Your purchase commitments typically cover your needs for periods of up to 150 days. CEO Tim Cook is known for his strategy of making suppliers compete with each other. Operations: Apple operations are conducted by 92,600 full-time equivalent employees and 4,400 full-time equivalent temporary employees and contractors. Most of Apple's hardware products are currently manufactured by outsourced partners, most of which are located in Asia. Outbound Logistics: In 2014, Apple's net sales through direct and indirect distribution channels accounted for 28% and 72% of total net sales, respectively. Marketing and Sales: Apple sells its products and services through four distribution channels that integrate advertising, public relations, events and experiences, and direct sales. The 2014 marketing and sales budget is almost 1.1 billion. Service: Apple is famous for its exceptional quality of customer service during all three phases: pre-purchase, during purchase and post-purchase. Apple sales assistants are generally trained and technically competent enough to demonstrate product features and capabilities. Post-purchase customer services such as iPhone trade-in programs that allow users to upgrade their phone to newer models with additional