Target Will Open Mini Apple Stores to Attract Post-Pandemic Shoppers It's hoping you won't leave for other stores.
By J. Fingas
This story originally appeared on Engadget
Target is preparing for a post-pandemic world where casual shopping is safe again, and it thinks it has a way to keep you from drifting to other stores: bring those stores inside. CNBC reports Target is opening mini Apple stores that make it easier to browse and buy gadgets at its big-box retail spaces. You can buy a HomePod Mini or check out the latest Apple Watch styles while you're picking up some socks.
Staff in these "enhanced" spaces will get special training from Apple.
The first mini stores will be open by the end of February in 17 Target locations. Nine of them are in Florida and Texas (including Miami, Orlando, Austin and San Antonio), while the rest are spread across places like Oklahoma City and San Jose. More of the tiny Apple shops will arrive in 2021 "and beyond," Target said.
Related: Apple Regains the No. 1 Spot in Global Smartphone Sales After 5 Years
Traffic at the company's stores has stayed strong throughout the pandemic as it provides essentials, but it risks losing some of that crowd as other stores reopen or return to their earlier demand levels. Whatever Target spends now may pay off if you skip the shopping mall. For Apple, the appeal is largely self-evident. This gives Apple more control over your shopping experience and hopefully leads to sales that wouldn't happen if its devices were sitting on ordinary shelves.
