There were hundreds if not thousands of professional naysayers when Apple opened its first retail store – for analyists, journalists and others who were quick to dismiss the stores, it proves that people do move in herds and it’s important never to dismiss anything without really examining it.

That just because others had failed does not mean Apple or YOU will fail at the same venture. That’s one of the important take-away’s. The other is to really examine the marketplace and figure out where the consumer needs are not being met – of course, it’s helps that Apple already had a brand value in place befitting a retail store(s) – something Dell is having trouble with because most of their customers buy solely on price.

But it’s not just perception, how about some raw numbers from Fortune:

“Saks generates sales of $362 per square foot a year. Best Buy stores turn $930 – tops for electronics retailers – while Tiffany & Co. takes in $2,666. But at $4,032, Apple is eating everyone’s lunch.”

Or an easier to grasp numbers – $1 BILLION in retail store sales for the holiday QUARTER 2006.

As Apple mentioned in their “Think Different” ad campaign from many years back, “While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.”

That might explain why every Apple retail store opening worldwide generates a line from the near thousands to many times that – with people who travel the world to be first or nearly first in line – from Roma (the latest store) to Tokyo to Coconut Point – yes, not only do people line up but take photos, there is also a fan website devoted solely to Apple stores and even tracking leasing contracts to determine where the next ones might be … so, good luck competing with that.

How is your marketing today?