By the close of this past summer, Apple had 393 retail stores in operation around the world - an expansive presence that generated some $16 billion in merchandise sales the previous year. And this past week, as Apple announced its Q4 earnings, a clue as to Apple's 2013 retail plans was revealed.
Apple says it will challenge "aggressive competition" in multiple aspects of its industry, including retail, suggesting that it will "intensify significantly" its efforts to keep competitors at bay. Some of these rivals, Apple claims,
"imitate some of the features of the company's products and applications within their own products or, alternatively, collaborate with each other to offer solutions that are more competitive than those they currently offer."
As a result, Apple wants to do whatever it takes to continue trouncing its rivals. This will include opening nearly three-dozen additional retail stores before the end of 2013. All told, this is tantamount to Apple's retail growth in 2012.
"The growth in net sales during 2012 was driven primarily by increased demand for iPhone following the launches of iPhone 4S and iPhone 5, strong demand for the new iPad and iPad 2, and higher Mac net sales," Apple's filing reads. For 2012, Apple retail sales have accounted for 12 percent of total net sales.
Source: LA Times
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