The Rise of the Fake Apple Store

As marketing students we have spent time in a number of different classes discussing Apple's successes in creating demand for the newest most technologically advanced products.  One way Apple has been able to maintain its prominent stance within the industry is the use of their unique and revolutionary Apple Stores.  We all know how effective Apple Stores are.  They have the highest sales per sq foot of any retailer in the United States and boast a revenue of $437,000 per employee, which is more than double the industry average of $206,000.

I found an article in the New York Times discussing how lately their has been a rise in fake Apple Stores.  When you are an industry leader you are always susceptible to copy cats and this is something Apple has dealt with in the past.  Apple's products are so sought after that some electronic makers actually create fake replicas of iPods, iPhones and Mac computers, which are sold in electronics stores and online marketplaces. 

Interior View of Apple's Fifth Avenue Store in NYC

Now Apple has to contend with a new genre of copycats, those who are actually replicating Apple Store retail locations and setting up shop around the world.  The main problem with these stores is that they are selling actual Apple products.  At first glance these stores look so real that it's hard to determine if they are knockoffs or are actually owned by Apple.  The store itself has the same wooden tables as standard Apple stores; traditional branded posters and signs cover the walls. There is also the winding staircase and concrete floors you see in real Apple stores.  "The most amazing part of the fake stores in China have to be the employees. These employees actually believe they work for Apple. They wander the store assisting customers and wear standard Apple T-shirts, which are bright blue with a clean white Apple logo across the chest. Dangling from lanyards around their necks are Apple employee identification cards that say "Staff.""

Interior View of Apple Store in Paris

Is it unethical for companies to set up fake Apple Stores?  What if they are not selling any Apple products?  How can Apple to continue to differentiate their retail stores from copycats in the future?