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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Angela Ahrendts today sent out a video to Apple retail employees, once again reiterating Apple's Apple Watch policies and explaining why the company has decided not to accept walk-in orders.

In the video, shared by French site Mac4Ever [Google Translate], Ahrendts again told employees that the Apple Watch is only available online due to global demand exceeding supply. She also emphasized Apple's efforts to give customers the best possible ordering experience by restricting in-store orders and said there are no plans to change the current Apple Watch ordering process.

It was not an easy decision, and I think it's really important to remind every single customer that this is not just a new product for us, this is an entirely new category. And the first time we've ever previewed a product two weeks before availability.

The great news is from anyone who did pre-order, they'll start getting their orders this Friday.
Ahrendts told employees that she'll be providing updates on supply on a week by week basis, and she asked retail employees to prepare to help customers who will be receiving a pre-ordered Apple Watch in the near future. Ahrendts also once again confirmed that the Apple Watch launch is a unique situation and not reflective of Apple's launch plans going forward. "We love our launches we do in stores," she said. "Have absolutely no fear, this is a unique situation."

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The video also covered the MacBook, which has been highly limited even in first wave launch countries. Ahrendts said the response to the MacBook has been "overwhelming" and that it was one of Apple's best MacBook launches yet. Demand for the Space Gray and Gold MacBooks was described as "off the charts," and she said MacBooks are rolling out to Apple Stores that do not currently offer them on display.

Both the Apple Watch and the MacBook are in very short supply. Apple Watch orders placed today won't ship out until June or later, and MacBook orders for standard configurations carry shipping estimates of four to six weeks.

Article Link: Angela Ahrendts Updates Retail Employees on Apple Watch and MacBook Launch Situation
 

Locoboof

macrumors 65816
Jun 8, 2008
1,177
158
Bay Area,Cali
But bad news for those who didn't pre-order.
Although I did pre-order,I really hope they start to get stock sooner for walk-in customers as well as those with further out ship dates.

PS.... Anyone notice the bad audio in the video? Reminds me of a referee at a football game calling a penalty.
 
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verniesgarden

macrumors 65816
May 29, 2007
1,276
1,079
Saint Louis, Mo
saving face for such a blunder of a launch.

We didn't mind the lines, we didn't mind the low supply, it was at least consistent and we knew what to expect. This? This is madness.
 

Dwalls90

macrumors 603
Feb 5, 2009
5,426
4,391
Hopefully one can buy an Apple Watch in stores by the holiday season. Given the limited international launch, and online pre-orders already creeping into June, it may not end up being a reality.
 

camarobh

macrumors 6502
Jul 17, 2007
360
22
San Diego, CA
Mine won't be here on the 24th

I pre-ordered at 1202AM and won't get my watch until mid May. I will actually get a spare charger and second band BEFORE the watch.
 

lewisd25

macrumors 6502a
Jul 6, 2007
851
591
Go easy on her guys. Not everybody was blessed with Steve Job's public speaking ability. She will get better.
 

fuchsdh

macrumors 68020
Jun 19, 2014
2,016
1,812
saving face for such a blunder of a launch.

We didn't mind the lines, we didn't mind the low supply, it was at least consistent and we knew what to expect. This? This is madness.

How is this a blunder? Apple has always faced extreme demand pressures with new product launches. Even iPhones are still constrained when the new revision comes out, and that's there most successful product.

Stores are far less efficient than online ordering, so it makes sense when faced with constrained supply to deal with it that way.
 

A MacBook lover

Suspended
May 22, 2009
2,011
4,582
D.C.
I really don't like Angela. (Assuming she's as expensive as she is)

Edit: Because of her the weird training tactics (segregated consumers by class demographic)
And because the retail experience has declined since she's been head of retail
 
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forgot-username

macrumors member
Apr 7, 2015
38
5
Yes there are "30 Apple watches" but really it's 8 that are being made in any quantity (2 metals x 2 colours x 2 sizes) and given the internals are the same only two versions of the internals. Making millions of anything is hard, I appreciate that, and I'm not "saying I know better than the worlds largest company" and I'm really looking forward to getting mine, but not having any indication when instore availability will come is straight up weird.
 

