It depends on where you stand geographically - in some places, there are retailers who are simply the go-to solution. Now, anyone who knows some history of mar

It depends on where you stand geographically - in some places, there are retailers who are simply the go-to solution. Now, anyone who knows some history of marketing, or who have been working on this for some time, knows that the sales channel helps with brand positioning - this is basic marketing. If you have a luxury brand (yes, Apple is a luxury brand) you stand where luxury brands are - you even use media that luxury brands use for advertising. Nike was about empowering people who liked sports - they were a mass market brand. That's where mass retail comes to play because they have distribution on the scale to the masses - the problem is that they squeeze margins. Mass retail REMOVES effort + time from the equation precisely. Maybe Nike just wants to thicken their margins, since they are watching what's happening with SUPREME - a fashion brand where people make lines to buy t-shirts... if SUPREME cult can do it, with ridiculous margins... why can't they? Nike has the brand cult, they have the product, now they just bump the prices and create the idea of exclusivity with a small supply - the illusion of scarcity. I mean, they have a good example with basketball shoes in the USA. Secondary market will love this. Btw, Apple didn't pioneer the concept of the modern brand stores - they copied boutiques from luxury jewelry and watches brands.