Nokia to close flagship London store
updated 12:20 pm EST, Fri December 4, 2009
Nokia store unable to compete with Apple's
Nokia on Friday revealed that it would close its flagship retail store in London's Oxford Circus area. The cellphone maker said simply that sales at the store were "disappointing" and couldn't sustain meaningful income for the company. Doors will officially close sometime early next year.
The closure is a symbolic blow to Nokia, whose three-storey location is located just a short walk away from Apple's flagship Regent Street and has been open just two years where Apple's has been open since 2004.
Nokia has lost share to the iPhone since it launched, but its retail outlet has also been hurt by its unimportance to UK sales: as many Nokia phones were already available through carrier stores or third parties like Carphone Warehouse well before the London shop's opening, often at low prices or even free when on contract, there has been little incentive to visit the Nokia store in particular. Apple has never had sole sales rights for iPhones but insists on similar pricing and has regularly had the largest supply.
Nokia still operates stores in Chicago and New York City, though these too are within a few blocks of Apple flagship outlets. [image via AAS]
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Dec 2009
Nokia only sell phones
It's a bit silly to try and say Nokia was competing with Apple ( as it was really no contest), when the two companies are only connected due to the fact that Apple sells a mobile phone. Don't forget that the Oxford street Apple store is crammed full of desktop computers, laptops, ipods, software, bags and lots of other accessories for Mac users. So there's a lot more to attract a person than the Nokia store.
Also it's not as if you could just walk in and buy a Nokia phone as you need a carrier. Whoever at Nokia gave the greenlight to a 3 floor building needs to be sacked as it was a non starter from the beginning. The small boutique type stores which they have in my town are much better and it might actually help if the phones worked such as the wifi etc.