Apple plans 40-50 new retail locations

Apple is planning to open 40 to 50 new retail locations over the next year. This news comes as no surprise, following their stellar quarterly report, in which they increased their net earnings by 71%.

Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer described the expansion as "a great opportunity to continue growth." Half of the 40 or so stores will be located outside of the United States. Many locations will also be replacements for older preexisting Apple stores.

While many shoppers have moved to the Web for their purchases, Apple retail stores still see a lot of action. Their retail stores brought in $3.57 billion this year, which is 75% more than the year before. Each individual store also enjoyed a 52% increase in revenue and a 62% increase in customers.

Apple's recent openings in China were evidence of the potential for Apple's now-iconic retail location. Their 4 Chinese stores are the most visited, and the highest earning of all Apple stores. This is partly because of their busy locations, but also because of their status as new and exciting features of the Chinese market landscape.

With strong financial gains, and the expansion of their iPhone and iPad to new carriers, Apple is right to increase their physical presence. They recognize that they're still far from saturating the market with their products, and that there is plenty of room for them to grow.

Apple currently has stores in the U.S., Japan, the UK, Canada, Australia, China, Switzerland, Germany, France, and Spain. Which countries will be next?

source: AppleInsider