18 comments

I’ve also noticed them creeping in to more and more high-street electronics retailers; it used to be that your average Dixons or Comet would only carry Windows machines, but Apple machines (MacBooks in particular) are starting to show their faces. The march of progress!

Mat Hall, on July 28th, 2008 at 3:03 am

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iPod Tell » Blog Archive » Mainstream British retailer embraces Apple, on July 28th, 2008 at 3:49 am

Pip pip yourself! John Lewis have carried Macs for years, 10 to my certain knowledge, both in-store and mail-order - and you get a 2-year guarantee, too, twice what you get from Apple themselves. Even so, Argos is a bit of a breakthrough, I grant you…

Mike Petty, on July 28th, 2008 at 5:47 am

While I still havn’t taken the jump to mac from PC yet, this will no doubt encourage myself and other people. If only there were more apple stores throughout the uk.
I still think I’ll buy a macbook (hopefully an upgrade soon) through my university so I can get a reasonably good discount, although I dont know if the UK apple store offers free ipods with student purchases like the US apparently does

Matt, on July 28th, 2008 at 5:58 am

@Matt: All things considered, I don’t think the UK’s hard done by when it comes to Apple Stores. There are 16 at present, with more on the way. (Although where’s the promised store at Reading’s Oracle mall, just down the road from me, Apple, eh? EH?) In addition, there are various resellers (a few of which are on the high-street, like iStore in Basingstoke), and the likes of M&S, John Lewis and large Tesco branches also offer Macs.

The Argos thing is, however, a bigger deal in some ways. There’s an Argos in pretty much every high-street, and this means that Macs are now accessible like never before in the UK. Here’s hoping Argos sells enough iMacs and MacBooks for them to become permanent fixtures in the catalogue.

As for your specific situation, I don’t know anywhere currently offering free iPods with a laptop. In fact, hardware discounts aren’t amazing anyway - the major savings are usually in software for students.

Craig Grannell, on July 28th, 2008 at 6:34 am

I agree there are a good number of Apple Stores in the UK. I’d also like to ask what happened to the Reading Oracle Store? The next closest one is Kingston and that’s a nightmare to get to from here. How am I supposed to impulse buy Apple goods if it takes over an hour to get to the store?

As for the student discount, there’s an Apple education online store that shows the student discounts available. It’s linked from the bottom of the UK online store.

Alex, on July 28th, 2008 at 7:08 am

@Mike - you beat me to the punch on John Lewis. For we Yanks, the best comparison to Argos is Service Merchandise (if there are any left). But I’d dispute the High Street reference. Most that I’ve seen are in rather “low rent” areas, or just off the High Street. (For those who aren’t familiar with the term, High STreet is the equivalent of Main Street or Downtown.)

And the last time I visited one three years ago, the merchandise at Argos could be described as inexpensive. There are a few high priced, quality items, but the catalog was generally discounted goods. The shops were a bizarre mix of toasters, garden furniture, loe end stereos/boom boxes, and pillows and shams. Unless Argos changed their product mix, which they might have to avoid a direct battle with ASDA (the UK branch of Walmart), I’m surprised Apple would distribute through them. I can’t see anyone getting sales advice from the clerks behind the counter.

I’d have stuck with John Lewis and maybe moved upscale. Perhaps select Marks & Spencer (some of these are real dumps). If it weren’t for the Apple store on Regent Street, I could see an Apple shop in Harrods, or maybe even Harvey Nichols.

But maybe Apple is going after the secondary urban and suburban markets, and is willing to sacrifice caché for sales. What do I know?

imajoebob, on July 28th, 2008 at 8:42 am

Great graphic, by the by.

imajoebob, on July 28th, 2008 at 8:51 am

@imajoebob: I guess it depends on the area, but around here (Reading, Basingstoke, Camberley, Fleet, Farnborough, etc.), Argos is either in malls, on high-streets, or just outside the ‘main’ mall in a shopping area. As for its product mix, the catalogue is now massive, and it’s trying to be all-inclusive, from two-quid toys for kids through to high-end TVs. The fact Macs are now for sale at Argos is great, purely from an exposure standpoint.

