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The Apple Store is a chain of retail stores owned and operated by Apple Inc., dealing with computers and consumer electronics. The stores sell Macintosh personal computers, software, iPod, iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and select third-party accessories. All stores offer a Genius Bar for technical support and repairs, as well as free workshops available to the public, while some high-profile stores feature a theater for presentations and workshops and a studio for training with Apple products. Under the leadership of Ron Johnson, the former senior Vice President of Retail Operations, the Apple Stores have, according to an article in ''The New York Times'', been responsible for "() the boring computer sales floor into a sleek playroom filled with gadgets". Apple stores have a standardised appearance with light wood tables and a general minimal design. With global sales of billion in merchandise in 2011, Apple leads the United States retail market in terms of sales per unit area.〔 Apple has 463 retail stores in 18 countries and an online store available in 39 countries.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=The Apple Store – International )〕 ==Description== Many stores are located inside shopping malls, but Apple has built several stand-alone "flagship" stores in high-profile locations. Flagship stores have opened in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Beijing, Bologna, Boston, Bordeaux, Brisbane, Brussels, Chicago, Düsseldorf, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Geneva, Glasgow, Haarlem, Hamburg, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Houston, Istanbul, London, Madrid, Montreal, Munich, New York, Osaka, Paris, Perth, Portland, San Francisco, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Strasbourg, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Turin, and Zürich. Each store is designed to suit the needs of the location and regulatory authorities. Apple has received numerous architectural awards for its store designs, particularly its midtown Manhattan location on Fifth Avenue, whose glass cube was designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. Several flagship stores feature glass staircases,〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=ifo AppleStore - List of Glass Staircase Stores )〕 which for multi-level stores was originally intended to attract customers to visit the upper floors, and some even feature a glass bridge. ''The New York Times'' wrote that these features were part of then-CEO Steve Jobs' extensive attention to detail. The first glass staircase received a design patent in 2002 from the US Patent and Trademark Office with Jobs' name first, followed by several others, while the staircase design itself received a design patent, and the complex glass and hardware system received a separate technical patent.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Staircase Page Patent C )〕 Apple worked with architect Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and engineer Eckersley O'Callaghan Structural Design in designing the staircase.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=ifo Apple Store - Glass Staircase )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Eckersley O’Callaghan )〕 The Apple Store in Regent Street, London, was the first to open in Europe in November 2004, and is the most profitable shop in London with the highest sales per square foot, taking £60,000,000 pa, or £2,000 per square foot. The Regent Street store was surpassed in size by the nearby Apple Store in Covent Garden, which was surpassed in size by the Grand Central Terminal Apple Store, New York City, in December 2011. On May 19, 2006, a Glass Cube entrance Apple Store was open in New York’s Fifth Avenue. The Apple Store Fifth Avenue is Apple’s most architecturally innovative store, featuring a distinctive 32-foot glass cube that creates a stunning new destination on Fifth Avenue, one of the world’s most popular shopping areas. The Apple Store Fifth Avenue open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to offer an unprecedented level of service. Ron Johnson, Senior Vice President of Retail Operations until November 1, 2011. Following his departure, it was reported that while Johnson was responsible for site selection, in-store service, and store layout, inventory was controlled by then-COO and now CEO Tim Cook, who has a background in supply chain management. After 2011, Apple transferred retail leadership to first John Browett, who was rapidly removed after unpopular attempts to cut costs, followed by Burberry executive Angela Ahrendts.〔(Press Info ) (29 October 2012).(Apple Announces Changes to Increase Collaboration Across Hardware, Software & Services ). Apple Inc. Archived 29 October 2012.〕 Of the 43,000 Apple employees in the United States 30,000 work at Apple Stores. Due to the popularity of the brand applicants for jobs at Apple Stores are numerous with many young workers applying; pay is modest but generous benefits are offered. The pace of work is high due to the popularity of the iPhone and iPad. Employees typically work for only a few years as career prospects are limited with no path of advancement other than limited retail management slots.〔 Apple Store employees make above average pay for retail employees and are offered money toward college as well as gym memberships, 401k plans, healthcare plans, product discounts, and reduced price on purchase of stock. The retention rate for the technicians who man the Genius Bar is over 90%. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Apple Store」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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