Apple Watch Orders Exclusively Online at Launch, Demand Expected to Exceed Supply

[citysnaps]

Wasn't Angela brought in to enhance and build the in-store retail experience? She keeps putting out statements pushing people to go on-line. Odd strategy in my opinion....

Is it possible you might be able to imagine and distinguish improving the normal daily overall customer experience when a brand new product line is not being introduced, compared to the situation now where a once-in-a great-while brand new product is introduced that has in the past has created chaos?

Two very different situations.

 

[Slowpc]

Still not sure on a purchase here myself but will be waking up to see whats available and might just have to order one...

Ever since I have used a smartwatch I have been one of those people that enjoys these devices for what they are. I'm sure I will enjoy this device but will have to give it a shot.

 

[citysnaps]

What's going on with Apple's supply chain management? Why does it seem that every product launch comes with a shortage? Surely, they have the money to come up with some better predictive analysis.

It's because Apple relies on many outside vendors who supply latest tech components at which point in time yield is not well-known. Ditto with assembly/manufacturing.

 

[phillipduran]

So was the iPad. I do wonder, however, why you feel the need to call others names if you don't approve of how they choose to spend their money. Isn't that a little juvenile? It's not like it's your money, or anyone would or should need your approval.

Lemmings is less of a name calling thing and more of a categorization in my opinion.

 

[recoil80]

I don't think I would bother making the effort to travel into the city again to visit my nearest Apple Store if I couldn't make the purchase while I was there.

This.
I never bought anything online from Apple since I can drive to the nearest mall and walk out with the product in my hand.
Sometimes I walk in just to have a look at new products, but the Apple store experience is great since you can buy products and have them repaired or replaced.
If AS became a showcase I'd only seldom spend my time there.

 

[gibbz]

If everything is to be pushed online, what's the point of Angela?

Well, she is the Senior Vice President of Retail and Online Sales, so ...

 

[AppleDude]

Is it an appointment if you can't schedule it?

The article says Apple Watch pre-orders and try-on appointments begin April 10. If appointments begin tomorrow, how do I make an appt for tomorrow?

When I tried to schedule an appt last week, the iPhone app did not allow appts for the iWatch try-ons. What am I missing?

 

[umrk]

Funny ...

Again, this shows Apple does it its own way : any retail store strive to compete against on line purchasing. The head of Apple retail stores encourages on line purchasing !

 

[knemonic]

What I don't get is why aren't they taking orders in the store when you try one on? I mean, if that person is geeked and will throw money on the table, take it.

It's like this: hey try this on. Do you like and think you're gonna buy it? Cool, go home and order it then.

Or you could just take their money.

 

[k1121j]

Lemmings is less of a name calling thing and more of a categorization in my opinion.

not sure its a good categorization in this instance i think people are buying the watch because they want to not because everyone else is..

 

[Bazooka-joe]

Does this also mean that returns cannot go via the retail store so if you receive a damaged watch you have to sort it out on line

 

[Spooky73]

I'd be really surprised if Apple was choosing to go the "withhold supply to create buzz" marketing route for this product. I'd think they'd want absolutely as many as possible on peoples wrists at launch so it becomes a trend and then very quickly, the norm.

The good old Nintendo style withholding strategy seems an odd choice on this launch.

 

[MrGimper]

So the bottom line is that despite the opportunity to try the device 2 weeks before it ships, the only option you have is to buy one online and THEN try it. If you go into the shop and try it and then try and order one, you're 8+ hours too late!

 

[CB1234]

Oh you will be, don't worry.

Amen to that my friend...

I wonder how far down in Apple's food chain, Dubai is? I wonder when we will be able to play with the watch....

 

[RockSpider]

This is INCREDIBLY exciting!!!

We get to see the best marketing company in the world work their very hardest - going after every marketing angle known (and trying things never done before) to make this launch a success.

Will they succeed? This is a true test that I find riveting! I bet this is the first time apple execs have every been nervous. Even if it fails, they sure do have a lot of cash to soften their landing!

Ground control to Major Tom

Take your protein pills and put your helmet on.

 

[skoobey]

549$ for the cheapest one?
749$ for the one that actually looks decent?

Sorry, I'll pass and get an actual FASHIONABLE watch. This is Gucci, Prada territory.

And for the most expensive one... well I won't wear anything that costs that much on my wrist, but you can get a proper Bvlgari, Rolex, Cartier...

If it were more useful, maybe, but as-is (basically a watch with some slow notifications that you have to charge EVERY day)...

 

[rappr]

I agree - I think Angela is proving herself to be another failed retail manager - and if you don't have supply then why offer the watch in China at launch? Delay it. I don't care that its your new frontier - you don't have enough supply for it.

I guess I'm not sure how low supply is her fault. They had their launch date range set before months they started manufacturing. If anyone should be blamed, its the hardware team for designing something that (if rumors are to be believed) is hard to manufacture, and the supply chain group for apparently not securing enough components to meet demand.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I think this is the case here. Not to disparage Apple, though. As a company, they would be remiss not to.

The Watch hasn't proven itself like the iPhone has, so I have the feeling that many people are on the fence and will wait until they actually see one in action. Even then they might not be sold on it.

But I am prepared to eat my words!

I don't mean it to disparage either. I consider it very effective marketing. Scarcity has always worked well in terms of driving urgency, demand and stirring up (free) attention. It's Apple marketing being Apple marketing. Many would say "genius!"

 

[Locoboof]

The article says Apple Watch pre-orders and try-on appointments begin April 10. If appointments begin tomorrow, how do I make an appt for tomorrow?

When I tried to schedule an appt last week, the iPhone app did not allow appts for the iWatch try-ons. What am I missing?

