How to Save Apple Until 2007
With Apple switching to Intel chips I am betting that most people are going to hold off on buying new hardware unless it's at a steep discount. While Apple does have the iPod to help with cash coming in here is my Million Dollar Idea, free.
First, a little background: I am sure you have all seen the shot-glasses, pins and shirts that the Hard Rock Cafe sells and many of you have noticed the Starbucks Bearistas and city-specific mugs available in many of their cafes, right? Even if you don't have any yourself I am willing to bet that you know someone who has at least one if not a whole collection of them.
Well, can you think of a brand name that has equally fanatical followers? A computer company that has been rapidly opening stores in majour shopping malls and tourist destinations? Stores that have people lining up days before they open just to get a limited edition t-shirt? If you said Apple you would be correct - so why not leverage those fans and start selling shirts, pins, etc. No sense in letting eBay and Redlightrunner make all the money.
I have been to Apple stores all across the US and bought software once and brought in and picked up an ailing G5 but for the most part I have stopped in to play with a camera, check out new hardware or check my eMail without having to pay for internet access. The G5 was repaired under warranty and obviously checking mail generated no dollars to Apple's bottom line. Meantime, on my last trip I have bought another Starbucks City mug (we are up to four now) and a Hard Rock pin (getting to be too many to count), neither of which we needed nor really have space for but for <$20, figured "why not?"
So what's stopping Apple from tapping this same collectors market? Can't be the profit margin - how much are they making per iTunes track? Pennies? The mark-up on a t-shirt or pin has got to be more than that....
With Apple switching to Intel chips I am betting that most people are going to hold off on buying new hardware unless it's at a steep discount. While Apple does have the iPod to help with cash coming in here is my Million Dollar Idea, free.
First, a little background: I am sure you have all seen the shot-glasses, pins and shirts that the Hard Rock Cafe sells and many of you have noticed the Starbucks Bearistas and city-specific mugs available in many of their cafes, right? Even if you don't have any yourself I am willing to bet that you know someone who has at least one if not a whole collection of them.
Well, can you think of a brand name that has equally fanatical followers? A computer company that has been rapidly opening stores in majour shopping malls and tourist destinations? Stores that have people lining up days before they open just to get a limited edition t-shirt? If you said Apple you would be correct - so why not leverage those fans and start selling shirts, pins, etc. No sense in letting eBay and Redlightrunner make all the money.
I have been to Apple stores all across the US and bought software once and brought in and picked up an ailing G5 but for the most part I have stopped in to play with a camera, check out new hardware or check my eMail without having to pay for internet access. The G5 was repaired under warranty and obviously checking mail generated no dollars to Apple's bottom line. Meantime, on my last trip I have bought another Starbucks City mug (we are up to four now) and a Hard Rock pin (getting to be too many to count), neither of which we needed nor really have space for but for <$20, figured "why not?"
So what's stopping Apple from tapping this same collectors market? Can't be the profit margin - how much are they making per iTunes track? Pennies? The mark-up on a t-shirt or pin has got to be more than that....
posted by -idogcow at 4:50 PM
3 Comments:
I have been told that Steve J & Friends are very picky about Apple-branded stuff. The thinking is that an object that would fade over time or wear out, as clothing does, would not be the kind of item to have the Apple brand on. I agree with you that I think a ton of people would buy Apple swag, though! Doesn't have to be clothing...could be mugs that wouldn't really wear out like clothing. The Apple Company Store at HQ in Cupertino has the only Apple-branded clothing they allow...and anyone can just walk in & buy stuff at the Company Store...you just don't get the employee discount price unless you flash your employee badge. If they only had a shirt color I liked, I would have bought one. Unfortunately the colors I liked were only for tiny kids, not adult sizes. :( - Britta
Do those socks for the iPods have the Apple logo on them?
goodbye apple, say hello to Osborne on the way down.
-Tony T
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