Apple has been promising to open physical stores in India for quite some time now, but those plans appear to have been delayed due to Covid restrictions. However, as per a report by Indian Express, it appears that the iPhone maker may soon launch two retail stores in the country. This development comes under the backdrop of media reports suggesting that Apple has also started hiring employees for various retail locations.
Where are Apple’s retail stores coming up?
The Cupertino tech giant will reportedly open its retail stores in Delhi’s Saket and Mumbai’s Bandra Kundra Complex, both considered prime commercial spaces in the respective cities. The report suggests that Apple may take up an entire floor at a mall or spot glitzy high-street plots, spread over an area of 20,000 to 25,000 square feet.
Apple in 2019 reportedly took a 20,000-square-foot place in Jio World Drive, a shopping mall in Bandra Kurla Complex. However, the pandemic and its restrictions delayed the opening.
What will an Apple flagship store offer to customers?
Currently, you can still find several “Apple” stores in your city. However, they are only Apple-affiliated third-party stores. You can still walk in and buy an iPhone or any other Apple product physically from any such store, but they won’t promise the flagship store experience like Apple’s official retail stores — also known as “town squares” — delivers in countries such as the US, UK, France, Spain, Taiwan, or Japan.
For starters, official Apple retail stores are known for their sales executives — dubbed “geniuses” — who are there to assist you with technical expertise and guidance, to help you choose the product you need or to offer technical support as well.
As mentioned earlier, Apple is reportedly hiring technical specialists, business experts, senior managers, store leaders, and "genius" (in-house speak for its sales executives) for its retail operations in India.
Apple's recent job listings show new openings for 12 retail roles at "various locations" throughout the country. Several job descriptions refer directly to flagship retail operations. At least five employees in Mumbai and New Delhi have reportedly posted on LinkedIn that they have been hired for retail store operations.