Short the Sony Style, Go Long on Apple Stores

I walked into a Sony Style flagship store with one of my coworkers to look at cameras today. We didn't end up buying anything, and on our way out I asked her if she was short or long on the Sony Store.

We talked about it for a little bit. The store was interestingly designed and well staffed. And the cameras we tried out were okay, but we didn't have anything to compare it to. We wanted to see other cameras. That's where the store fell short. But the Apple stores have been a huge success, and they don't necessarily have competitors in their stores?

The conclusion we came to was that Sony products just aren't differentiated the way that Apple products are differentiated. Sony laptops need to be compared to HP laptops, IBM laptops, and Dell laptops - they all operate Windows. But if you're going to buy an Apple, you know you want an Apple. It's an entirely different operating system, an entirely different feel, an entirely different image. It is that fundamental quality that Sony lacks - Sony is just another technology producer competing on price and quality along with all the other tech players. You can't have the stand alone store without some comparisons.

Short the Sony Style, Go Long on Apple Stores.