Page 228 - The Apple Experience

uncluttered feel of the store as one of the primary reasons Apple
revolutionized store design.
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 “Apple has redefined ‘easy.’ Nothing about shopping there is unpleasant,

unattractive, or annoying.”—Jan Tribbey, Victoria’s Secret

 “An über-clean, fresh world.”—Tom Beebe, consultant

 “They simplified retail to the point where it’s you, the product, and someone

who can help you.”—Lee Peterson, WD Partners

 “A clean and simple environment, easy to navigate and offering ample space

to experience the product and conduct meaningful conversations.”—Jason

Floyd, GameStop

 “Did someone say ‘less is more’? Must have been Steve Jobs. Apple has

mastered complexity simplified.”—Stephanie Picone, IZOD Retail

One retail consultant said he cannot think of a client in ten years who has

not referenced Apple as a model for reinventing the customer experience.

No Smudges Allowed

Eliminating clutter also means keeping things clean. It’s not uncommon to

see an employee cleaning the screen of an iPad after it gets a few smudge

marks. “If you’ve ever been to an Apple Store opening, you’ll know how

meticulous they are about cleaning the windows, the floors, the shelving, and

so on,” says Apple blogger Gary Allen. “It’s almost to the point of being
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absurd. During the Palo Alto opening, they almost continuously cleaned the

windows (inside and out) between 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. and then

returned at 6:00 a.m. to start all over again. The same activity has occurred at