Don't Redesign Apple Stores To Sell Watches

When Steve Jobs passed away in 2011, his close friend and senior vice president of design at Apple , Jonathan Ive, became the "creative soul of the company," as a former executive at the tech giant told The New Yorker. Everything design-related at the company falls to Mr. Ive including, as it turns out, store design.

According to the same New Yorker article, Mr. Ive is working with Angela Ahrendts, the former Burberry CEO who joined Apple as senior vice president, retail and online stores last spring, to remodel the company's stores for the debut of the long awaited Apple Watch.

While details are scant on the changes coming to the Apple Store, it appears as though Mr. Ive plans the Apple Watch area to be more upscale to reflect the device's fashion image and price. To support his position, Mr. Ive recalled a comment he overheard from an unnamed individual who said, "I'm not going to buy a watch if I can't stand on carpet."

In an online discussion this week, some from RetailWire's BrainTrust of industry insiders saw an upgrade to the iconic look and feel of Apple's retail outlets as a must for the brand.

“Apple has to prove itself again,” said Liz Crawford, vice president of strategy and insights at Match Drive. “Since Steve Jobs passed away, Google has come on strong and many of the Apple innovations feel like old hat. So the time is right for Apple to give itself a makeover. In fact, part of the purchase price for Apple products is the 'gee-whiz' factor and (at least token) participation in a larger community of innovators. Apple has to continue to make good on that brand promise, or risk losing equity.”

“A major product launch requires reallocation of space, especially given the flat iPad business right now,” said Dick Seesel, principal at Retailing In Focus. “The stark color scheme and flat surfaces designed for 'playing' also require a reboot for the much different product demonstration needs of the Apple Watch. It will be interesting to see what other luxury design elements are brought to what has been a very successful formula.”

Others warned, though, that a redesign built specifically around the Apple Watch could be a big mistake.

“Apple Stores are the epitome of designing a store stage around the consumer experience,” said Chris Petersen, president of Integrated Marketing Solutions. “The worst thing Apple could do is redesign stores around a product category or one specific consumer segment. So yes, it is the right time to refresh for an even more connected consumer experience across products. But please do not redesign Apple stores to sell watches, or Apple cars or the next 'big thing.'”

“Apple shouldn't forget what it's selling — technology and technological chic," wrote Ryan Mathews, CEO of Black Monk Consulting. "A hi-tech sensibility isn't the same thing as fashion. Maybe the anonymous man who wouldn't buy a watch without standing on a carpet ought to be asked if he feels the same way about buying a computer. That's the real test.”

“Hiring someone from Burberry (for $73 million, no less) to re-do the Apple Stores sounds a bit like J.C. Penney hiring Ron Johnson away from Apple to fix its problems a few years back,” said Warren Thayer, editor and managing partner at Frozen & Refrigerated Buyer. “Perhaps Apple just doesn't know what to do with all its money. There's certainly overlap between the Burberry customer and the Apple customer, but they aren't one and the same.”

“Most Apple customers I know couldn't care less about carpet when they buy a watch. But what do I know? I live in Vermont, with my iPhone, MacBook Air and iPad,” said Mr. Thayer.