Last year, Apple confirmed that it has plans to open a retail store in Brazil. However, the company maintained a stoic silence about the specific opening date. Things could change now as latest reports from reliable source reveal that the iPad and iPhone manufacturer will set up its newest store in Rio de Janeiro on February or March 2014.
According to reliable sources, the company will be asking some of its seasoned retail employees in the United States to relocate to Brazil for a few months to help with the launch. The US-based workforce will demonstrate Apple products to consumers and at the same time teach locals about the retail practices of the company.
The latest information about the Apple expansion in Latin America was first scooped by the tech website 9to5mac. Another source said Apple originally planned to open its Rio store in July 2013 but encountered issues of hiring its first batch of employees in the country.
The schedule of opening of the Rio de Janeiro Apple Store will happen a few months before the 2014 FIFA World Cup kicks off in June. Analysts predict that the hoards of tourists flocking to the country for the socceer extravaganza, will drive foot traffic for the store. A similar strategy was implemented by Apple when it opened its retail store in Beijing a few months before the 2008 Olympics started.
The opening of an Apple store in Brazil is among the top priorities of the company as sales in Latin America increased by 53 percent in the first quarter of 2013. For the second quarter of the year, it posted the biggest growth compared to other markets primarily due to the demand of Apple products in Brazil. Consumers in the country are willing to pay as much as $1,000 to get hold of the colorful iPhone 5c that only retails for around $550 in the United States, according to recent reports.
With 250 million people in Latin America connected to the Internet, the region will soon be a cash cow for Apple as users shift from using desktops to laptops. However, one challenge Apple is likely to face is the heavy tariffs imposed for electronics that are not locally manufactured. To address this, Apple has collaborated with Foxconn for the production of certain iOS devices in South America.
