Target will soon offer store-within-a-store type setups in 25 of its locations, the company revealed during a presentation Thursday. The move backs up a report from last week that suggested Apple may be extending its partnership with the U.S. retail chain.
Apple’s special displays were announced alongside a program of deploying small boutiques within Target’s larger stores called “The Shops at Target,” the retailer revealed. These pop-up type shops seem to be temporary locations that will sell Target-specific goods. The arrangement with Apple is separate from the “Shops at Target” initiative, but full details are not yet known about what exactly it includes.
Target spokeswoman Dustee Jenkins told MarketWatch that Target will “have 25 stores with unique display and assortment [of inventory]” for Apple goods, but it isn’t clear where or when the stores will appear first. We’ve requested more information from Target and Apple, and will update this story if we find out more about what’s being offered and what the timeline is for the arrival of these stores.
An in-store partnership with Target should help Apple reach more markets in areas where dedicated Apple retail locations don’t make financial sense. If they do end up resembling Best Buy mini-stores, they’ll be staffed with knowledgeable, Apple-specific personnel and offer Mac computers and more in addition to the iOS devices currently available at Target.
Photo: Some rights reserved by Chris Coyier
Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.
- Will cloud computing push the BRIC market to the front?
- NewNet 2012: companies and technologies set to disrupt
- NewNet 2012: companies and technologies set to disrupt
