Apple Inc. is preparing to open its eighth store in Shanghai this month, adding to its largest retail network after the US at a time iPhone sales in China are slowing. The new retail space, Apple Jingan, is located in the center of the city that already hosts the largest number of Apple stores in the Chinese mainland. Opening on March 21, it will be one of 47 locations across the country of 1.4 billion.
Cupertino, California-based Apple’s iPhone has seen sales slump in China since the debut of its latest iteration in September. Even so, the country remains a vital market with the world’s largest smartphone consumer base and potential for growing sales of ecosystem accessories like the Apple Watch.
The new Shanghai store is part of a broader expansion by Apple that will see it revitalize its retail operations with new and remodeled locations. The company plans dozens of new, relocated or refreshed stores over the next few years, Bloomberg reported in June.
Last year, Apple Inc. said it is working on plans to expand and revitalize its retail chain, aiming to push deeper into China and other parts of Asia while overhauling established locations in the US and Europe.
Through 2027, the iPhone maker is discussing opening 15 new stores across the Asia-Pacific region, five locations in Europe and the Middle East, and four additional outlets in the US and Canada, according to people with knowledge of the deliberations. The company is also aiming for six revamped or relocated stores in Asia, nine in Europe and 13 in North America, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. In total, the company is proposing 53 new, relocated or remodeled stores over the next four years.
Apple looks to bring fresh luster to its 22-year-old retail operation, which is one of the world’s most venerated chains but also has contended with pandemic woes, customer service problems and labor unrest in recent years. The idea is to build Apple’s brand in growth markets, such as India, while also giving consumers in the U.S. and Europe a better experience.
