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Apple Preparing In-Store Pickup Option for Apple Watch

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple is preparing to offer an in-store pickup option for the Apple Watch in the United States and other launch countries, listing the option as "available soon" on the Apple Online Store and Apple Store app. The new option remains grayed out on Apple's website and app, making it unavailable to select, and Apple's Reserve and Pickup system for the Apple Watch has yet to go live.

To date, Apple Watch orders have been taken exclusively online and shipped via UPS or other couriers to residential or business addresses, but soon customers will gain the option of ordering online and visiting a local Apple retail location for in-store pickup. Customers will be required to present a valid government-issued photo ID upon pickup, and must match the name on the reservation to pick up the product.

Pick-up-in-store-Apple-Watch-800x497.jpg
Apple originally planned to offer in-store pickup of the Apple Watch as early as April 24, although later decided to take orders exclusively online and ship to home, possibly due to limited supply resulting from faulty Taptic Engines. When in-store pickup for the Apple Watch becomes available, customers will be able to select a nearby Apple Store location of their choice to pick up the product.

Article Link: Apple Preparing In-Store Pickup Option for Apple Watch
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/05/06/apple-prepping-apple-watch-in-store-pickup/
I think they need to get the current online orders closer to shipping other than "July" before offering any kind of in-store pickup. I'd be annoyed if I was one of the ones who ordered on the 10th or not long after and still haven't received the watch yet those that order now could get the watch that day or within a couple of days.
 
I hope they don't offer it until most of the pre-orders have been delivered, or at least let those folks change to the in-store option.

If not I would imagine there would be a lot of grumpy pre-order people out there. We're already seeing that from folks who can't make it to Maxfield's in CA.
 
I'm assuming I will be getting my watch through in store pickup before I get the order I placed on April 30th. I am happy overall if this means I get a watch sooner.
 
chicagofan00 said:
I think they need to get the current online orders closer to shipping other than "July" before offering any kind of in-store pickup. I'd be annoyed if I was one of the ones who ordered on the 10th or not long after and still haven't received the watch yet those that order now could get the watch that day or within a couple of days.
Click to expand...

It all depends on the model you ordered. There are some models that have a lower demand and are in great supply. Why should customers who want that watch model now have to wait for people like you to receive a model that might not be ready for another few months?
 
I think there's a good chance they're wanting to launch this sooner than later and they're planning on people canceling their orders and going in store to pick up. They'd much rather have people physically in their retail locations. I ordered on the morning of the 11th and while it would be an ODD choice to make models available in store before shipping an order I placed weeks (soon months) ago I wouldn't mind just cancelling the order and going the store and picking one up! Whichever it is will essentially be serving the customers to get products in hand, which in the end is what we all want anyway, right?
 
Hopefully all of you that pre-ordered will get yours sooner than your expected ship date.

I ordered a 42mm stainless steel with black sport band about 30 minutes after the watches went on sale (I was in Yosemite that weekend, with terrible internet access). The estimated shipping window was May 13-27 -- and I just got the notification last night that I'd be receiving it today. :)
 
if someone gets a 42mm SG Sports before I do (I ordered on 4/10 around 6pm PT) I will definitely cancel. It would be unreal for someone just to buy it by walking in the Apple Store weeks after "preorder".
 
Apple pushing people to not purchase in-store is mind boggling to me. Why have a brick and mortar store?!

Step 1. Come to store, try on watch
Step 2. Go home
Step 3. Conveniently purchase from the comfort of your own home
Step 4. Come back to store and pickup watch several weeks later
Step 5. Go home and enjoy :apple:Watch

Or how about go to store, buy watch, & take home with you.
 
okifeelthat said:
if someone gets a 42mm SG Sports before I do (I ordered on 4/10 around 6pm PT) I will definitely cancel. It would be unreal for someone just to buy it by walking in the Apple Store weeks after "preorder".
Click to expand...

I wouldn't be happy either, and hopefully they fulfill pre-orders first... but if they *do* become available at a store then maybe try to pick one up at the store and then cancel your pre-order?
 
Has anyone actually seen a person wearing an Apple Watch in the wild yet? I work for a global Fortune 500 company with a very large contingent of Apple loving designers, engineers and marketers from all walks of life, and I've yet to see anyone wearing one.

Yet when a new iPhone model is released, these same people seemingly have one immediately post-launch.

Strange... :confused:
 
Shipping times for the 38mm watches and sports have been updated.

All sports now say 3-5 weeks.
The Watch have ranges being 1-2 weeks (BCB) and June (LB)
 
jacobh101 said:
Apple pushing people to not purchase in-store is mind boggling to me. Why have a brick and mortar store?!
Click to expand...

