Vietnam is about to have a physical Apple Store?

Bloomberg sources revealed that between now and 2027, Apple wants to open 15 new Apple Stores in Asia- Pacific , 5 in Europe and the Middle East, 4 in the US and Canada. The iPhone maker also plans to remodel or relocate 6 stores in Asia, 9 in Europe, 13 in North America.

Apple wants to breathe new life into its 22-year-old retail operation, which has been plagued by challenges in recent years including the Covid-19 pandemic, customer service issues and employee protests. The company aims to build its brand in markets like India, while also providing a better experience in Europe and the US.

Apple wants to breathe new life into its Apple Store chain. (Photo: Bloomberg)

The most notable Apple Stores under discussion or in development are three in India, one in Malaysia, and an upgraded store in the Opera shopping district in Paris. The company will also soon open a store at Battersea Power Station in London, another in Miami, and a flagship store at Jing'an Temple Plaza in Shanghai.

Some locations and dates are still proposals or internal projects, meaning they could be delayed or canceled. However, many Apple Stores are already in development and Apple has agreed to lease land.

Apple currently has more than 520 stores in 26 countries, about half of them in the United States. While highly profitable, the Apple Store chain is more about branding than sales. The majority of Apple’s revenue comes from other channels such as e-commerce. Still, physical stores are an important place for customers to buy on official release days, receive technical support, and attend training classes.

Retail operations are led by Deirdre O'Brien, one of Apple's longest-serving executives, while store construction and maintenance are overseen by Kristina Raspe, who oversees global real estate and facilities.

According to internal documents, Apple operates four types of retail stores: standard stores in shopping centers, Apple Store+ located in outdoor shopping centers or streets, flagships in key areas with unique designs, and flagship+, the largest and most expensive. Standard Apple Stores typically bring in more than $40 million a year, while Apple Store+ contributes more than $45 million. Flagship stores record revenue of more than $75 million, while flagship+ is more than $100 million.

The focus of the expansion plan is the Asia- Pacific region, with 21 new or remodeled locations by 2027. The market generated about $130 billion in revenue for Apple last year, nearly a third of its total. Countries like India have emerged as a key growth driver, with Apple opening its first two stores there in April.

Later this year, Apple will open a new store in Wenzhou Shi (China), upgrade its flagship store in Shanghai, and add two stores in Korea. This will bring the total number of Apple Stores in Samsung's homeland to 7.

In 2024, Apple plans to open its first store in Malaysia, located in Kuala Lumpur. In China, it will open a new store at Jing An Temple Plaza; renovate its Pudong store in Shanghai and possibly open its first store in Foshan.

Despite increasingly tense US-China relations, Apple remains dependent on the country of a billion people – both a major production base and a large consumer market. CEO Tim Cook praised Apple’s relationship with China during a business trip earlier this year.

In 2025, Apple is discussing opening a third store in India and possibly relocating its store in Perth, Australia. The company may open four new Apple Stores in China and remodel its store in Ginza, Japan.

Apple is planning to open its fourth store in India in 2026. The US tech giant is also planning to build a new Apple Store in Yokohama, Japan, and relocate a store in Shibuya Marui. The fifth store in India will open in 2027.

In Europe, Apple wants to open a store in Battersea, London, in June. The company plans to open a new Apple Store in Madrid, Spain, and relocate a store in Milton Keynes, England. Europe contributed more than $95 billion to Apple last year, accounting for about a quarter of global revenue. The UK is the company's third-largest retail market, with about 40 stores.

Overall, O'Brien wants to improve the Apple store experience. Complaints from both customers and employees have spiked in recent years, and the chain has lost some of its former appeal.

On May 18, Apple opened an online Apple Store in Vietnam. Usually, the online Apple Store is considered to "pave the way" for the physical Apple Store in the market. For example, in India, the online Apple Store opened on September 23, 2020, while the physical store opened nearly 3 years later. However, based on the retail chain expansion plan provided by Bloomberg , it seems that Vietnam is still not on the global Apple Store "map", at least until 2027.

(According to Bloomberg)

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