The store's disassembly began last night, while a notice informed customers of its immediate closure. Samsung says it will do its upmost, "where possible," to find employees at Westfield new jobs, and emphasized that it's "fully committed" to its remaining stores across the UK. It's a stark statement -- for so many years, there's been no expense spared for Samsung, with huge marketing campaigns, countless pop-up stores and even an airport takeover.
But the company's profits are in decline as it faces fresh competition from younger smartphone makers such as Xiaomi. Samsung has already abandoned its laptop business in Europe, and with handset sales on the downward slide, it's no surprise the firm is scaling back its retail ambitions.
