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Samsung has closed its flagship London store
Just like that, Samsung has decided to close its flagship 'Experience Store' in London. Only ten of these retail outlets exist across the UK, and the one in Westfield Stratford City shopping center was Samsung's crown jewel, playing host to numerous early bird product launches such as the Galaxy Note 8.0 and Galaxy S III. The store, originally run by Phones4u staff, was disassembled last night, while a notice informed customers of its closure. Samsung says it will do its upmost, "where possible," to find employees at Westfield new jobs, and emphasized that it's "fully committed" to its remaining UK stores. It's a stark statement -- for so many years, there's been no expense spared for Samsung, with huge marketing campaigns, countless pop-up stores and even an airport takeover. But the company's profits are in decline as it faces fresh competition from younger smartphone makers such as Xiaomi. Samsung has already abandoned its laptop business in Europe, and with handset sales on the downward slide, it's no surprise the firm is re-evaluating its retail ambitions.
Inside Samsung's new London 'Experience' store
A few minutes walk from the hub of Oxford Circus, Samsung's new Experience store in the heart of London is nothing if not underwhelming on approach. Tucked away under scaffolding and hoarding, and flanked by roadworks on one side and Clarks on the other, it wasn't quite what we expected from what's presumably regarded as Samsung's new flagship retail location. Inside, however, the Carphone Warehouse-run store is pretty much how you'd imagine it -- a roomy, if not sparse space with a number of white tables for displaying tablets, phones and other hardware. Mid-morning footfall was light, which the few staff on duty likely appreciated. Nevertheless, they appeared to have impressive product knowledge, and yet whatever character they added to the place, it still felt somewhat sterile. At least they have a seating area for disinterested and weary shopping companions, though.
Samsung opens more 'Experience' stores across the UK
Samsung's dabbled in creating dedicated spaces for UK shoppers a few times, but unlike arch-rival Apple, hasn't built up any long-standing retail presence. That's not the case in other regions, though, and earlier this year Samsung decided it was high time to set up a bunch of shops across Europe to call its own. Today sees the first of these "Samsung Experience" stores open their doors in the UK, though they're actually operated by local partner Carphone Warehouse. The shops, which are located in London, Newcastle, Liverpool, Bradford, Bristol, Manchester, Bournemouth and Cardiff, play host to all things Samsung, from laptops to wearables, in the familiar try-before-you-buy type setting. We're going to check out the Oxford Street store tomorrow, but if you're close to one, head inside to get an early look at the new GS5 and Gear range before they launch on Friday. Update: As several comments very rightly point out, the Westfield shopping center in London's Stratford City has been home to an Experience store for some time, so let's call this CPW-assisted expansion a rekindled interest.
