In the UK, it’s sometimes difficult to tell what Apple thinks of the country. On one hand, you’ve got it building one of the finest Apple stores in the world on Regent Street. On the other, Apple didn’t show up to the MacLive Expo last year, which has resulted in a name and focus change to CreativePro Expo, leaving the UK without an Apple Expo of its own, and also disregarding consumers.
Professionals will either have to go to Paris or put up with a lot of Windows on display (during prior ‘joint’ shows of this kind in Britain, the balance was weighted at least two-to-one in favor of Windows), but at least consumers shouldn’t have too many problems accessing Macs, due to the British mainstream continuing to embrace Apple products.
Time was that Macs in the UK were some mysterious device that you could only sample by braving a typically snooty Mac reseller–and that’s if you could find one. Now, Apple has a bunch of its own stores, several branches of the John Lewis department store carry Macs, and upmarket high-street retailer Marks & Spencer also offers Apple products (including iMacs) in its larger stores.
However, the most telling example of the potential for Apple’s resurgence in the UK is found in the Argos catalog released this weekend. Argos is the largest retailer of general goods in the UK, with over 700 stores, which are basically fronts for warehouses. The idea is that you grab a cataglog, take it home, mull over purchases, and then select and pay for items in-store, where they’re picked up from the collection desk.
Although Argos has an online service, akin to the likes of Amazon, its high-street presence means it’s arguably just as important in the UK from a retailing perspective. And the point of this post? Argos now stocks Macs.
In the latest catalog, three flavors of MacBooks are on offer, along with the 20″ iMac. Although pricey compared to the PC junk Argos also carries, the Macs really look the part, shouting ‘buy me!’ from the page. So now, perhaps for the first time ever, Macs–rather than just iPods–are truly accessible to everyone in the UK.
34 responses to “Mainstream British retailer embraces Apple (pip pip!)”
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!
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…
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: 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.
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.
@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?
Great graphic, by the by.
@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.
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
@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.
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…
@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.
I never went to G. Britain, but I bought my first Mac, because of Dave McKean, a Brit painter/photographer/film-maker/comix artist …
@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.
Congratulations! I’m sure Argos will move a few Macs.
@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.
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.