apple-sales-by-channel

Apple Sales By Distribution Channel

Business / By / August 21, 2023

In 2022, Apple generated 62% from indirect channels vs. 38% from its direct channel. In 2021, 64% of Apple’s sales came by indirect channels vs. 36% from its direct channels in 2021.

apple-distribution-strategy
In 2022, most of Apple’s sales (62%) came from indirect channels (comprising third-party cellular networks, wholesalers/retailers, and resellers). These channels are critical for sales amplification, scale, and subsidies (to enable the iPhone to be purchased by many people). In comparison, the direct channel represented 38% of the total revenues. Stores are critical for customer experience, enabling the service business, and branding at scale.

Key Highlights of Apple’s Sales Channels Strategy

  • Sales Channel Breakdown:
    • In 2022, Apple’s sales distribution was as follows:
      • Indirect Channels: 62%
      • Direct Channel: 38%
    • Similarly, in 2021:
      • Indirect Channels: 64%
      • Direct Channel: 36%
  • Indirect Channels:
    • Indirect channels include third-party cellular networks, wholesalers/retailers, and resellers.
    • They play a crucial role in amplifying sales, achieving scale, and offering subsidies, which make products like the iPhone accessible to a wider audience.
  • Direct Channel:
    • The direct channel mainly involves Apple’s own retail stores.
    • These stores are pivotal for providing a unique customer experience, facilitating the service business, and building brand recognition at a significant scale.

In summary, Apple’s sales distribution strategy in 2022 relied heavily on indirect channels, contributing 62% of its total revenues.

These channels enable broader market penetration and affordability through subsidies.

Meanwhile, the direct channel, which accounts for 38%, primarily consists of Apple’s retail stores, playing a central role in delivering exceptional customer experiences and promoting the brand.

Related to Apple

Who Owns Apple

who-owns-apple
As of 2023, major Apple shareholders comprised Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway with 5.73% of the company’s stock (valued at over $130 billion). Followed by other individual shareholders like Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, with about 3.3 million shares, Artur Levinson, chairman of Apple, with over 4.5 million shares, and others.

Apple Business Model

apple-business-model
Apple has a business model that is divided into products and services. Apple generated over $394 billion in revenues in 2022, of which $205.5 came from iPhone sales, $40 billion came from Mac sales, over $41 billion came from accessories and wearables (AirPods, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Beats products, HomePod, iPod touch, and accessories), $29.3 billion came from iPad sales, and $78.13 billion came from services.

Apple vs. Android

apple-vs-android

Apple Business Growth

apple-business-growth
iPhone and Services sales represented the main revenue drivers in 2022. Within the service revenues, the fastest growing sub-segment was the advertising business Apple built on top of the App Store, followed by the Mac, Accessories & Wearables, and the iPad.

Apple Profits

apple-profits
Apple generated almost a hundred billion dollars in profits in 2022, compared to $94.6 billion in 2021 and over $57 billion in 2020.

Apple Distribution

apple-distribution-strategy
In 2022, most of Apple’s sales (62%) came from indirect channels (comprising third-party cellular networks, wholesalers/retailers, and resellers). These channels are critical for sales amplification, scale, and subsidies (to enable the iPhone to be purchased by many people). In comparison, the direct channel represented 38% of the total revenues. Stores are critical for customer experience, enabling the service business, and branding at scale.

Apple Sales By Distribution Channel

apple-sales-by-channel
In 2022, Apple generated 62% from indirect channels vs. 38% from its direct channel. In 2021, 64% of Apple’s sales came by indirect channels vs. 36% from its direct channels in 2021.

Apple Value Proposition

apple-value-proposition
Apple is a tech giant, and as such, it encompasses a set of value propositions that make Apple’s brand recognized, among consumers. The three fundamental value propositions of Apple’s brand leverage the “Think Different” motto; reliable tech devices for mass markets; and starting in 2019, Apple also started to emphasize more and more privacy to differentiate itself from other tech giants.

Apple Mission Statement

apple-mission-statement-vision-statement
Apple’s mission is “to bring the best user experience to its customers through its innovative hardware, software, and services.” And in a manifesto dated 2019 Tim Cook set the vision specified as “We believe that we are on the face of the earth to make great products and that’s not changing.”

How Much Is Apple Worth?

how-much-is-apple-worth
In 2022, Apple is worth two and a half trillion dollars. Apple generated over $205 billion from iPhone sales in 2022, which accounted for over 52% of its net sales—followed by services revenues at over $78 billion, wearables and accessories at over $41 billion, Mac sales at $40 billion, and iPad sales at over $29 billion.

Apple Cash On Hand

apple-cash-on-hand

Apple Employees

apple-employees-number

Apple Revenue Per Employee

apple-revenue-per-employee
Apple had 164000 full-time employees as of 2022, generating $2,404,439 per employee.

Revenue Per Employee

revenue-per-employee

Apple Mission Statement

apple-mission-statement-vision-statement
Apple’s mission is “to bring the best user experience to its customers through its innovative hardware, software, and services.” And in a manifesto dated 2019 Tim Cook set the vision specified as “We believe that we are on the face of the earth to make great products and that’s not changing.”

The Economics of The iPhone

how-much-profit-does-apple-make-per-iphone
It costs Apple $501 to make an iPhone 14 Pro Max, and the company sells it at a base price of $1099. This makes Apple’s base markup on the latest iPhone model at 119% Apple is the only tech company able to sell its tech products at a such a premium, thanks to a combination of hardware, software and marketplace.

Tim Cook Salary

tim-cook-salary
While Apple Tim Cook’s salary has been $3 million since 2016, most of Tim Cook’s compensation is performance-based. For instance, in 2022, while the salary of Tim Cook was $3 million, he had total compensation of over $99 million, which comprised stock awards and other incentives and bonuses.

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About The Author

Gennaro is the creator of FourWeekMBA, which reached about four million business people, comprising C-level executives, investors, analysts, product managers, and aspiring digital entrepreneurs in 2022 alone | He is also Director of Sales for a high-tech scaleup in the AI Industry | In 2012, Gennaro earned an International MBA with emphasis on Corporate Finance and Business Strategy.
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