What Apple is not privy to via its Internet site

Apple may have sold 2 million copies of his iPad in the world in two months (some Apple Store, such as Fifth Avenue, New York, temporarily found themselves out of stock last week), the Apple brand is far however to unanimity. This is the case, in France, resellers of products Apple, RPOS, for "apple premium resellers" in the jargon of the computer. Known through to Apple, which has a tendency to impose on suppliers and customers of the draconian conditions. But the Apple brand still completely changed its policy of distribution with the launch of the iPad. Conditions ulcèrent the owners of the shops in France sixty specialized in a key brand of high-tech products. The Group of Steve Jobs indeed much relied on the direct distribution of the iPad. In France, Apple has only two Apple Store, in Paris and Montpellier, unlike the United States, where the mark Apple stores are very numerous (about 285). But in France, this figure is called upon to quickly climb. Apple therefore relied on external signs such as Darty, FNAC, and Baker to sell its tablet. And the APR feel a bit like the fifth wheel of the bus.

"The relationship is sustained."

First because that these specialized vendors did not have the right to make the iPad advertising before the official release weekend of last of the last toy of Steve Jobs. Then, the mark Apple banned the APR to register pre-orders for iPad. What Apple is not privy to via its Internet site. Finally, the California company declined to specify how many iPad would be delivered in each point of sale owned and ad Perish! "Imagine an ad client". "As an"apple addict", the more likely is that he commanded his iPad via the Internet since it cannot do so in our", complains the pattern of a network of close distribution of Apple. "In any event, we cannot guarantee the date at which it would be delivered", adds the latter, who maintains his anonymity for fear of reprisals from Apple. Such practices allow fear to distributors that Apple encourages its site in iPad supply, rather than other distributors. The voice at the FNAC and Baker - who have known volumes available that very late - even amounted to complain about the control of Apple.

However, resellers specializing in Apple products have done for the iPad. RPO vendors have been trained at their expense, the furniture intended to allow the iPad in the shops was chosen by Apple it is even governed by contract - and paid by the patron of the stores. "Has been a level our stores, we are ready to put forward the accessories and whole-ecosystem that comes with the iPad." "When a customer with us, he must feel as in an Apple store," says the leader of this network. To adapt to the California costs dearly to relatively small companies. "Every day, the relationship with Apple is sustained", he says. Yet, these distributors have always supported the mark Apple, even at the beginning of the 1990s when Apple was more evil. But, today, Steve Jobs wants to be an intermediary to sell its products. "Its purpose is to sell without operators and third party", confirms the pattern of a French mobile operator. With the iPhone, already, specialized distributors had complained the practices of Apple. Indeed, they have the right to sell the naked phone, i.e. without subscription. The iPhone in an RPO therefore more than costs 500 euros, against 99 euros in the shop of an operator with a package. So that iPhone sales are particularly low in the specialized distributors. For partners of Apple, the Apple has a bitter taste.