# Why no Apple Store or iTunes for Canadians?



## Urban_Legend (May 29, 2003)

Ok as a Mac user I'm getting pretty frustrated here lately, seeing Japan and Europe next to possibly get an Apple Store, and Canada that sits right on top of the US still doesn't have one. What the heck is going on? Why haven't we heard from Apple? why aren't we getting one? Would it hurt anyone at Apple to post an answer somewhere? Why should over sea countries get an Apple Store and not Canada? That doesn't make any sense to me at all. If it has to do with legal issues in Canada, so be it, let us know and STOP keeping us in the dark. When are we going to see an iTunes Store for Canadians? Will we be kept in the dark as long as it has been for an Apple Store in Canada? 2 years? 4 years? maybe never? What is the hold up? Does Steve not know that Canada holds the largest highspeed home internet access per house hold in North America? With both Mac and PC users we could quadruple what the US has spent at the iTunes store. 

I just want answers, answers that I haven't heard or seen yet for years now with regards to the Apple Store. I can see iTunes going down the same path as the Apple Store for us Canadians. Does anyone have an answer? Has anyone heard from Apple on these issues? Argghhhhhhh......


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## dthompson101 (Jan 16, 2001)

I feel your frustration as well. I would like to know where an iTunes Music Store.

As for the Physical Stores, I am sure they are planning them, but I think you have to look at it from their point of view. Take Toronto for instance. It is made up of one of the biggest Mac Markets anywhere in the world. I believe it is the 2nd largest area for print and prepress in North America. While that is all fine and dandy, the population is such a small fraction compared to those of asian and eurpoean countries.

Just compare the population of Canada against the population of England. While we are hovering at some 30+ million, England is sitting around 60+ That is a huge amount of dicision making when they are planning locations. Hell Las Angeles has half of Canadas whole population.

I agreee that we need these things, but from a companies point of view for profitability, this is an expensive country to come to as well it's a smaller population that while they may sell a lot of macs through their stores, they are propbably better off letting third party retailers handle it.

But to see that Future Shops are going to start Apples "Store within a Store" idea is a great boost as it will expose more people to Macs and be worked by people who have Mac experience.

The music store. I think thats another thing. I think they need to get licenesing from the Canadian distibutors up here, and who knows, that could be a hold up right from the government. Look at how they wanted to put the audio tax on CD's and iPods and the like. I am sure the greedy buggers up in parliament want to take the iTunes Music Store with a "Special Audio Tax" to add to their private coffer funds....er sorry I mean so it will protect the innocent artists who are suffering from increased exposure....


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## VertiGoGo (Aug 21, 2001)

For the record: 

It was the music companies that were pushing for the tax on recordable media, not parliament. Record labels' strong lobbying is what started the debate.


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## JumboJones (Feb 21, 2001)

I have too been longing for an Apple Store here in Canada, but where would that leave the very few businesses that are selling macs now? Undercutting resellers could be a fatal blow to an already small practice. I don't know how resellers have fared in the States maybe it would be a boost for the mac platform. Anyone?


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## VertiGoGo (Aug 21, 2001)

Based on the idiots (except 1 or 2) we have here in Ottawa at B.Mac (our local reseller)...an honest-to-God Apple store would be wonderful! 

The Mac shopping in Ottawa is, IMHO, one of the worst computer retail experiences you could ever have. Shopping for PCs at future Shop would be more fun.









Please Steve...bring your Reality Distortion Field and all your Genius Bar minions to Ottawa!


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## used to be jwoodget (Aug 22, 2002)

But Apple doesn't appear to want to swamp the retail market. While a store in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver is unlikely to really dent the retail sector, its also going to piss off well meaning stores like Carbon Computing, etc. Apple has to tread a fine line.

While the Apple Stores are interesting, they are not so different from a well equipped computer store with a Mac section. CompuSmart and Computer Systems Centre and North Star Computing in Toronto all have decent Mac areas. Its places like Best Buy and FutureShop that are disasters.

Good TV advertising and having recent product in the stores is going to have more impact than the odd Apple Store.

The iTunes Music Store is a different matter but if Apple charges C$1.50 per track, the volume isn't going to be very high.


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## hayesk (Mar 5, 2000)

I really don't see why people beat up on B.Mac - before it opened there was no store here that had Macs properly displayed and stocked lots of Mac peripherals. B.Mac is just as good as any Apple store, IMHO.

Try living in a smaller city and see what the Mac retail experience is like. You'll change your tune.

(no, I don't work at B.Mac - I'm just a satisfied customer. I'll be buying my next Mac from them too)


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## hayesk (Mar 5, 2000)

> It was the music companies that were pushing for the tax on recordable media, not parliament. Record labels' strong lobbying is what started the debate.


Well, sort of. It's being championed by Sheila Copps, Heritage minister. She's pushing for levies on all removable media too. I only buy flash cards for my camera, but apparently she believes I should pay a huge levy to musicians I don't even know or listen to, just to take pictures.


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## Trevor... (Feb 21, 2003)

The issue is the Canadian Dollar,

because Apple no longer does regional currency adjustments the Canadian dollar gives Apple a double disadvantage in the Canadian market. Their existing high prices are compounded by the exchange rate. 

Once the Canadian dollar becomes strong enough that the exchange rate isn't so crushing Apple should show greater interest in Canada.


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## RicktheChemist (Jul 18, 2001)

Market.. it's all to do with Market.. they sell a serious more amount of Macs in the USA and Japan. Canada is a secondary market compared to those two, and therefore Apple must focus on where their money is coming from.

Cheers,

RtC


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