Apple added 8,000 retail employees in fiscal 2008

One of Apple's retail employees--who now has a lot more colleagues--helps a customer during the iPhone 3G launch.

(Credit: James Martin/CNET News)

Apple's retail operation doubled in size during 2008.

Todd Bishop's TechFlash noted a paragraph in Apple's 10-K annual filing released Wednesday that the company now employs 32,000 people on a full-time basis, up from 21,600 at this time last year. Almost 16,000 of those people work in Apple's retail segment, which now has 247 stores.

In last year's annual report, Apple said it had almost 8,000 people working in the retail group, which comprised 197 stores. During fiscal 2008, or the period ended in September, the retail segment accounted for $6.3 billion of the $32.4 billion in net sales Apple recorded for the year.

In other HR-related news, Apple disclosed that it will pay outgoing iPod executive Tony Fadell $300,000 in annual salary in his new role as a "special adviser." He'll also get 77,500 units of restricted stock that vest in March 2010 in exchange for 155,000 restricted stock units that had yet to vest.

[AppleSuxLeo]

Those stores look so sterile inside and the people look like clones. Real PC people build their own with stuff from Fry`s and wee upgrade often and game hard.
The Mac area at Fry`s never has people in it because people realize you can get double the performance at half the price with a PC.

[goodspeed8701]

Applesuxleo can i buy you a drink? You know how crapple wapple can be. I am still looking for someone who has a Mac in my country.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Come on now, that's a trollbait comment to make. Give the stores credit, they are clean and most of hte time have more employees than customers in the store at any given time. That's good customer service. Give them that much.

[sciontcya]

I think you're still hungover from the Obama kool-aid, but enjoy while you can - you'll be applying for a job at Fry's - assuming you could qualify, and based on your post, I'd worry...

[Perry_Clease]

Grow up Leo

[Penguinisto]

Perry? I'm afraid he's incapable.

(...and his yawp about building one's own stuff from Fry's? Gah! Just what I'd need - a home-built mis-matched pile of parts flying in loose formation, bought from a place that's notorious for shrink-wrapping and re-selling parts returns. No frickin' thank you. :/ )

[Perry_Clease]

Yes I am afraid that you are correct, on both counts. Never the mind that Apple is one of the few business hiring in this economic downturn

[Vegaman_Dan]

Hey Perry-

I believe Rafe Needleman here on CNET had a spreadsheet for a short time showing major companies who are hring. I cannot find it now though.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Penguinisto wrote:

"(...and his yawp about building one's own stuff from Fry's? Gah! Just what I'd need - a home-built mis-matched pile of parts flying in loose formation, bought from a place that's notorious for shrink-wrapping and re-selling parts returns. No frickin' thank you. :/ ) "

Ironic you should say that after just bragging that you build your own computers including your Hackintosh using parts from suppliers such as Frys. But I agree about buying things from Frys. When I bought my Touch there in July, I had to return it immediately as it was defective and stuck in a no boot situation. They had another six in stock- all of which had been returns that they put back on the shelf without any sort of inspection. No, sorry, I won't buy that sort of thing there.

[Penguinisto]

Psst! Hey, Dan! I actually match up my parts and build them from reputable dealers.

The rest of your post is sheer assertion - please show us some proof. Thx.