Apple loses 1600 at retail

Apple's increased retail revenue in the second fiscal quarter came at the expensive of many people's jobs, SEC filings reveal. While the company managed to push retail revenue from $1.45 billion in Q208 to $1.47 billion in Q209, documents show that the company employed only 14,000 people in stores full-time. During the first fiscal quarter of the 2009, the company was using 15,600 full-time workers.

The fate of the missing 1,600 employees is uncertain, but may be connected reports from late 2008, which suggested that Apple -- knowing a recession was looming -- had the intention of reducing hours available to part-time workers. The SEC filing refers specifically to people working the equivalent of full-time, which could include nominally part-time employees who take extra hours.

Cuts may have been precipitated by figures such as a declining average revenue per store, which fell to $5.9 million in Q209 from $7.1 million in Q208. Apple also chose to open 45 new stores during 2008, imposing logistical and real estate burdens meant to be supported by healthier economies. The company is nevertheless planning to open a total of 25 new stores in FY09.

by MacNN Staff