back to article Samsung poaches Apple store guru for US retail push

Samsung has hired one of Apple’s senior store designers in a sign that the Korean electronics giant could be hoping to make a bigger splash in the US with some eye-catching retail outlets. The chaebol behemoth’s US outpost snapped up Tim Gudgel as VP and GM of its retail sales operations, according to The Information. Gudgel …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Nice shops to buy a new microwave?

    Ever think Samsung are in a cycle of spending more and more on marketing - taking on huge costs and it's going to get sticky when people start buying Sony / HTC / Motorola / LG Android phones instead and their sales dip? For now they can get away with charging a premium but their phones are essentially standard Android handsets.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Must be annoying when every time your business comes up with a concept, idea or product someone copies it.

      1. fandom

        "Must be annoying when every time your business comes up with a concept, idea or product someone copies it."

        It only happens to every business, or even if it not a business, for example you have a semi cool group using Fawkes masks and suddenly every wannabe starts using them.

        But I am really curious, the ACs are out in force to attack Samsung, doesn't it bother you that nobody cares?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      If Samsung start to open it's own stores I'd imagine they are going to pee off a lot of their retailers (John Lewis, Tesco etc.) which could be very dangerous. They may just decide to start selling another brand or even in the case of Tesco their own tablet - would you be surprised to see a Hudl phone - I would not. I don't think Samsung or Galaxy are strong brands or have loyal buyers but they sell as they are cheap, look like Apple products and they spend mega wonga on marketing (adverts and literally giving the stuff away).

      1. I like noodles

        they sell as they are cheap, look like Apple products

        Oh, please... I did not buy a Samsung because it looks like an Apple product. I bought it because it was a good phone on a good (not cheap, just good) contract. I've never had any desire for an iPhone, so why on earth would I want something else to look like one?

        There's no way I'm alone in that. There's plenty of arguments for and against the merits of either, but the "because it looks like Apple" nonsense needs put to bed.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "I'd imagine they are going to pee off a lot of their retailers (John Lewis, Tesco etc.) which could be very dangerous"

        Hardly. By definition, dedicated retailers rarely have exclusivity on a brand product, so another few stores opening is neither here nor there. I'd guess Samsung stores won't be offering discounted products, nor will they be shifting any volume - their purpose is simply to be a better and more wide ranging showroom for Samsung's over-arching brand than can be achieved through Argos, JL, Tesco, Carphone Warehouse, PC World etc.

        I doubt it will be a success, and they'll close within a year of opening, but even if it is a success, that will probably help other retailers shift Samsung kit rather than undermine them. Having said that, I'm with another commentard above: This shows Samsung's marketing department is out of control, and there's such a big budget that they don't have a clue (even by marketing standards) what to do with the money. Evidently the marketing department see this excess as a solution to the problem that the S4 is too f***ing expensive and not selling fast enough, and they've never heard of the Nexus 5 or Moto G. Peak Samsung, IMHO.

        1. Darryl

          Don't know about over there, but back in the 80's and 90's (when Sony was cool), there were Sony stores everywhere here. Didn't stop all of the big retail chains from selling and promoting Sony.

          1. EPurpl3

            “Don't know about over there, but back in the 80's and 90's (when Sony was cool), there were Sony stores everywhere here. Didn't stop all of the big retail chains from selling and promoting Sony.“

            Sony is still cool, I am using Samsung s3 now buy my next phone will be Sony. Just mentioning.

    3. Anonymous Coward 101

      I recall Nokia opened a bunch of stores a few years only to close them not long after, because nobody cared to use them. This just looks like a crass copy of Apple (let's not pretend otherwise) that could leave them with big costs if folk start buying Sony phones.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        RE:crass copy of Apple

        Oh geez, history according to Apple has been rewritten again to now state that they were the first electronics manufacturer to have their own stores?

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Their Portobello Rd store needs a lot of work

    to make it even a semi decent retail experince.

    They even have people outside trying to entice shoppers into the store.

    It is cramped and well.... awful compared to the benchmark store that is Apple. Even some of the dives along Tottenham Court Road are more enticing than that shop.

    Now I have to walk past it every morning en-route to the Tube. Sigh.

