do feel sorry for you , BUT, you're a very young country and give yourselves a chance. Your country is about the same size as western Europe with the same population as Greater London. How can you expect all that availability?

BUT, saying that, Apple does do a grand job of looking after the US market a lot better than anywhere else. Apple UK recently was disbanded as a sepparate entity from Apple Europe. Now everything's ran from Paris?! Never mind.

Saying that, when I went to NZ, i found TWO apple shop!!!! Parnel Rise, Auckland and somewhere near the cinema in Christchurch. They have a worse situation.