Apple plans to hire 400 people for new retail stores in Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi-NCR and Mumbai

Apple Store

Apple Inc has set out on a hiring spree for expanding its retail business in India. The iPhone maker plans to recruit up to 400 people for the four upcoming outlets in Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi-NCR, and Mumbai, sources told Moneycontrol.

The company has listed several job openings on its website, aiming to fill up various positions before the outlets are launched next year. The job postings include opportunities for both full-time and part-time employees, similar to those available in its existing stores in Mumbai and Delhi.

"Apple's part-time opportunities are for fresh graduates seeking experience in working with a large corporation. These graduates can take up various shifts at Apple stores," a source familiar with the matter told Moneycontrol.

Apple's BKC store in Mumbai and Select City Walk store in Delhi have 90-100 employees each, including some part-time employees who work in shifts. "Apple is looking to hire a similar number of employees for its four new stores in Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi-NCR and Mumbai," another person said.

The company's headhunters have started attracting talent on job sites, including LinkedIn. "It's amazing to see Apple expand across this incredible country in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru. We are looking to talk to people across many roles," one of several Apple India recruiters posted on LinkedIn.

Apple recently announced its plans to expand retail operations significantly following the success of BKC outlet in Mumbai and Select City Mall in Delhi which were rolled out in April last year by chief executive Tim Cook.

Bumper retail harvest 

Sources told Moneycontrol that these two stores reaped a bumper harvest, making around Rs 800 crore in revenues in the first year of operations and becoming the company's top-performing retail stores globally. They added that around 60 percent of sales came from the smaller Delhi store.

Apple's retail stores have delivered an impressive performance despite a wide network of premium reseller channels and thousands of multi-brand outlets across Indian cities.

In addition to its physical stores, Apple products are sold through its company-run online platform and e-commerce giants like Flipkart and Amazon.

At Apple stores in Mumbai and Delhi, the team, including expatriate employees, speak over 20 languages. These stores focus on driving sales and aim to provide a more immersive customer experience by showcasing Apple products and highlighting their features and use cases in greater detail.

Additionally, company sources said the stores contribute to brand building by familiarising customers with the Apple ecosystem through 'Today at Apple' sessions, where experts conduct informative workshops on using Apple products effectively.

A query sent to Apple India went unanswered.

The Indian Applecart 

Apple has been doubling down on India — the world's second-largest smartphone market — amid escalating geopolitical tension and a slump in sales in key markets of the US and China. Bullish on India as its manufacturing hub in the making, the company started production of the entire iPhone 16 lineup from the country this year, including the Pro and Pro Max models. The decision underscores India's critical role in Apple's global operations and the company's growing interest in diversifying its supply chain and tapping into India's skilled workforce.

The company's overall sales in India have also recorded robust growth, bolstered by its intensifying focus on local manufacturing. Apple's domestic revenue surpassed Rs 65,000 crore in the previous fiscal year, reflecting a 33 percent on-year growth.

Analysts said this growth trajectory is expected to persist, fuelled by strong demand for the flagship iPhone and the rising adoption of other products like the Apple Watch, MacBook, and AirPods.

IDC estimates that Apple is expected to ship 12 to 12.5 million iPhones in India in 2024. This is around 25 percent growth for Apple over 2023. The tech giant is making significant progress in India's smartphone market on the back of increasing demand for its iPhones. It also sees a revival in non-handset categories such as MacBooks, iPads, smartwatches, and true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds.

According to data from market tracker Counterpoint Research, Apple's revenue from non-smartphone products is projected to reach $1.3 billion in 2024, reflecting a 14 percent rise year-on-year.