    Toodle-pip.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Their Portobello Rd store needs a lot of work

      What's next is they will start offering freebies and scantily clad staff just to get you into the Samsung store. Please buy our stuff - no don't look at that Nexus - yes I know it's pretty much the same as ours but it's not a Galaxy (who cares). No you don't want that Sony or HTC - yes I know it runs the same software and Google account but our is more like an Apple (oops).

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I wonder how much of the price of every Galaxy sold is marketing - I'd imagine the cheaper handsets are being sold at a loss (yes I know you are going to think we how Apple just make large profits instead - but at least their products seem to last a long time / better resale values / are better made / better supported). Apple spend relatively little on marketing as people want their products and once you are a customer you are likely to stay a customer.

    Samsung are spending huge $$$'s for market share for now but not seeing the long game that they are basically signing up customers for Google as next time you may or may not buy a Samsung. Every dollar Apple spend on marketing is for today and the future / repeat business and also as they have multiple revenue streams selling the media etc. as well.

    It's all looking a bit desperate in copying Apple - even so far as rushing out a smart watch no-one seems to want and now poaching their staff to build stores.

    How long before they change the Samsung logo to be a Pear with a bite out of it?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      > wonder how much of the price of every Galaxy sold is marketing

      Not enough to be fashionable - Apple (their stats) spent 800m USD launching iPhone.

  4. Turtle

    Will They Ever Learn?

    Be it Samsung or Microsoft or anyone else, will they ever learn that only Apple can do what Apple does, because what works for Apple works only for Apple, and attempts by others to do what Apple does can only lead failure.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Will They Ever Learn?

      Apple are more than happy being the BMW / Mercedes / Porsche equivalent with less market share but the majority of the profits and having happy / loyal customers, building a whole system and playing a long game.

      Samsung and the other Android makers are going to end up selling their stuff for less and less as there is otherwise little for them to compete on while all the time they sign up customers to Google. Samsungs position is precarious as people change their phones every 18-24 months and number 1 now could change in just a year or two and all the time Apple sell more and more phones with every new release - yes their share of the market has dropped but that is because the market has grown so dramatically as now every phone is a smartphone.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Devil

        Re: Will They Ever Learn?

        "Apple are more than happy being the BMW / Mercedes / Porsche equivalent"

        I do have a BMW motorcycle, because of many things, electronic suspension, ABS, cruise control, alternative front-end suspension, etc,etc, not because of the status or anything even more frivolous. Do I have or do I want an iPhone? Do I think it stands to the quality of that kind of brands in what innovation is concerned? No way. And besides, nor BMW, Mercedes or Porsche tells their clients what or not they can do with their shiny.

        "yes their share of the market has dropped but that is because the market has grown"

        BUAHAHAHAH, no, its because the fashionistas moved to the new trend de jour and onnly the fanboys and girls keep buying "new" iPhones

      2. EPurpl3

        Re: Will They Ever Learn?

        "Samsung and the other Android makers are going to end up selling their stuff for less and less as there is otherwise little for them to compete on while all the time they sign up customers to Google. Samsungs position is precarious as people change their phones every 18-24 months and number 1 now could change in just a year or two and all the time Apple sell more and more phones with every new release - yes their share of the market has dropped but that is because the market has grown so dramatically as now every phone is a smartphone."

        Ha ha, kids this days, they are so gullible and naive. What part of "Apple's market share is shrinking every day" don't you understand?. Even Microsoft Nokia isI catching up.

    2. deadlockvictim

      Re: Will They Ever Learn?

      The problem is that Samsung have taken Apple on in the smartphone arena and done very well indeed. If they are a match for Apple in this arena and they have desirable products, why shouldn't they follow on with their own stores? The path has been laid out for them.

      My concern is that, although they make many things, how many are sold on account of the brand and how many that are sold are essentially commodity items?

      Would you buy a Samsung camera because it is made by Samsung? Would you pay extra for one because it is made by Samsung?

      People do so for their smartphones at the moment, but for the rest of the very extensive range? I'm not so sure. The big retailers will be less than happy about it and may demand a premium to stock Samsung products.

  5. Andy Watt
    Mushroom

    Will their stores spontaneously combust, however?

    .. and will any punters caught out be faced with gagging clauses while still in their hospital beds?

  6. VeganVegan

    Ask JC Penny how well they made out

    letters

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