Apple is set to reopen its first retail store outside China to resume operations since the coronavirus pandemic began.
The information available on Apple’s Korean website says the store, located in the South Korean capital Seoul, will open on April 18 but will operate with altered working hours
The tech giant shut down its stores across the world nearly two months ago, asking some of its retail employees to work remotely, offering tech support and sales assistance to the customers.
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Apple stores
Apple explained the store's focus would also shift from sales to after-sales support for existing customers with products such as MacBooks, iPhones and iPads.
To ensure customer and employee safety, Apple is urging customers to order online for delivery or pick up from the store.
“To start, we’ll have an adjusted schedule and guidelines to ensure customers and employees continue to stay healthy. A focus for the store will be service and support at the Genius Bar. For customers who want to make a purchase, we have several options including ordering online for delivery or pick up in-store,” the company said in a statement.
Initially, the physical stores in the US were scheduled to resume operations from March 27, but the growing impact of the coronavirus outbreak led to the deadline being extended further.
Though all its 42 stores in China have been operational since mid-March, Apple has not yet issued any information about reopening its stores in other parts of the world.
Like many other global tech companies, Apple is expecting to take a major hit on revenues due to the pandemic and the resultant slump in demand for gadgets.
The company is also unsure when it will be able to resume regular business operations soon, as while supply chain and production lines have resumed in China, weak demand in other regions may still be a worrying factor.
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Via: Bloomberg
