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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts issued an internal memo to retail employees on Thursday that helps eliminate some of the confusion surrounding the launch of the wrist-worn device. The memo, a roughly translated copy of which was obtained by iGen.fr, states that Apple Watch orders will continue to be taken exclusively online through May and that deliveries will begin April 24 as planned.
"The feedback from customers is overwhelmingly positive. They are excited about Apple Watch, and your teams are creating fantastic experiences for them. Customers who pre-ordered will start receiving deliveries next Friday as planned, and I know you will do a great job helping set them up.

Many of you have been asking if we will have the Apple Watch available in stores on April 24 for walk-in purchases. As we announced last week, due to high global interest combined with our initial supply, we are only taking orders online right now. I'll have more updates as we get closer to in-store availability, purpose we expect this to continue through the month of May."
Apple-Watch-Trio-800x363.png
With no walk-in purchases of the Apple Watch available at Apple Stores until at least June, and product reservations for in-store pickup not available yet, it would appear that the Apple Watch's upcoming April 24 launch day could be quieter than usual. The long lines that typically accompany an iPhone launch, for example, could be a lot shorter than usual at many Apple retail stores around the world.

Fortunately, disappointed customers can rest assured that Apple's iconic lineups will not be going away forever. Ahrendts ensured in her memo to retail employees that not all Apple products will launch the same way as the Apple Watch, adding that both Apple and its customers love the long lines and that there will be many more of them to come in the future.
"I know this is a different experience for our customers, and has changed for you as well. Are we going to launch every product this way from now on? No. We all love those blockbuster Apple product launch days and there will be many more to come. They're the times where you, our teams, shine. And our customers love them as well!"
Likely to reflect that many customers will not be receiving their pre-orders by April 24, and that in-store availability on launch day, if any, will be very limited, Apple changed the tagline on its website on late Wednesday to read "the Watch is coming" instead of "available 4.24.15" as it previously showed. Apple Watch pre-orders began on April 10 at 12:01 AM Pacific and sold out in less than six hours.


Article Link: Apple Watch Orders Will Remain Exclusively Online Through May, Deliveries Begin April 24
 

syndalis

macrumors regular
Jan 23, 2008
121
200
I am genuinely surprised that there will not be a single watch available for sale in stores on launch day.

I mean, I preordered mine and can't wait to get it, but I feel like there was a missed opportunity here.
 

newdeal

macrumors 68030
Oct 21, 2009
2,509
1,769
I didn't order one but anything that could prevent the total chaos I experienced during the iPad 2 launch would be greatly appreciated
 

Menopause

macrumors 6502a
Feb 26, 2011
663
1,807
I'm willing to create a line along with my cats for a 27" Retina Thunderbolt Display.
 

BeyondtheTech

macrumors 68020
Jun 20, 2007
2,146
715
Reposted from previous thread before moderator redirected everyone to this one:

Year after year with every Apple product launch, it's either been "blockbuster" or in the very least, initial demand has always outpaced initial supply. So, for a company with over $180B in the bank, they could've done better research, as well as take a calculated risk to ramp up the initial supply.

I mean, Microsoft made a huge error in producing too many Windows RT tablets which resulted in a write down of $1B, and Amazon lost a couple hundred million with their Fire Phone. Both of these are a mere fraction - however significant - compared to their bottom line.

The difference here is that Apple knows better and we know they know better, so at this point, people (and those famed analysts you always hear making up rumors) might have some justification to start to perceive Apple as naïve, ill-prepared, overly-conservative, or even stingy, and/or cheap. That makes for a poor customer experience and hurts their image, at least for this launch. I wouldn't be surprised if this hurts Angela's reputation as well - you know some journalist, blogger, or analyst is going to want to place blame somewhere.
 

Locoboof

macrumors 65816
Jun 8, 2008
1,177
158
Bay Area,Cali
I am genuinely surprised that there will not be a single watch available for sale in stores on launch day.

I mean, I preordered mine and can't wait to get it, but I feel like there was a missed opportunity here.

This! I agree with you 100%. I do have a 4/24-5/08 ship date,but I feel for those who didn't order in time.
 

ArtOfWarfare

macrumors G3
Nov 26, 2007
9,545
6,042
During my try-on appointment I saw that they had at least 40 :apple:Watches in the drawers set aside for try-on appointments. They also had several watches set in a glass case or set up for other demos.

It seems really odd to me that they would have so many products purely for display at a little mall store when they're finding it so hard to fulfill orders. If each of their 400 stores worldwide is like mine, that would suggest they have some 20,000 :apple:Watches worldwide just sitting in the stores, not being sold.

With estimates that there are 2.3 M preorders, it seems to me that around 1% of those preorders could be satisfied far earlier than the middle of July that they've been told so far, if Apple would just cut back on how many watches they have laying around the store.
 

Mac21ND

macrumors 6502a
Jun 6, 2007
724
167
So there's really not a "Launch Day." It's more or less an "Order Day", then you get yours when you get yours.

I wonder if this has to do with the almost infinite amount of combinations you can purchase (watch material, bands, etc;). They could anticipate stocking the most common config's I guess, but could still run into problems.

----------

Order in time? I ordered my Sport at 3:01am and already it showed shipping as 4-6 weeks!

I'm thinking I should order mine now for Christmas delivery. :D
 

Locoboof

macrumors 65816
Jun 8, 2008
1,177
158
Bay Area,Cali
Order in time? I ordered my Sport at 3:01am and already it showed shipping as 4-6 weeks!


There's instances like yours where they didn't even have them available for a 4/24 ship date. I ordered two SS,but one of them at 12:01 said 4-6 weeks like yourself. There's also some who ordered the same model as mine coming on 4/24-5/08,but they got June ship dates.....I was referring to them,but I understand your point.
 

Chrjy

macrumors 65816
May 19, 2010
1,095
2,098
UK
Sounds to me like she's desperately back pedaling on her previous comment about lines!
 

Loucifer

macrumors member
Feb 16, 2012
49
27
London
4-6 weeks blues

I ordered mine as soon as the site allowed me :)apple: watch, black sports band) and it still gave me 4-6 weeks dispatch :(
 

CausticPuppy

macrumors 68000
May 1, 2012
1,536
68
During my try-on appointment I saw that they had at least 40 :apple:Watches in the drawers set aside for try-on appointments. They also had several watches set in a glass case or set up for other demos.

It seems really odd to me that they would have so many products purely for display at a little mall store when they're finding it so hard to fulfill orders. If each of their 400 stores worldwide is like mine, that would suggest they have some 20,000 :apple:Watches worldwide just sitting in the stores, not being sold.

With estimates that there are 2.3 M preorders, it seems to me that around 1% of those preorders could be satisfied far earlier than the middle of July that they've been told so far, if Apple would just cut back on how many watches they have laying around the store.

The "try-on" watches are not actual functional watches.
 

Sasparilla

macrumors 68000
Jul 6, 2012
1,956
3,357
Clearly they couldn't make enough. That's disappointing.

With all the extra time involved since its announcement they've obviously had big time production issue(s) with the watch to be in this position (no walk in purchases for a month and a half after initial customer orders).

Apple is doing the order online method because they have to (not nearly enough supply), not because they actually wanted to launch the watch this way...JMHO...
 
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