Also, it’s probably worth noting that British mentality regarding distance is very different to that of many Americans. Generally, we don’t travel far. An Apple Store in major centres isn’t enough, because people simply won’t travel to them. By utilising Argos, Apple now has at least some presence in most town centres. However, an Apple sticking to high-end retailers only won’t increase market share and will end up like the Apple of the 1990s. Frankly, I’d be happy to see Macs for sale in every Tesco if it’d help sales.

@Alex: I’ve no idea what happened to the Reading store. It was supposedly confirmed back in 2007, and contracts were apparently signed. However, something must have gone wrong, because it’s still not there. Last I heard, rumours suggested Apple was looking for spots elsewhere in Reading, perhaps on one of the 50 billion retail parks. If you’re in the local area and want an Apple fix, try iStore in Basingstoke’s Festival Place mall. I can’t remember the exact location, but it’s upstairs somewhere.

Craig Grannell, on July 28th, 2008 at 8:51 am

Since we are missing an Apple store up north (Maybe the far north of england i.e Newcastle, etc isnt a financially viable market), easier access to a mac will no doubt be appreciated by many

Martin, on July 28th, 2008 at 12:05 pm

@Craig Thanks for the heads-up Festival Place is a lot easier for me to get to than Kingston. I’ll hunt down the iStore next time I’m there.

Alex, on July 28th, 2008 at 1:37 pm

Argos sold Macs in the past. I remember pricing up an LC475 (is that right? Blimey, memory like a thingy) and spotting that they did them, but far more expensive than Computer Warehouse who I eventually wnet with (for a Performa ooh what was the model… it came in two varieties, all-in-one proto-iMac and a tower…

Actually the Argos was the Performa model of the LC, the pizza box one.
Their stocking of Apple only lasted one or two catalogues IIRC - this was around the time that everyone was saying Apple were doomed…

Jonathan, on July 28th, 2008 at 2:30 pm

@Craig, that was my speculation about product mix, and the locations. And you’re right about distances. People thought I was a little touched that I’d take a bus to the Southwark Tesco for my weekly shopping instead of using the smaller one nearby at Picadilly. But I’m sticking with my preference for adding Apple shops within better M&S locations, and then using Argos in areas that still have the dingy 1960’s-era M&S. Like Woolwich, where they’re right on the same block, and the Woolworths at Elephant & Catle was a nicer shop (but I know the Regent Street store makes that superfluous).

But the newer catalogue makes sense to use Argos in the Grimsbys and Wools.

imajoebob, on July 28th, 2008 at 2:52 pm

I never went to G. Britain, but I bought my first Mac, because of Dave McKean, a Brit painter/photographer/film-maker/comix artist …

deocliciano, on July 28th, 2008 at 3:44 pm

@imajoebob: Apple can’t really do an either/or with something like Argos. Either the entire chain carries Macs, or none of the stores do. Regarding M&S, the larger stores do now carry Macs (there are about a half-dozen on display in my local and giant-sized store), and with that chain now focussing on a broader market (still relatively high-end, but increasingly aiming towards the middle ground), Apple kit is a good fit. Like I said, the more the merrier, really.

Craig Grannell, on July 29th, 2008 at 1:08 am

Congratulations! I’m sure Argos will move a few Macs.

Partners in Grime, on July 29th, 2008 at 6:22 am

@Craig, I wasn’t very clear, but I understood it was all or none, and agreed with you (for the sake of Grimsby). Though I’d still go with the M&S, setting up and supporting mini Apple Stores on the sales floor, unless there’s an alternative big electronics chain in enough towns like Best Buy here in the States.

There was one right next to the big Tesco in Southwark, but I can’t remember the name.

imajoebob, on July 29th, 2008 at 12:45 pm

With M&S, I think it comes down to store size and remit. The store near me is massive, and one of the largest in the country. Its electronics section fits right in, and the Macs look great. However, most M&S stores simply aren’t large enough to carry electronics.

Regarding electronics chains, there are a few survivors here, including Currys, Comet and PC World, although most are owned by DSG International. Their relationship with Apple has been extremely variable, and PC World stores in particular have historically offered a shoddy and dated row of dead Macs that are barely looked at, due to sales staff finding it easier to shift dreadful low-end PCs. Perhaps that’s changed of late; truth be told, I’ve not stepped foot in a PC World in about two years.

Craig Grannell, on July 29th, 2008 at 3:20 pm