First Apple Premium Partner store in Croatia opens doors to customers in Zagreb
iSTYLE has recently expanded it's footprint in Croatia by opening three new stores, bringing total number of stores in the country to six
iSTYLE recently announced the opening of the first Apple Premium Partner (APP) store in Croatia, and the Adriatic region, located in the Arena Shopping Center in Zagreb. The store’s grand opening took place on March 18 and the retail site will provide customers with an all-new Apple shopping experience.
The APP concept offers customers an entirely new design, with a spacious well-lit interior, and all equipment coming directly from Apple’s suppliers. The store features Italian stone floors, designer rounded tables from the USA, and furniture from Germany marking the beginning of a new era for iSTYLE. An enhanced level of customer service and shopping experience – similar to Apple Stores around the world – will be provided by increased numbers of highly-trained sales staff.
“We are thrilled to introduce the first-ever Apple Premium Partner store concept to Croatia and the Adriatic region. In our efforts to show our commitment to the Croatian market, we have recently expanded by opening three new stores, bringing our total number of stores in the country to six” said Valeriu Ion, General Manager iSTYLE Romania, Bulgaria, and Adriatic Countries.
“This latest redesign allows us to offer new programs and personalized services to our valued customers, further solidifying our position in Croatia and the Adriatic region. The opening of our new Apple Premium Partner store was a tremendous effort by the iSTYLE and Apple teams, and we are immensely proud of our accomplishments. We extend our gratitude to our dedicated staff and partners who have worked tirelessly to bring this exciting new retail experience to our customers” said Valeriu Ion.
With Apple Premium Partner stores, Apple’s goal is for customers to get even closer to the brand’s iconic world and to receive higher quality service. In Apple Premium Partner stores, the display of Apple products and Apple accessories is even more important than before. The number of closed showcases is reduced to a minimum, so customers can easily try out the products displayed on open surfaces without the help of the staff.
In the new flagship store, iSTYLE will provide a continuous servicing offer, including iPhone screen replacement or battery replacement on the same day. Customers will also have access to a range of payment solutions, including interest-free deals, iSTYLE Comfort service packages, trade-in programs, and used equipment offsetting services. In addition, the store will be able to function without a physical cash register in the near future.
The Arena store in Zagreb is staffed with expert employees who have received exclusive Apple Premium Partner training and will offer regular free education and open workshops for the general public. The courses starting in the spring will offer topics such as MacOS work for beginners, tips and tricks for advanced Mac users, and a video editing course.
“Our goal is to make Apple products and services more accessible to customers in Croatia and the Adriatic region. We believe that the opening of the first Apple Premium Partner store is just the beginning, and we look forward to bringing this new retail experience to more customers in the future,” said Antonela Jularic, Retail Manager iSTYLE.
In parallel with outstanding service, iSTYLE places an even greater emphasis on serving entrepreneurs as well as small and medium-sized companies, which is why a staff member specialized in corporate users and experienced in financing corporate hardware also strengthens the team. Prior to the official customer opening, iSTYLE organized a VIP launch for B2B and SMB customers, introducing them to the new store.
In 2022, iSTYLE Croatia achieved greatly increased sales revenue with each line of business experiencing significant growth compared to FY21. Online sales had outstanding results. This impressive growth was largely due to increased consumer sales, made possible by the renewal and expansion of the store network. iSTYLE now has a presence in four cities across the country – Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, and Zadar – with a total of six stores. This makes 2022 the most successful year in over two decades of operation in Croatia. The headcount has also grown by almost 50% compared to FY21, with a team of 40 dedicated employees driving continued success for the brand.
About iSTYLE
With over 100 stores, iSTYLE, part of the Midis Group, has the largest network of Apple Premium retail stores, with 58 in Central and Eastern Europe and 16 in the Middle East. Another 33 stores are part of the Spanish sister company K- Tuin.
The iSTYLE brand first appeared in Central and Eastern Europe in 1999, and it has since expanded to nine other CEE countries.
In Croatia, the first branch opened in 2009, and the current iSTYLE Apple Premium Partner brand store is the fifth of its kind to open in the East-Central European region, following recent launches of Czech and Hungarian sites.
