More than 6000 people waited in line to experience Apple’s first self-owned retail store in India on the day of its opening, according to people in the know of official footfall numbers.
The iPhone maker opened its first Apple Store in India at Mumbai’s Jio World Drive mall in Bandra Kurla Complex yesterday. The store was inaugurated by Apple CEO Tim Cook, and visited by Bollywood celebrities, including the likes of actress Madhuri Dixit and musician A.R. Rahman.
To be sure, industry estimates for footfall at the mall aren’t pegged to be very high on weekdays. Retailers, who requested anonymity, said that the Jio World Drive mall is built as a luxury property, which discourages many from frequenting the mall. However, they said that they had estimated the opening day to bring in additional visitors.
“6,000 people in a single day is a very big deal, considering that It was not a Sunday, holiday, or an offer day. It had to happen since the Apple Store was opening for the first time in the country and Tim Cook was coming. You may see such high footfalls again during new launches,” said the owner of a nationwide electronics retail chain.
A Mumbai-based retailer noted that these footfalls may not be sustained over the long term, however. “The Jio (World Drive) mall is built for the so-called upper class, and everything there is expensive. It’s not surprising that people came to see the store on the first day, but I wouldn’t expect such footfalls moving forward,” they added.
Apple didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Apple is set to open its second store in India on April 19, at Delhi’s Select CityWalk mall. According to estimates from the Shopping Centres Association of India (SCAI), the mall gets 12000 to 14000 visitors on average on weekdays, and 22000 to 25000 on average on weekends.
Retailers, too, have said that the Delhi Apple Store may grab many more visitors than its Mumbai counterpart, simply because Select CityWalk has a much more varied clientele.
“Apple as a brand has an aura that drives footfalls. Apple Stores are also landmarks from a retail and design perspective. I expect the footfall to be even higher in Delhi given the location of the Delhi Store,” the first retailer quoted above said.
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