The New York Times came up with an analysis regarding Apple's phenomenal success in the retail front and what Sony and other companies could learn from it. Simplicity seemed to be the operative theme.

When Apple launched an ambitious project to open retail stores nationwide back in 2001, it was largely criticized and condemned by traditional business knowledge as a self-defeating move that Apple will regret. It happened in a time when once-mighty retail chains like Gateway were closing down, prompting almost everyone to write off the idea.

It seems, however, that everyone forgot the tremendous knack for innovation that Steve Jobs and the boys at Apple have. Damning the torpedoes and doing away with unnecessary aesthetics and exorbitant store spaces, the retail stores were built at a minimum cost and were designed to be compact, simple yet accessible and loaded with products that sell themselves.

New York times correspondents documented the amazing story and watched as Sony opened its own Sony Style chains which were spacious, trendy and in most cases, virtually desolate with staff outnumbering consumers even on peak days. This scenario was repeatedly observed by NY Times correspondents in various Sony Style outlets located in malls and other good locations.

In contrast, Apple stores always seemed loaded and vibrant with a sense of excitement omnipresent in the expressions of customers. Apple stores were often much smaller than the typical 6, 000 square-feet that Sony Style outlets occupy, yet they're doing far better.

The article hints that bigger isn't always better and sometimes it boils down to product appeal and service quality. There are a lot of things mentioned in the article that Sony can take more of and perhaps adopt, if it isn't too late. Follow the read URL and see what the celebrated paper has to say.