Apple Is Shutting a Store in China, Its First Closure in the Country
The company said on Monday that it would close its store in Dalian City's Parkland Mall on Aug. 9. On social media, locals have described the mall as struggling, noting that other brands like Michael Kors and Armani had closed their stores there.
'Given the departure of several retailers at the Parkland Mall, we have made the decision to close our store,' said Brian Bumbery, an Apple spokesman. 'We love serving the Dalian community, and all of our valued team members will have the opportunity to continue their roles with Apple.'
The closure is the latest sign of how China's economy continues to be challenged by tepid consumer spending. The government has poured large sums into programs designed to spur purchases of smartphones, washing machines and electric vehicles. The trade-in programs have gotten people to spend more but economists say the impact on consumption could be short-lived.
The pullback also reflects Apple's ongoing business troubles in China, which is its second-largest market. Apple has reported declining sales in China for six quarters. Last year, it reported total revenue in the country of $66.95 billion, nearly 10 percent less than its peak of $74.2 billion in 2022.
Chinese rivals like Huawei, Xiaomi and Vivo have eroded Apple's share of the world's largest smartphone market. Last year, Apple's share of sales of smartphones in China fell to 15.5 percent from 17.9 percent a year earlier, according to Counterpoint Research, a tech research firm.
Apple will continue to operate its other store in Dalian at another shopping mall, Olympia 66. The iPhone maker plans to open a new store in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen this month. With that opening, the company expects to finish 2025 with the same number of stores, 58, as it had at the beginning of the year, even after the Parkland Mall closure.
Joy Dong contributed reporting from Hong Kong.
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