Apple Retail firing on all cylinders with very little employee churn, says Deirdre O'Brien

Apple retail chief Deirdre O'Brien says all Apple Stores have reopened, and given consumer habits and wants, there won't be a shift in brick and mortar retail strategy post-pandemic.

COVID-19 shut down the Apple Store's normal operation throughout 2020. First stores closed in China, then the rest of the world as Apple complied with guidance to stop the spread.

Apple Senior Vice President of retail and people, Deirdre O'Brien, spoke with CNBC about the company's reopening efforts and how customers are responding. She hopes the Apple Stores are able to welcome as many customers as they can.

In an on-air segment, O'Brien said that an Apple Store is "a hub of activity," and she doesn't expect that to change. As more people are out and about, they come to the Apple Store for advice and recommendations.

"I don't see a major shift for us," says O'Brien when discussing Apple Store strategy. Apple specialists will still be available for those who want person-to-person interaction, and express pickup is available for those who don't.

One issue the United States has seen since the pandemic began receding is an employment retention drop in retail. Some businesses are struggling to keep employees around, a problem Apple doesn't seem to have. According to O'Brien, Apple's employee attrition rates are currently lower than during the pandemic.

Apple's opening and closing of its physical stores almost acted as a leading indicator for how a portion of the country was handling the pandemic. Now, Apple Stores are able to fully open around the world without a mask requirement.

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