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Sony to shutter two-thirds of its US stores
Sony Electronics is closing 20 of its 31 US-based store locations, the Japanese consumer electronics giant announced this afternoon. The news follows layoffs at Sony affecting approximately 5,000 employees worldwide; it's unclear if European or Asian Sony stores are affected by today's news (we've asked). The announcement release cites Sony's need, "to maintain its competitiveness in an evolving consumer electronics market" as the reason for the closures. The company also sold off its PC business last month, making today's news yet another step in the ongoing restructuring of Sony. The 11 remaining stores are mostly in or near major markets: New York City, Los Angeles, and Orlando and Houston. Sony's two-floor flagship store in New York City is slated to remain open, though the building above it (housing a variety of Sony offices) was sold last year for a cool $1.1 billion. At the time (January 2013), Sony said it'd stay in the building as a renter for "up to" three years.
Sony Xperia S heading to Canada on April 17th, exclusive to Sony Stores
Still patiently waiting to find out when Sony's NXT child will hit Canadian shelves? According to the Japanese outfit, residents of the Great White North can finally expect the Xperia S to make a grand entrance on April 17th. The handset is set to be sold exclusively at Sony Stores around the country, but unfortunately, there's no word on how much it'll cost. That said, we do know that the 4.3-inch Gingerbread device will only be compatible with Rogers network, so Xperia lovers on Telus and Bell need not apply. So, not all Canadians can grab the new Sony slab, but at least some of you can before your neighbors down south.
Sony offers sneak peek of new LA store - no fooling (video)
You might see a bunch of fake news on the internet tomorrow, but considering what we've seen of Sony's new LA storefront, we're fairly certain this isn't a prank. That's right, Sony's launching a newly branded retail store in the City of Angels Friday, and from the look of things, it spared no expense. The 4,200-square foot space is the first to ditch the Sony Style moniker for the simpler Sony Store, and while the aesthetics are decidedly minimal, the experience is anything but. As you might expect, the shop offers demos of a slew of devices; it's packed full of everything from VAIOs to ray modelers to 3D Handycams, and it's also rocking a fully loaded home theater setup called "The Cube." Considering the outfit's been looking to up its retail cred, we'd say the new spot has the stuff to do the job, even if that bright white modular look does seem strangely familiar. If you're in the LA area, you can check out the new digs starting tomorrow -- if not, hit up the guided video tour above.
Sony opens idyllic new retail store in Nagoya, Japan
We heard back in January that Sony was looking to reface itself somewhat by introducing a minty fresh retail look that takes a note or two from the Apple and Microsoft shops already in existence, and for those lucky enough to find themselves in Nagoya this weekend, you can check it out in person. March 13th marked the opening of the all new Sony Store Nagoya, and with an ample of amount of glass, white demo stands and black overhead signs, it's certainly one of the more seductive retail shops that we've seen. We'd bother knocking Sony for following instead of leading, but considering just how far the brand has fallen over the past couple of years, we're just stoked to see it putting forth an effort to turn things around.
Apple and Sony stores face off in the New York Times
It seems funny now, but Apple's 2001 decision to open a chain of glossy white boutiques was thought to be pretty risky at the time -- there was no shortage of pundits declaring that the stores would fail spectacularly. (To be fair, no other manufacturer made it work except Sony, kind of. Read on.) Six years and several million iPods later, of course, the stores are a resounding success, and flagship stores are suddenly all the rage. Not every manufacturer's getting so lucky at the mall, however -- Randall Stross of the New York Times compared his experiences at a couple of Sony's 39 retail stores with a visit to an Apple Store, and came away less than impressed. Stross found both Sony outlets virtually deserted except for inattentive salespeople and security personnel, while the Apple Store was packed with shoppers and friendly staff. The Sony stores, according to the "retail consultants" Stross later talked to, are merely "places of stuff," a condition which makes them not "shop-able," while the Apple outlets "extend an emotional connection." Stross concludes that Sony would do better if they had a hit product (duh) but we think the real secret is something a little different (no pun intended) -- Stross quotes a consultant who says all you need to do is "absorb the fumes" at an Apple Store and you "feel like the smartest technophile in the world." Man, that RDF is some pretty powerful stuff, eh?[Via TUAW]
