Apple Watch Now Available at Target in Stores and Online

[MacRumors]

Target has delivered on its plans and is now selling the Apple Watch in U.S. stores and online (via The Loop). The large retailer is carrying both Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch models with the same pricing as Apple.

Target has also listed dozens of bands on its website, including the Classic Buckle, Leather Loop, Milanese Loop and Sport Band, but most remain unavailable for delivery or in-store pickup at this time. Apple Watch accessories and AppleCare+ are also listed.

Our hearts just skipped a beat! #AppleWatch is here. In stores and online. 💗💓💗 https://t.co/g4tkLB0P0e
https://t.co/t2mpjyIlPD - Target (@Target) October 22, 2015

Apple Watch also became available through B&H Photo earlier this month, as part of a growing group of Apple Watch authorized resellers.

Article Link: Apple Watch Now Available at Target in Stores and Online

 

[dannyyankou]

My store has had them since early in the month.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Now get Apple Pay at Target!

 

[Adithya007]

Expect great sales Target! *evil laugh*

 

[Menel]

Now get Apple Pay at Target!

It's coming. With so many stores, and a huge complex system linking them. It takes time. Took them forever to activate their chip readers in my area, even though they had them.

 

[A MacBook lover]

Apple rolled the iPhone really slowly to third party retailers. Why the Apple Watch so fast? Are they trying to keep up revenue?


Either way, they shouldn't try to roll out in large scale. The Apple Watch - to me - is Apple's weakest product. After owning my SS 38mm for 6 months I got rid of it. Such a beautiful product, but ask Elon said, it seems really lacking. They shouldn't push the Apple brand on a product that isn't perfect yet, keep it underground and away from the general public until it's perfect like the iPhone 3G

 

[cdm283813]

They can put it in Walmart for all I care. Waiting for version 2.

 

[akwarner]

Apple rolled the iPhone really slowly to third party retailers. Why the Apple Watch so fast? Are they trying to keep up revenue?

The Apple Watch has been for sale since April. How is October "so fast"? Just curious.

A.

 

[Rogifan]

Apple rolled the iPhone really slowly to third party retailers. Why the Apple Watch so fast? Are they trying to keep up revenue?


Either way, they shouldn't try to roll out in large scale. The Apple Watch - to me - is Apple's weakest product. After owning my SS 38mm for 6 months I got rid of it. Such a beautiful product, but ask Elon said, it seems really lacking. They shouldn't push the Apple brand on a product that isn't perfect yet, keep it underground and away from the general public until it's perfect like the iPhone 3G

Except Apple is a massively larger and more popular company now than it was 8-10 years ago. It's hard to keep anything underground. The watch certainly isn't perfect but I still wear and use mine every day. I can't see Target giving up retail space for the Watch if they didn't expect it to sell.

 

[cdm283813]

Now get Apple Pay at Target!

I'm new to iPhone but I thought that with Apple's great power that all the big name stores would have Apple Pay after a year.
I personally wouldn't mind paying a very small percentage (same that Apple charges) for the convenience.

 

[maxsix]

Apple rolled the iPhone really slowly to third party retailers. Why the Apple Watch so fast? Are they trying to keep up revenue?

It seems that secretly Apple is desperate for the watch to become popular.

Being the dominate company in others areas the mediocre reception of Apple Watch caught them off guard. Luckily for Apple this comes at a time they can easily hide the truth and spin the story. In fact as demand tapers off Apple's still able to subsidize this soft product for years to come. They'll keep it alive to save face and shift the focus to what is selling.

 

[Mr. Donahue]

They can put it in Walmart for all I care. Waiting for version 2.

I thought about waiting. But if that wait is 2018 I might just get one now.

 

[aarontsuru]

The Apple Watch has been for sale since April. How is October "so fast"? Just curious.

A.

Because it's such an about-face from the original "appointment only" in special sections of Apple stores and in a few luxury shops approach at launch. It went from special & exclusive to Target & Best Buy in 6 months. You kinda have to wonder why...

 

[doelcm82]

Because it's such an about-face from the original "appointment only" in special sections of Apple stores and in a few luxury shops approach at launch. It went from special & exclusive to Target & Best Buy in 6 months. You kinda have to wonder why...

I remember having to make an appointment to buy a Commodore 64. And then later, a basic Amiga was a special order item.

Maybe I've been around longer than you, but I NEVER expected the Apple Watch to be by appointment only for very long. I expect Target and Best Buy were all part of the plan. There are still special versions of the Apple Watch that are exclusive (like the Hermes Apple Watches), but this was always going to be a mass market item.

 

[chasemac]

Where's the "It's Happening" guy?

 

[aarontsuru]

I remember having to make an appointment to buy a Commodore 64. And then later, a basic Amiga was a special order item.

Maybe I've been around longer than you, but I NEVER expected the Apple Watch to be by appointment only for very long. I expect Target and Best Buy were all part of the plan. There are still special versions of the Apple Watch that are exclusive (like the Hermes Apple Watches), but this was always going to be a mass market item.

I've got a few years on me myself (had a Vic 20), but working in retail (I'm in fashion), I know what we do when things aren't quite going to plan (change strategy or slash prices). I didn't expect it to be Appointment Only forever either, but the combination of that plus building special sections in stores, launching in select luxury shops in Milan, Paris, Tokyo, etc plus the hiring of Burberry execs, doing the crazy gold $17K versions, hooking up with Hermes, etc, etc. well.... you start to wonder who thought to get this in Target in 6 mos.

