Samsung shops take on the Apple Store, with help from Carphone Warehouse

[The Game 161]

Samsung is taking on the Apple Store with new own-brand shops. The S4, the Note and the rest of the Galaxy line-up will soon have their own shops across Europe, thanks to a partnership with Carphone Warehouse.

60 shops dedicated to selling just Samsung stuff will open across Europe. A Carphone Warehouse spokesperson told me that the details are yet to be finalised, but that there are likely to be around 20 stores, which will be a mix of new locations and existing branches with new signs slapped on.

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/sam...re-with-help-from-carphone-warehouse-50013309

 

[Oohara]

Unless a miracle occurs and Samsung hires a few good designers with true vision, these will be some of the tackiest looking stores in the universe. I still have trouble locating the Samsung mini-stores at MediaMarkt because they still look like part of the household appliances department.

 

[Gav2k]

Nokia did exactly the same and it was crap!

Westfield has a real samsung store and that's how it should be done. Not a partnership with carphonewarehouse!!

 

[OllyW]

I wonder if it will go as well as Carphone Warehouse's last big European joint venture?

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/apr/30/best-buy-carphone-warehouse-sale

 

[jrswizzle]

I wonder if it will go as well as Carphone Warehouse's last big European joint venture?

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/apr/30/best-buy-carphone-warehouse-sale

Carphone Warehouse = Best Buy here in the US. And there are large Samsung experience setups in the middle of most of the Best Buys around me.

Seems to be the way these types of stores are going. Basically big buildings in which space is sold to OEM's to come build a "mini experience shop" within the store.

 

[Stuntman06]

They have one in Metro Vancouver already and will open one other one (that I know of). I went it to buy an accessory for my SGS3. They didn't have what I wanted. I ended up getting something from The Source instead. You'd think that a store that specialises in Samsung products would have something I would need for my SGS3 which was their best selling product at the time.

There was quite a bit of hype when it first opened. There was even line-ups to get in. Traffic has since died down the last few times I passed by. They had the usual mobile devices and a few TV's. I thought it was rather sparse. The Sony Style stores looked better stocked to me and have more products on display.

 

[Shanghaichica]

The Samsung store in Westfield is nice. I'm intrigued by this. I wonder if they will do repairs and have a samsung experience counter like they have at the store in Westfield.

 

[AQUADock]

Carphone Warehouse = Best Buy here in the US. And there are large Samsung experience setups in the middle of most of the Best Buys around me.

Seems to be the way these types of stores are going. Basically big buildings in which space is sold to OEM's to come build a "mini experience shop" within the store.

Carphone Warehouse only sells phones so its not equal to a best buy.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Carphone Warehouse only sells phones so its not equal to a best buy.

Actually they sell tablets and internet service, but yes best buy sells other electrical goods and DVDs from hay I can remember of the best buy I went to in Lakeside before it closed down. P

 

[VulchR]

Seems a shame that a company like Samsung with a reasonable reputation would partner with CW.... Apple get away with it because one typically needs very little support with iPhones (IMO).

 

[jrswizzle]

Carphone Warehouse only sells phones so its not equal to a best buy.

Meaning Carphone Warehouse is owned by Best Buy

 

[Tarzanman]

Samsung makes way more products than Apple, so the idea is sound on paper but....

I think Samsung will quickly find out that it is not worth the added overhead. They already have impressive market share *without* supporting a retail chain.