back to article Apple stores? Samsung says two can play at that game

Samsung has fired another shot across Apple's bow, having announced that it plans to open a chain of own-branded retail stores across Europe. It won't do it all on its own, though. Instead, the Korean giant plans to crack the European market with the help of local "preferred partner" Carphone Warehouse. The UK-based mobile …

COMMENTS

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  1. James R Grinter

    Carphone Warehouse?

    well, that worked out well for Best Buy.

    (Ther's been a Samsung shop in Westfield East London since Micro Anvika pulled out. Never seems busy when I've walked by)

    1. ThomH

      Re: Carphone Warehouse?

      Copying the Apple Store plan also seems to be working brilliantly for Microsoft. The company itself has declined to give any specifics; the only analyst's guess I can find on Google puts them at a quarter as profitable per square metre.

      At least if Samsung are doing this with Carphone Warehouse we can be certain they're not going for anything particularly ambitious.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Carphone Warehouse?

        World of difference between an Apple Store and a corner of a Carphone Warehouse. Apple train their staff to know a lot more about their products - they provide setup and training in-store - it's just not the same. Suspect it's purely going to be about 'sales' or are they going to handle repairs / replacements in store as Apple do?

        1. Intractable Potsherd

          Re: Carphone Whorehouse?

          My experience of Carphone Whorehouse is that the staff know nothing about the stuff they are selling, and everything about not letting you get out of the door without buying something. The ones I've dealt with hate it if you go in with no more than what I regard as the bare minimum of knowledge about what you want to buy (what you want it for, how long you want it, some clue about what different networks are offering, how much you are willing to pay, and a shortlist of no more than three handsets).

          A competitor of CW in Coventry was worlds apart when I went for my Galaxy Note - but, of course, YMMV.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Carphone Warehouse?

      Wonder how much of the price of a Samsung handset is marketing. They seem to I've stuff away all the time, expensive advertising, in-store promos / incentives for staff but that is all ultimately paid for by the customer. Then when you look at handsets like the Moto G you wonder why anyone would buy either a slightly cheaper Samsung 'Mini' or even the S3/S4. I can understand why people pay a premium for Apple - it may not be popular to say it on here but you do get better service and they are better made - but I can't see any reason for buying a Samsung over a Motorola at this time?

      Motorola runs the latest Android now and does not have the same crapware and it's significantly cheaper than the S3/S4.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Somewhere to sell their televisions I suppose. Won't have the same impact as the Apple stores as all their technology is copied......

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Good luck to them

    May I suggest Samsung to copy everything except the price, if they want to make an impact ?

    eg

    SGS 3 should be £149 by now !

    Or SGS 4 should be £299 by now, given their 6-8 monthly upgrade cycles.

    OR Tab 3 to be £69 by now. They could do it after Christmas for 79 , so why not now ?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Good luck to them

      So because you want to buy stuff for less, Samsung should sell it for less? I think they'd prefer to copy Apple's profit making "price to what the market will bear" strategy rather than your race to the bottom commodity strategy.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Watch Out Samsung

    Isn't the concept of these exclusive stores also patented by Apple? Sounds like another mega lawsuit in the making no?~~

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Watch Out Samsung

      YYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWNNNNNNN...

  5. stu 4

    not true

    There's been a samsung experience section in both the heathrow t5 dixon stores at least for the last 4 months or so.

    1. Captain Queeg

      Re: not true

      So partnering with Dixons AND CPW?

      Can there ever have been a more mediocre retail strategy, heh heh.

  6. Kebablog

    Not a bad idea......

    But wondering if they'll have repair facilities located in the stores? That's one area where Apple score well (assuming you have an Apple store near you).

    More electronic retailers are welcomed on the high street as we've not got many left now. Chances are I'll still shop at John Lewis.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Just in time for the dip - good timing. With other manufacturers like Motorola (now Lenovo), HTC and even cheaper Chinese brands Samsung look like they are going to have a hard time of it. The Moto G is basically as good as (better than) the Galaxy S3 but the S3 is about 60% more expensive.

    Samsung must also be losing money due to all the marketing spend on many of it's low end models - would not be surprised if the extra cost of the S3 was largely 'marketing' and when people realise this you have a problem.

  8. AceRimmer

    They will probably be more reminiscent of Sony Centers which IIRC pre-date the Apple Stores

  9. bigtimehustler

    Not long till Apple sue for patent infringement then...probably for copying their idea of opening up a shop and selling products...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      YYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWNNNNNNN...

  10. David Nash Silver badge

    Re. Not a bad idea

    They do have repair facilities, and while I am an Android user and have very little time at all for Apple and their (what I consider) unwarranted lawsuits aimed at Samsung, I was in the Samsung store in Westfield Stratford yesterday, and I have to admit it struck me as extremely reminiscent of the Apple Stores

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Re. Not a bad idea

      Try looking at the iPad and Samsung's first tablets - even their lawyers could not tell them apart - or the iPhone and Samsung's new phones - then wonder WHY there may be lawsuits?

    2. Aaron 10
      Mushroom

      Re: Re. Not a bad idea

      Wow! You're a patent lawyer? Tell us more?

  11. Ascylto

    Apple Store

    Samsung ... copying Apple ... never!!!

  12. Angol

    Already in Poland

    There at least two Samsung Stores in Poland. The first opened not far from where I live in Warsaw in April lasting year. Its staff are well-trained and it has a service department. On my last visit they sorted out on the spot and without charge a software hiccough on my Note II that I'd been unable to fix with any tool or download available on Sammy's site.

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