Personally, I really like my watch, but it's a very niche product with limited need and appeal. There's a chance they may be flattening out a bit (or that sales chart incline is a little less steep than they like) and decided to get this in places where they can move some units.

Nothing wrong with that, but it is interesting from a gadget watcher's perspective.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Apple rolled the iPhone really slowly to third party retailers. Why the Apple Watch so fast? Are they trying to keep up revenue?


Either way, they shouldn't try to roll out in large scale. The Apple Watch - to me - is Apple's weakest product. After owning my SS 38mm for 6 months I got rid of it. Such a beautiful product, but ask Elon said, it seems really lacking. They shouldn't push the Apple brand on a product that isn't perfect yet, keep it underground and away from the general public until it's perfect like the iPhone 3G

That is a bit misleading. ATT had an exclusive with Apple for several years after Verizon rejected selling the phone on Apple's terms. During much of that period you could buy an iPhone at most major chains that carried ATT phones. When the ATT exclusivity ended and Verizon also got the iPhone it wasn't too long for Spring then T-Mobile to strike a deal with Apple.

But also the Apple Watch is not a phone, it's an accessory like headphones or a case. Apple has no contractual obligations or reliance or 3rd party cell network channels for the Apple Phone to be sold. So, yes, of course Apple wants the Apple Watch to be sold in as many different stores as possible. Of course they are trying to grow revenue -- though we have zero idea what the baseline for that is since Apple refuses to release sales or revenue numbers for Apple Watch.

 

[Karma*Police]

Apple rolled the iPhone really slowly to third party retailers. Why the Apple Watch so fast? Are they trying to keep up revenue?


Either way, they shouldn't try to roll out in large scale. The Apple Watch - to me - is Apple's weakest product. After owning my SS 38mm for 6 months I got rid of it. Such a beautiful product, but ask Elon said, it seems really lacking. They shouldn't push the Apple brand on a product that isn't perfect yet, keep it underground and away from the general public until it's perfect like the iPhone 3G

iPhone was a different beast with carrier contracts and different standards, etc.

The problem with waiting for perfection is, there is no such thing; products would never ship. You have to put a stake in the ground somewhere, otherwise you risk infinite scope/feature creep and there's always some future tech that will make it even better.

Apple Watch IMO is Apple's most refined 1.0 product. From a hardware standpoint, I think it's their most refined product, period. Personally, I find it indispensable but it obviously fits into my lifestyle more than it does yours. As with any product YMMV.

 

[samcraig]

Upside for those with Red Cards - I assume you'd be able to get 5% off. Not much - but it's something

 

[jermy4]

My store has had them since early in the month.

Do they have a display where you can play with them? Just curious if they are just selling them or actually showcasing them.

 

[dannyyankou]

Do they have a display where you can play with them? Just curious if they are just selling them or actually showcasing them.

Just selling them for now.

Edit: I lied, they have a display up.

 

[maxsix]

Do they have a display where you can play with them? Just curious if they are just selling them or actually showcasing them.

Four out of four of my local Apple stores have huge tables surrounded by six or eight Apple sales associates at all times.

I frequent these stores often due to my high volume of Apple purchases. In addition I'm in there for hours on end in a single visit for a Genius Bar repair. What I find positively mind boggling is the fact that I have _never_seen a single person buying or seriously trying on an Apple Watch.

These are very busy stores in high end malls where the money flows freely. Where the store is packed with people. It's just amazing to witness people avoid these tables like snakes are inside the case.

 

[jermy4]

Four out of four of my local Apple stores have huge tables surrounded by six or eight Apple sales associates at all times.

I frequent these stores often due to my high volume of Apple purchases. In addition I'm in there for hours on end in a single visiting for a Genius Bar repair visit. What I find positively mind boggling is the fact that I have _never_seen a single person buying or seriously trying on an Apple Watch.

These are very busy stores in high end malls where the money flows freely. Where the store is packed with people. It's just amazing to witness people avoid these tables like snakes are inside the case.

I remember being at the mall with an apple store shortly after the apple watch had launched but before you could really buy one (it was online order only at that point I think). They had a similar setup to what you are describing and I just wanted to play with one and like you said almost no one was even touching them. It is quite strange, I just think so many people don't wear watches anymore and don't really see the appeal in an apple watch.

 

[appledefenceforce]

I remember being at the mall with an apple store shortly after the apple watch had launched but before you could really buy one (it was online order only at that point I think). They had a similar setup to what you are describing and I just wanted to play with one and like you said almost no one was even touching them. It is quite strange, I just think so many people don't wear watches anymore and don't really see the appeal in an apple watch.

I guess it's not gonna change your conclusion if I tell you I've seen the opposite: people line up and can't wait to play with the Apple watches in the Apple store.

 

[jermy4]

I guess it's not gonna change your conclusion if I tell you I've seen the opposite: people line up and can't wait to play with the Apple watches in the Apple store.

I don't know if I made a conclusion, more like a guess. Apple certainly dedicated quite a bit of space to showcase them in our local store and I don't go that often so what I saw might not have been that great of an indication of what those displays normally look like. This was pretty early on (I was surprised they even had that many of them out since the ordering had just started for them). The last time I went to my local store I didn't even really look at the displays, I went straight to the genius bar and the store was somewhat crazy on the way out so I was trying to get past the crowds.