You can't setup up a appointment for Friday until 12:01am PST! That's when they allow all appointments.....starting with 4/10/15

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549$ for the cheapest one?
749$ for the one that actually looks decent?

Sorry, I'll pass and get an actual FASHIONABLE watch. This is Gucci, Prada territory.

And for the most expensive one... well I won't wear anything that costs that much on my wrist, but you can get a proper Bvlgari, Rolex, Cartier...

If it were more useful, maybe, but as-is (basically a watch with some slow notifications that you have to charge EVERY day)...

I thought it was 349.99 for the least expensive model?

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

I think Ms. Andrents misunderstands the shopper.

Remember when "Brick and Mortar" stores were dead? Yet, 15 years after the dot com boom, I still go to Albertson's to get food, go to the Apple store to buy things, and Barnes and Noble to look at books.

There is a 5000 year history of using all of our senses to purchase something: Seeing and touching the item probably does more to sell than anything, plus the gratification of walking out of the store with your purchase is not to be undersold. The process of going in the store is mainly a trust factor. You get to experience the item before making the commitment to buy it. The risk of satisfaction is on the seller, not the buyer.

After the purchase, the risk of satisfaction is on the buyer, as they have to trouble themselves to return the item, and wait for their money to be returned. With Apple, that risk is low, but it is there.

Pretty much the only time I buy online is for items where I know what I want (toilet paper, books, medical supplies that are prescription only), or the cost is low enough for me not to care if I am dissatisfied. I like the idea of Amazon, but the practice is a pain, should I want to return the item.

Again, I think this "must go to the store, then order it online" sales technique is misguided, and ignores the history of commerce.

 

[69650]

Two things: One, I wouldn't want to buy a watch that someone else has worn before. Second, in the UK anyone selling online has to accept returns. Combined: Every time a watch in the UK is returned, that is one watch that I wouldn't want to buy. And probably many people wouldn't. I wonder what Apple will be doing about that.

If it's been used and returned as Apple allows then it can't be resold as new. I remember PC World getting into a lot of trouble a few years ago for doing that before they got caught by trading standards. Don't know how Apple will get around that one.

 

[Gdgtguru]

It appears to me that Angela's goal might be to either slim down Apple stores, or expand them in their existing space so that they remodel and take out the stock room, or perhaps both.

If you slim down Apple stores, you can have more of them and/or more easily embed them at other retail partners. If you remodel to remove the stock room and push online sales, you end up with a larger space to show off future (and expanding current) Apple products. I think that may be a serious concern as Apple dives into new areas such as wearables, has expanded the iPhone and iPad into multiple sizes (including a rumored iPad Pro), and is rumored to be expanding their TV-related business. How do you display all of those products at once in your front of house, while also having to make extra space in the stock area for direct sales? It seems like this is coming from necessity, and if so it's a smart move.

Their physical store would become a showcase for all of that stuff, how to use it, support, and then you can order everything online. Although honestly I wonder if they would stop doing even basic repairs in-store to make room. Apple could build large warehouses in each state and around different countries, much like Amazon, and ship products to customers in 1-2 days. These same facilities could also house repair centers and quickly ship them back to customers.

Remember the old Sears and JCPenney Catalog stores? This is Apple's 21st Century take on that...

 

[Costino1]

I've never liked when people tell me what the best anything is for me. I define my best experience as not dealing with salesman or making appointments. The best they could do for me is have a display with what I want on it, I go in, I grab what I want, I check out and I'm on my way. I do my research online, I don't need your people to tell me what fits me.

This overall attitude of "we know whats best" always grinds my gears.

Being years in sales, this is exactly how the landscape is today for all consumers/business decision makers. No longer does a person walk into a store or looking to make a purchase uneducated and perform no research. Years ago, this was the case. Price wasn't a big issue. Features weren't a big issue. It's the salesman educated the customer and the customer liking that sales person and going with his product.

Those days are gone.

 

[Douglas B]

The article says Apple Watch pre-orders and try-on appointments begin April 10. If appointments begin tomorrow, how do I make an appt for tomorrow?

My understanding was that the ability to make appointments starts the same day as the appointments.
I'll be in store at 9am because 'they'll also do their best to accommodate walkins' and I know no-one else will have been able to book for 9am! But also at 9am I'll be in the app trying to book the next avail appointment. Like 9:15 maybe because it's not like the people sitting at home will be trying to book the 9:15 appointments.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I can't believe some of you actually believe this stuff. as if Apple needs the attention. as if these miniaturized computers weren't incredibly difficult and time consuming to produce and don't actually come out of thin air.

OK, then the alternative is that the mighty Apple so brilliant in every way and so cash-loaded just can't ever seem to find any way to delight every possible buyer by having what that buyer wants in stock on the day they want to buy it.

Apple is a SMART company. The pattern has been that EVERY major product release is always short of supply. That's great for PR but it also translates into customer frustration & disappointment unless you are one of the lucky ones. Since Apple is so smart and knows that demand will be huge, why not manufacture HUGE and minimize the disappointment with a chunk of buyers?

It's "incredibly difficult and time consuming" sounds great, so set the launch date from earliest possible to when you can make supply better meet demand.

Recently, there was a posting about how "long lines in front of Apple stores are over" spun as in the name of customer service. How about "not being ready to delight every customer that wants one is over too" also in the name of customer service?

That written: I don't fault Apple here. Scarcity is powerful in marketing strategy. Publicity is free advertising. And "making more as soon as we can" is much less of a gamble than making too many by overestimating demand. All smart business stuff... exactly what we expect from the genius business minds at Apple.