Dick Smith brings Apple reseller Mac1 in-store

Dick Smith Electronics has revealed its strategy for Mac1, the Apple reseller it acquired for $1 in September 2014.

The retailer will open a series of Mac1 stores within existing Dick Smith outlets.

First cab off the rank is a Mac1 Apple Service Centre inside the Dick Smith at Macarthur Square in south-west Sydney, which opened last week offering repairs for Macs, iPads and iPhones, as well as services and training.

Dick Smith director of investor relations David Cooke revealed to CRN that it will continue with the "store-in-store" strategy, with Dick Smith Albury in New South Wales opening a Mac1 storefront on 1 June.

This will be followed by kiosks in Melbourne's Westfield Fountain Gate shopping centre, Westfield Kotara in Newcastle, and “a further five locations scheduled prior to Christmas.”

“Mac1’s presence within Dick Smith stores provides a unique level of service not currently available through the consumer electronics retail channel,” said Cooke. "Providing our customers with an end-to-end solution is our ultimate strategy.”

Since acquiring Mac1, Dick Smith closed a number of its stores, announcing it was looking at other ways to maximise return from its brand name. Cooke said Dick Smith was happy with Mac1’s brand performance since the acquisition.

Apple isn't the first vendor with a Dick Smith "store-in-store" strategy. Samsung began opening its own kiosks in new Dick Smith stores in 2013.

Mac1 lists seven of its own outlets in Albury, Armidale, Brisbane, Hobart, Newcastle, Wollongong and Canberra. Dick Smith has 377 stores in Australia.