Owners of the new Apple Centre in Cape Town say they are confident they will have minimum stock ordering problems, even though this country lies near the bottom of Apple`s priority list.
Apple reseller Digicape is due to officially open its retail premises in Roeland Street, Cape Town, on 15 March and will be one of two such centres in the Mother City.
Digicape director Graham Greathead says he is aware of the problems that have beset Apple sales in SA for some time, including the long order times, perceptions of high prices, and a general lack of support from Apple as its priority is servicing its US and European customers first.
"We understand that it makes sense for Apple to service those countries first. However, we have received an understanding from the distributor that they will service us as we will do our forecasting and planning right," he says.
Resellers have criticised SA`s Apple distributor The Core Group for the long delays experienced in ordering equipment. However, Apple`s SA country manager Bruno Verolini has come to its defence, saying many resellers do not plan adequately even though they know SA is not near the top of the supply priority list.
"I have fostered a good working relationship with The Core Group and we are determined to make the concept work," Greathead says.
While Apple is one of the world`s best-known brands and many South Africans have heard of the product, few have actually seen one of its machines.
"A great weakness of Apple is that there has been limited access for the public to touch and feel the machines. There is also a limited Apple advertising campaign and this means the resellers must build up the awareness," Greathead says.
Last year, Digicape turned over about R4.2 million in Apple equipment, and Greathead says he expects this to rise to around R5 million this year.
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