Piper Jaffray re Apple Computer/AAPL

Piper Jaffray analyst, Gene Munster, addresses 22 unanswered questions re favored investment Apple Computer/AAPL (via AppleInsider)...

Why Are The Apple Retail Stores So Unique?

The difference between Apple retail stores and other stores is that Apple is hoping the real relationship with the customer starts when the customer is buying the product and is at check-out, while with other retail stores, the relationship with the customer ends at check-out. The goal of the Apple retail store is to move customers from making a one time purchase into becoming ongoing participants in the store. Apple wants people to keep revisiting Apple's offerings. Pro Care is an example of this: at $99 a year Pro Care is essentially a membership to the Apple store and all the resources that are available at the store. While the company does not disclose attach rates, we estimate about 25% of people who buy a Mac in an Apple retail store will buy Pro Care. If you assume that Apple will sell 200,000 Macs in its retail stores in CY07, that is 50,000 members at $99 a year, or $4.9m in income from store memberships. We believe the retail strategy gives customers the ability to go deep (Genius Bar and Studio) and, ultimately, buy more Apple products. It is the strong Apple service element that is really driving more revenue per customer. As a sidepoint, Apple is starting to create a more definable career path for its retail store workers (more full time positions) to try to retain its top employees.

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As always, I welcome all comments, particularly from those readers especially savvy re Apple Computer's products. C'mon, don't be shy!
-- David M Gordon / The Deipnosophist