SDSU can make the unique claim of having the only authorized Apple campus store in the state.  The discounted rates on some items, as well as the ability to use Hobo Dough, make the store a huge plus for students.  The Apple Store is located within the SDSU bookstore in the Student Union.

Beyond the convenience of being located in the center of campus, the Apple Store sells many items at rates that other retailers cannot match.  For example, most computers at the store are offered at anywhere from $100 to $200 dollars less than at other retailers.  This is possible because the store teams up with Apple to offer Education rates on its products.  These discounts apply to computers and some software and are only possible by being an officially authorized Apple campus store.  Depending on the product, they range anywhere from a slight discount to a massive bargain.

The Apple Store offers a wide variety of products from iPads to Macbooks, as well as software for students.  Some of the best-selling products at the store are the Adobe Creative Suite packages.  These packages are offered at up to seventy percent off the price found elsewhere. The Creative Suite Master Collection is sold at the Apple Store for $659 compared to $2,599 on Adobe’s website.

One of the main goals of employees at the store is to be knowledgeable about the products and services offered there.  During the hiring process candidates are expected to know not only how the products work, but also how useful they will be to students.

“We want students to come in and say, ‘This is my major, what do I need?’” said Stephen Brua, Marketing Coordinator for Auxiliary Services.  “We are working with the different departments to determine if there are any technology requirements. That way we can help every student.”

While the bookstore and the conjoined Apple Store will not be directly affected by the expansion of the Student Union, there is some concern that the expansion will cut down on foot traffic, which the store depends on for business.

“The glass front (of the bookstore) is really one of our big draws to people walking by,” Brua said. “It’s one of the points we highlighted when applying for the store.”

The campus Apple Store is looking forward to next year because this will be the first year that the store will be open during the orientation events.

During the events last year, the store was still under construction.  The store expects a huge boost in computer and software sales as incoming freshmen prepare for their first year of classes.

“We really want to be student driven,” said Brua. “If they are looking for something we want them to tell us.”