So, I'm at the opening of the fancy new Apple Store on Manhattan's Upper West Side. They're talking about how awesome their retail is and whatnot. I'll have pictures up shortly. But for now, digits.
• They hit 170 million visitors this year, and 10 million people hit Genius Bars for personal training.
• Sales per store — $US26 million, which is just below what Macy's, Target and Best Buy make per store. But, if you look at the real estate, it's a slightly different picture. Apple Stores do sales of $US4300 per square foot which is five times the $US872 per square foot Best Buy does.
• Wow — over 100,000 applicants on file for jobs at the Apple Store worldwide, 10,000 people submitted applications for the new Upper West Side store. Just over 200 got a job.
• Apple realised they were going too small with their stores, so now all of their stores will be at least "three tables wide". In other words, they're going to be bigger. They're also going to be opening more stores next year, more like 50. More of them will be "significant stores", iconic ones like the Fifth Ave store with the Apple Cube. And they'll be going more international, adding stores all over Europe, like the UK, Paris and two in Shanghai getting those "significant stores".
OK, BIG NEWS. They're gift-wrapping for the first time ever. And you can reserve presents. Your Christmas is now officially complete. You're welcome.