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

[bombrider]

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.

That's why it's a blunder. When you're the largest company in the world and you know your product sales are off the charts every single time, citing "supply constraints" at launch is effectively saying "we scheduled our release date earlier than we were going to be able to satisfy orders" - that's a blunder. Nobody forced Apple to even announce the Watch until it was ready except Apple.

As another poster said, there were 6 week delays at the first minute of pre-order. This isn't "supply constraints", this is "our product isn't ready for our advertised release date".

Total blunder.

 

[dannyboi104]

Video was missing several key phrases:

"We're sorry"
"We messed up"
"We're trying our best to catch up with demand"

First world problems eh?

 

[jlmac17]

But how does constrained supply fall on her?

Who should it fall on? I don't know why anyone should take this personally its business. That is why she is compensated that much. I think we should blamed the supply constrain on the Chinese girls at the factory.

 

[Mascots]

I'm amazed at the things people get annoyed by these days. Good grief.

I'm going to repeat this for people who don't know:

This is a woman who had a big hand in saving one of the most admired high fashion brands, plus bringing that brand into the spotlight with controversial moves that didn't always win fans but made it a major player in the market.

It's silly to think that because her video comes across as casual that she isn't capable of running the Apple retail empire.

 

[Patriot24]

If you have more product at launch it won't be 'overwhelming' Here's a tip, don't launch until you have enough product. Simple. Done. I'll waive my fee for now.

Yes, because the reaction to pushing the launch from April to May or June would have been celebration in the streets and the sound of champaign corks popping all over the world.

 

[citi]

If you have more product at launch it won't be 'overwhelming' Here's a tip, don't launch until you have enough product. Simple. Done. I'll waive my fee for now.

Keep that in mind on your next September iPhone order. You should just wait until there is more than enough product to go around.

 

[Branskins]

Yes, because the reaction to pushing the launch from April to May or June would have been celebration in the streets and the sound of champaign corks popping all over the world.

And even then...I'm sure supply would have still been constrained!

Someone will always be unhappy with a product launch, especially the last few years with Apple products and how quickly they sell out.

 

[caliguy]

It's likely that the echoing is a result of how the unnamed individual captured the video, and now how the video was recorded and edited. My 5+ years of video editing and videography experience is what gives me confidence in my prediction.

Yes, it's definitely due to the ripper's screencapture abilities.

Can't believe they're sharing an internal video on here. I'd be very upset; huge breach of disclosure.

 

[Chrjy]

Yes, because the reaction to pushing the launch from April to May or June would have been celebration in the streets and the sound of champaign corks popping all over the world.

You obviously don't drink much champaign do you?

Just kidding'

 

[Jschultz]

She's mostly coming across as nervous. I see it all the time where I work. Sometimes otherwise smart, effective people let nerves get to them.

 

[ctdonath]

Video was missing several key phrases:

Do you have any serious solution to how they could possibly have gotten it right? 5 million customized packaged products, with dozens of variables and hundreds of combinations demanded, all in customer hands in 24 hours on launch day?

 

[inscrewtable]

I'm going to repeat this for people who don't know:

This is a woman who had a big hand in saving one of the most admired ....

Apple didn't need 'saving' Steve already did that.

 

[Patriot24]

You obviously don't drink much champaign do you?

Just kidding'

I blame Ahrendts for my apparent lack of champaign knowledge. Just feels right.

 

[bombrider]

Yes, because the reaction to pushing the launch from April to May or June would have been celebration in the streets and the sound of champaign corks popping all over the world.

... nobody knew the product officially existed until they announced it. When they announced it it was clear they were still a ways from it being ready given the amount of information they didn't present. They then announced "early 2015" as their release date.

Again, nobody forced them to do this. When a smaller company (say, a Kickstarter, or another company that can't afford to lose customers) behaves like this they usually apologise and account for their delays. It satisfies your customer base more than acting like you have no control over your own supply.

 

[TXCraig]

She screwed up one of Apple's largest Product Launches

Fire Her!

The watch is bad enough

I was in the store and they have NEVER received a SINGLE MacBook to sell.

People don't want to go into the store and look at stuff they can't buy.

The lines and excitement created by past product launches equates to hundreds of millions of dollars in free advertising.... all gone.

Fire Her!

 

[cmjars]

She is so full of ****. Nice try... next!

 

[Patriot24]

... nobody knew the product officially existed until they announced it. When they announced it it was clear they were still a ways from it being ready given the amount of information they didn't present. They then announced "early 2015" as their release date.

Again, nobody forced them to do this. When a smaller company (say, a Kickstarter, or another company that can't afford to lose customers) behaves like this they usually apologise and account for their delays. It satisfies your customer base more than acting like you have no control over your own supply.

Everyone keeps assuming that they screwed themselves somehow. If they announced the April 24th release date and then 3 days later it turns out that all of the screens in production are defective, what are they going to do, say "just kidding!" and roll back the date?

I wish that I too can someday live in the land of puffy clouds and perfect hindsight.

 

[modelsown]

So chic and doing a wonderful job so far. I can't wait to see what else she has planned for the future.

 

[Brookzy]

First world problems eh?

This is Macrumors. We discuss first world problems, newbie.

Do you have any serious solution to how they could possibly have gotten it right? 5 million customized packaged products, with dozens of variables and hundreds of combinations demanded, all in customer hands in 24 hours on launch day?

Of course this is a fair point. But I was talking about the MacBook. And that should have had a delayed launch IMO.

 

[inscrewtable]

She projects a very unprofessional image to Apple employees. The making and releasing of this video is a blunder. Hopefully its just a steep learning curve for Arhendts but it's gonna be a bumpy ride for a few months.

 

[forgot-username]

Because some people didn't preorder? Even the people that preorder have to wait. How is me getting one a month later so horrible?

People who didn't pre-order might as wait until June and get one in store. I honestly don't think there have been many pre-orders after Friday 10th. Either people ordered on day (hour) one or they will order/buy in June. I really don't think the queue is getting much longer now. 2-3 million in 24 hours and maybe a few hundred thousand since, no major increase in sales until June. I also think this is why no numbers have been announced. If they said "we've hit 3 million" now they couldn't say "we've hit 3.2 million at WWDC" coz they'd look stupid.

 

[macpro2000]

I'm amazed at the things people get annoyed by these days. Good grief.

Then you have about as low expectations as they come. I could have made a better video with my 5th grade daughter on a 2007 iBook.

 

[TXCraig]

Because some people didn't preorder? Even the people that preorder have to wait. How is me getting one a month later so horrible?

You are kidding right?

 

[Lepton]

Echo echo. At least it's not in Chinese.

 

[AdonisSMU]

Angela is doing a wonderful job so far. People are just going in on her because she is a woman and they have always had unrealistic expectations for women and minorities. The bottom line is there is a 70% fail rate in yields for the watch. Then couple that with demand that far outstripped supply. Going in almost everyone was MEH on the watch. Then all the sudden when it comes out it turns out to be an even bigger deal than the iphone and the ipad and the ipad mini when they launched. Now people are upset Apple is struggling to keep up with the demand.

Angela is the only person capable of handling luxury retail items at this level. She was absolutely the right person for this job and she is doing a fine job given the constraints of supply, demand and the unrealistic expectations of Apple fans. We all will have to deal with getting our watches as they come. Apple is working hard to get as many watches in people's hands as possible.