Apple Stores' Touchy-Feely Tricks...

Even products as well-designed as Apple's don't just sell themselves - so the company has put some design thinking into their retail stores to help.  And that includes a few neat tricks, some of which were uncovered by Carmine Gallo in Forbes.  He reviews Apple Stores' basic advantages over big-box stores, like the fact that all the devices are powered on, connected to the internet, and unencumbered by bulky anti-theft fixtures.    But the sneakier tricks are even more fascinating: the Macbooks' screens are all tilted at 70 degrees by the store employees.  That's not a comfortable viewing angle, so it encourages customers to touch the computer to adjust it - and as Carmine says, "multisensory experiences build a sense of ownership."  He points out that it's the same theory that works for Build-a-Bear Workshops, where hands-on involvement creates an emotional bond - and it's put in practice in all aspects of Apple's product demos, purchasing, and setup.  Perhaps the best part: the employees use an iPhone app to measure that exact 70-degree angle.  Now that's putting your product portfolio to work!
[Forbes, via Gizmodo]