Shop Online For Software, Music, Movies, iMac, iPod.

Apple’s retail stores have become a huge, multi-billion dollar business. Ditto for the Apple online store.

Where do you shop for software, music, movies, iPods, accessories, printers, gadgets, even iMacs and Mac minis?

My answer would be, ‘a little of everywhere’ or, ‘it depends.’ I shop at the Apple Store in Manhattan as it isn’t far from work.

I also shop at the Apple Store online, though not as much since there’s a store nearby. Not everyone in the U.S. has quick access to an Apple Store, and the same is more so for Europe, Asia, South America.

There are not many Apple Stores in the rest of the world, which is one reason why Apple’s online store is so popular. There’s a custom store for nearly every major country.

Has Apple’s online store and a nearby retail store changed your buying habits?

For example, I used to buy quite often from the Amazon Store. These days I buy fewer items than ever from Amazon, and when I do, it’s usually through the Mac360 Store, which is powered by Amazon.

Yesterday I revamped the Mac360 Store, added more categories, freshened the graphics a bit, cleaned up the links—so it loads a little faster, is a bit easier to navigate.

As Apple has rolled out more and more Apple Stores throughout the U.S., we’ve noticed a steady decline in customer visits and sales to the Mac360 Store. I suspect the same is true of retailers who sell Apple products.

Why bother online when you can get the real stuff at the mall, visit a Genius Bar, and select from the latest Mac and Apple products?

We put up the Amazon powered Mac360 Store a couple of years ago to provide Mac users with an easy and attractive way to buy products through Amazon, and to make a few dollars to help offset our monthly server costs and bandwidth expenses.

We don’t get rich with the Mac360 Store. It probably averages $40 a month in total revenue for us, which is less than $1,000 in total sales through Amazon.

That’s not much, but not much effort is required to maintain the Store, either. Still, every little bit helps.

I would like to know what Mac360 readers would like to see in the Mac360 online store, and what we could do to make it more attractive, more accessible, and more beneficial. Have you shopped in the Store?

Do you shop online using the Amazon? If so, what do you usually purchase, and when? We’ve noticed more purchases in the months leading up to New Year’s than in spring or summer. What can we do to make the experience better for you?

By the way, Mac360 gives daily Mac updates on Twitter. If you Twitter, give Mac360 a tweet. One more thing. Only the best Mac software gets reviewed on Ron's NoodleMac site. Check it out.

Off Topic Note: Guess what? Former Mac360 writer Kate Mac is back online after dumping Windows and re-embracing the Mac. Again.