AppleInsider reports that Apple's investments in retail are paying off: the top five US Apple Retail Stores now contribute some 13% of all of its US stores for the current quarter.
If accurate, this leak of Apple's financials – as Apple doesn't announce its Q3 fiscal results until Wednesday this week – means the top 5 stores earned over $105 million in revenues, with all US stores doing $810 million in business.
The major stores – including SoHo and Fifth Avenue – are doing brisk trade. Fifth Avenue logged $45 million in revenues for Q3, selling five Macs every hour and an iPod every 120 seconds. The Chicago, San Francisco and LA stores are the other top performers.
It's not all roses though; AppleCare sells well, to about 57-64% of Mac buyers, depending on the store. But .Mac, ProCare and One to One aren't as big sellers. In recent years, high-margin, 'beyond the box' sales have been important contributors to Apple's bottom line.
Apple is planning on opening more stores worldwide, including Glasgow, Scotland; another Manhattan, NYC store; Melbourne, Australia; and Sydney, Australia.