PowerBook-G5

macrumors 65816
Jul 30, 2013
1,243
1,179
"...And the first time we've ever previewed a product two weeks before availability."

What's this supposed to mean? Apple unveiled the Watch like 6 months ago.

I believe that she meant allowing customers to demo/use/try on the device in store before its official launch.
 

citi

macrumors 65816
May 2, 2006
1,363
508
Simi Valley, CA
saving face for such a blunder of a launch.

We didn't mind the lines, we didn't mind the low supply, it was at least consistent and we knew what to expect. This? This is madness.

Come on. You know exactly what to expect. Shipment in June, or whatever month they say. You don't buy the watch and then the customer service person throws up their hands up like, "Your guess is as good as mine". Or you could keep walking in everyday, pissed off when they are never in stock.
 
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b-dogg

macrumors regular
Jul 10, 2009
163
204
"unforgettable launch"

That's true alright. People trying on watches they had purchased on-line the night before by staying up until 3am and hitting refresh and praying?

How is that personally guiding anyone the day AFTER they've bought it before seeing it or trying it on?
 

citi

macrumors 65816
May 2, 2006
1,363
508
Simi Valley, CA
Yes, but what difference does it make in terms of challenges? We've all been preordering our iDevices sight unseen in the past and did just fine.

I think the difference is in the customizability. You buy an iPhone, it's pretty straight forward. You buy a mac, you add ram and up the HD but still pretty standard. Here you have to try it on, get the right size, right color etc. When I went in, I thought my wife was going to want the silver with white band. She tried it on and immediately hated it. She wanted the black on black so this saved me from returning it. I think that's what they are trying to avoid. A whole bunch of returns.
 
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ipedro

macrumors 603
Nov 30, 2004
6,207
8,425
Toronto, ON
Tim Cook was praised by Steve Jobs as a supply chain genius. He's been dropping the ball on this as CEO. Anticipating demand is very difficult but that's why Tim Cook was considered almost super human in that regard.
 

ctdonath

macrumors 68000
Mar 11, 2009
1,592
629
Launch-day in-store availability would have been a nightmare. Other products may have seen comparable volume, but had very little variation: black/white, 16/32/64GB, CDMA/GSM/WiFi ... and that was it (and that was a lot to juggle the first few hours). Here, we have small/large, sport/regular/edition, silver/gray/gold, 1-3 sizes per band, lots of colors per band, lots of bands, ... resulting in a LOT more combinations which means very few available for each combination which means people getting annoyed that they stood in line that long just so most couldn't get what they actually wanted. Too much potential variation in what each customer wants, not enough ways to package enough desired variations without actually assembling on the spot (and still not having enough components).
 

macduke

macrumors G5
Jun 27, 2007
13,106
19,604
Doesn't this sort of seem unprecedented for Apple? She kept saying it was because it was a new category—but what's weird is that every new category Apple has ever launched was available to purchase in store on day one. This launch is the weird one—which is precisely why everyone is confused. I get being able to try on the watch ahead of launch, but that in no way explains why we can't buy it in their stores.
 

Piggie

macrumors G3
Feb 23, 2010
9,110
3,977
I could not help but be distracted by the Comedy Eyebrows she'd drawn above her eyes with a black marker pen, both sides different to each other :D

To me this just sounds like, get an order, Oh he wants stainless with the blue strap, better fit those straps on and place it in the right box for shipping.
 

Goaliegeek

macrumors 6502a
Apr 13, 2009
568
209
Colorado
She is either on unstable ground with this whole launch fiasco or she is uncomfortable on camera, and I'm guessing the later. I preordered on Friday. Does that mean I still will get mine the 24th despite the May 13-27 estimate I have? I don't think so, but I hope. Also, it seems like the single port on the new Macbook is causing issues. Maybe you shouldn't have made a single port laptop, or at least made the adapter sold desperately for a extremely high price.
 

Daalseth

macrumors 6502a
Jun 16, 2012
599
306
Good News

"We love our launches we do in stores," she said. "Have absolutely no fear, this is a unique situation."
That is the best news I've heard in a while. Once the mad rush dies down products will be in the stores.
 
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