Because they didn't have enough product to sell... (Thanks, Chinese taptic engine supplier!)


jacobh101 said:
Or how about go to store, buy watch, & take home with you.
Click to expand...

And when they have enough supply you'll be able to go to a store, buy watch, & take home with you.
 
Last edited:
jacobh101 said:
Apple pushing people to not purchase in-store is mind boggling to me. Why have a brick and mortar store?!

Step 1. Come to store, try on watch
Step 2. Go home
Step 3. Conveniently purchase from the comfort of your own home
Step 4. Come back to store and pickup watch several weeks later
Step 5. Go home and enjoy :apple:Watch

Or how about go to store, buy watch, & take home with you.
Click to expand...
I don't know why people are still acting as if Apple wanted to do this. They had no choice. They didn't have enough Watches to sell them in stores. They would've been sold out within minutes, no one would have gotten the one they wanted, people would have been bitching and moaning even more than they are already, that they camped out all night and waited in line for hours and Apple didn't even have any stock of the model they wanted (e.g. 42mm stainless w/ link band).

They probably had a pre-existing agreement with a few high-end retail stores around the world that they could not change, e.g. Maxfield's, but this was not how they wanted the release to go. I'm sure Apple would have greatly preferred a normal release, with plenty of stock and availability in retail stores on day 1. They had no choice.
 
good idea …

… but one month late - would be a great start when on place by time
(launch date ; - )
 
I disagree, actually..

Don't get me wrong.... at this point, it would be nice to know I could pick up my watch a day or two earlier than waiting for it to get delivered, once Apple finally ships it out the door.

But making it a plan to just push people to cancel an order, in order to buy one in store is a bad move from a marketing perspective. It inconveniences people to have to request the cancellation, first of all ... and second, gives the impression that Apple doesn't value your business as one of the early adopters. It basically tells people that, "Apple screwed up trying to come up with a new, better way to handle demand for a new product. So now they're retreating back to their old ways."

I think they'll be better served just getting the pre-orders filled ASAP and *then* putting the products in the stores.


mikepepe86 said:
I think there's a good chance they're wanting to launch this sooner than later and they're planning on people canceling their orders and going in store to pick up. They'd much rather have people physically in their retail locations. I ordered on the morning of the 11th and while it would be an ODD choice to make models available in store before shipping an order I placed weeks (soon months) ago I wouldn't mind just cancelling the order and going the store and picking one up! Whichever it is will essentially be serving the customers to get products in hand, which in the end is what we all want anyway, right?
Click to expand...
 
If Apple Fails their TRUE loyal customer base (folks that ordered @ 12:00 am Pacific time or 3am Eastern time) and allows people to walk into a store and purchase a watch prior to Apple filling the already committed orders of these loyalist. I know of at least 10 people that will NEVER order from Apple on the day of release again - and I am being conservative with "10".

I have personally ordered several brand new Apple products the day of release and I have never been disappointed by an early delivery date! This was also the case with my 42mm Space Grey Sports (delivery date May 13 - May 27). Actually received yesterday May 5th.

Apple has always been about the customer experience, NOT just the product, lets hope that this is still the case.
 
None of my shipping estimates have changed. Still "May" for a Milanese loop and May 21- June 4 for my 38 mm SG BSB. :(
 
jacobh101 said:
Apple pushing people to not purchase in-store is mind boggling to me. Why have a brick and mortar store?!

Step 1. Come to store, try on watch
Step 2. Go home
Step 3. Conveniently purchase from the comfort of your own home
Step 4. Come back to store and pickup watch several weeks later
Step 5. Go home and enjoy :apple:Watch

Or how about go to store, buy watch, & take home with you.
Click to expand...

You may want to read some of the previous very rare and scarce Apple watch posts and threads about availability.

That will hopefully answer your questions.

If you can't find any post/threads let us know. I am sure somebody saved the few there were.
 
Does pickup in store mean the watch will be shipped to a customers closest store for pickup or does it mean stores will have stock for walk in customers too? If it's the former I don't see what the big deal is as long as orders are being fulfilled based on when they were placed and demand of specific model.
 
Boy, a LOT of you are mis-reading this.


It's not saying they'll just be available in stores and the pre-order people get screwed.

It's saying that "in store" will soon be an additional option to "UPS" when you order online. So the people buying online soon for July watches will be able to choose how they get their watch. That doesn't move them ahead of the June people.
 
I agree though, they should definitely make sure that every single person who ordered a Watch on the pre-order weekend (April 10 - April 12) gets theirs, before they start making them available in stores.
 
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