Apple and Wal-Mart’s retail warehouse outlet Sam’s Club are reportedly in early talks about an expanded Apple presence in 47 Sam’s Club locations in the U.S. Citing unidentified sources, 9to5Mac reported that the talks could lead to Apple stores-within-a-store being set up in Sam’s Club, or it could merely lead to the addition of Macs being offered alongside the iPods, iPhones, and iPads already sold at the discounter.
At the heart of the report is the idea that Apple wants to expand its existing store-within-a-store program beyond the two major retailers Apple is already working with, Best Buy and Target. According to the site’s sources, Sam’s Club is merely one such retailer that Apple is talking to, but it’s the one with a name attached to it.
If Apple were to open a store-within-a-store at these Sam’s Club locations, rather than just having its iOS devices on display, Apple’s products could be displayed on tables similar to the way the company shows them in its own fleet of retail locations.
The talks are early enough that it’s quite possible that nothing will come of it, and if something does, there is no time frame for when it might begin.
Apple has a new head of retail, John Browett, a retailing executive from British retailing chain Dixon’s. Analysts have pegged his priorities at expanding Apple’s retail presence outside of the U.S., especially in Asia, but if 9to5Mac’s sources have it right, it would seem that Apple isn’t done conquering the U.S., either.