Finally, Apple Stores Opened in India: What is So Unique?
********************
On April 18, when it is anticipated to debut its first real retail location in India, all eyes will be on Apple. At 11:00 IST, the Jio World Drive Mall in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai, will welcome the first Apple Store in India. On April 20 at 10:00am IST, Apple Saket, the second shop, will open at Select CITYWALK in New Delhi. Apple Stores are renowned for their layout, customer service, and the fact that they always have every Apple product that is offered for sale in that nation in stock.
This week's episode of the Gadgets 360 podcast Orbital features a conversation with presenter and reviewer Pranav Hegde and senior reviewers Sheldon Pinto (I), who will be at the Apple BKC store on launch day, and Jamshed Avari, the executive editor. We talked about everything from the overall aesthetic of Apple Stores to our experiences in them and what makes them unique.
In India, the idea of an Apple Store is relatively new. So, we first talk about how they differ from one another and whether the store's concept is unique in the first place. This has more to do with how exclusively Apple performs what it does and less with the specialty of the shop. There are authorized retail stores from companies like Maple, Aptronics, and others that have a layout similar to the Apple Store (but are not a duplicate). However, the actual Apple Store operates rather differently, which is something that might surprise most customers or visitors, in our opinion.
While having a helpful and experienced staff may be a must for any licensed shop, local retailers may struggle to compete with the option to browse through every accessory offered for sale in India.
We also talk about our own first-hand encounters with Apple Stores overseas. Stores in other locations might not be as unique, even though some of them are highly unique in terms of location, architecture, and design. It will therefore be intriguing to watch how Apple approaches and bases the designs of their stores on the cultures of these two Indian towns.
Apple Stores are about the experience as much as the aesthetics and makeover. Stores have a reputation for frequently hosting local performers, hosting workshops, and more. A focus on education is also present, with Apple devices playing a major role.
Finally, we explore how Apple may approach the Indian market differently. How it might alter how most consumers currently view and interact with Apple service and support. And how the establishment of the first of hopefully many future Apple stores in India has been made possible by the company's online store.
Remember to subscribe to The Tech Expert Website wherever you are listening. Likewise, kindly give us a rating and a review.
