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

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I feel like the iPhone dependence is being interpreted as "must have iPhone next to watch at all times for it to work". When I get home, my phone goes on a desk in my office upstairs. When I'm at work, my phone mostly stays at my desk. Seeing as how the watch works with the phone over wifi direct (or something close to it), the phone doesn't actually need to be with you all of the time. But I can understand that for people that do carry their phone literally everywhere they go, why the watch wouldn't make as much sense. I'm mostly getting it as a fitness tracker, but the messaging/phone calls stuff is just icing on the cake.

Yeah, I get that too. However, my observations are that iPhones are always out. People are always looking at them. If there was no Watch, would you get whatever you expect to get out of the Watch with the iPhone? Of course. None of us can go back to any threads before we believed there was a Watch and find lots of people faulting the iPhone as being too far away to check or "fumbling with my iPhone" or "hard to pull out of my pocket". That's almost all recently invented inconveniences as part of rationalizing this new product. Hop in a time machine and go back even 8 months and post how cumbersome it is to pull out an iPhone to check notifications and you will get skewered.

Whatever you are going to get out of this Watch now, how did you get it up to now? If I was guessing, you looked at your iPhone on that desk when you were upstairs. Again guessing: that works perfectly fine for you much like we didn't "fumble around" with our iPhone or find it as hard to pull them out of our pockets until recently.

I can easily see situations where some will get benefit out of the Watch. And I can conjure up 500 scenarios where having a screen strapped on our arm would work better than having a screen in our pocket (50 variations of "I'm hanging from a rope but I need to get an emergency text" jump to mind) but my point was that even with iPad, we didn't have to put down our other Apple products as part of justifying why we might want an iPad. Key aspects- such as the much larger screen- made it "obvious" (IMO). To me anyway, this product is "not as obvious".

For others though, they're "already in <virtual> line" and have "already set their alarms" and so on. So they see their "obvious" and that's fine. Good for them and good for all who see their wants & needs met with this new thing.

 

[richardmu]

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.

Don't they just put it in a different box and resell it as a refurb as they do now with any returned item?

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Deleted: double post

 

[smiddlehurst]

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....

Actually I think this makes perfect sense when you consider Apple's current retail network. The majority of stores are still made up of relatively small spaces in shopping malls the world over with limited space, little or no capacity to accommodate queues outside the store without major issues to their neighbors and the need to accommodate sales, support and training in (I believe anyway) all locations. Just go in to one of those stores on a normal day at an off-peak time and you'll likely find it busy enough to be awkward, when a new device launches it gets downright ridiculous.

In the short term the options for dealing with that are limited. Getting bigger stores in the right locations takes time and that only really leaves limiting the services they offer. Of those services the one that's easiest to cut back is sales, especially at time of release. By moving some of that on-line (even if only for store pickup) Apple relieve many of the major problems and let their retail stores focus on all the stuff that you can really *only* do well face to face. Let the stores handle customer interaction and demos of gear, move the bulk sales to the on-line channel if at all possible.

 

[roland.g]

This doesn't quite make sense on the try on appointment and ordering. Do I order and then book an appointment in which case when I arrive for my appointment I may decide to change my model, band or both which undoubtedly would push me back in the queue for getting my unit?

Or do I just make an appointment and then order at the try on though everything looks like it is online ordering only in which case they have you try it on, select a model and band, walk you to a public computer or walk you through ordering it on your phone, and now you're 3 months out since you are behind all the 12:01 am orders that sucked up initial stock.

 

[bnekic]

If the supply is limited maybe we shouldn't be pre-ordering multiple sizes just to see which one looks better. I was going to do this but now I see it's selfish, I'll only be ordering one size tomorrow.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Of course demand will exceed supply. Business as usual for Apple, but this time they spent weeks letting people know this was going to be the case.

 

[roland.g]

Yeah, I get that too. However, my observations are that iPhones are always out. People are always looking at them. If there was no Watch, would you get whatever you expect to get out of the Watch with the iPhone? Of course. None of us can go back to any threads before we believed there was a Watch and find lots of people faulting the iPhone as being too far away to check or "fumbling with my iPhone" or "hard to pull out of my pocket". That's almost all recently invented inconveniences as part of rationalizing this new product. Hop in a time machine and go back even 8 months and post how cumbersome it is to pull out an iPhone to check notifications and you will get skewered... (truncated)

I have a kickstarter Pebble. Wore it for a while. Battery life was 5 days or so. Screen wasn't great and functionality was obviously much much less. But I don't wear it anymore. I liked the alarm function. Same thing was on my gen A UP band. Had to plug to sync. Nice vibrating alarm. But I got tired of it. Now I'm back to my Citizen Eco-Drive which was a gift from my wife. Don't get me wrong as I love new tech, especially Apple tech, but I have a hard time seeing why I need this watch. Most tech offers the idea of convenience, accessibility, and efficiency but truth is most tech encumbers us more. Instead of freeing us, we now devote more time to that tech. Email is of course the worst of all. Will the watch make information more accessible or simply give me another way to manage it and as a result require more from me. I don't use my Pebble or my UP anymore. I would hate to see that happen with an Apple watch too. Makes me very cautious.

 

[ttss6]

First, it was my understand that Angela has been put in charge of both retail and online stores. It makes sense that they can get more sales done mor efficiently if more order online than in store. But after a few weeks when supply catches up, the the retail experience will get the attention

 

[i5pro]

I've yet to see any material changes since she took over. The retail stores all look the same as does the website. I'm sure she's had a nice time travelling the world meeting the retail staff but at some point that has to translate into something tangable to justify the whopping salary and bonus she's getting.

Hey, hey, hey...didn't they get new shirts and no more name tags?

 

[Iconoclysm]

Of course Apple is "expecting" this demand. But the markets, tech news sites, etc. appear not.

I wonder if this time Apple with withhold supply to make the appearance of demand, thereby creating a market of lemmings wanting to buy it because they cannot have it.

Also, FWIW, I'm 100% Apple, love Apple products, etc. But the iWatch is a solution to a non-existent problem.

It's really crazy how one's own view of the watch seems to completely overshadow their predictions for how this product will sell. Which then leads to the obligatory conspiracy theory if it does sell, and references people as mindless followers of one animal species or another.

This whole concept of "creating demand" by shortening supply has rarely ever been proven after the fact but almost always comes up around a hot product that some people do not want. It does not help a public company to sell less of anything when they have to reveal their numbers at the end of the quarter. If you have any doubt the demand will be greater than that for a Galaxy Gear or any Android Wear device, then just wait to see those numbers.

 

[richardmu]

In the past it was order online and any returns also needed to be online. That was the beauty of buying in the retail store which I usually do. If the item is faulty or I change my mind and want a different configuration or whatever it was easy to drive back to the store and within minutes it was done. Will that still be the case?
This convoluted watch buying process seems to feel a bit like the release of the new Mac Pro. I could go into the store and play around with the demo unit but they had no stock and I was advised to buy online. Only problem with that was there was a huge delay with deliveries. Ended up buying from a 3rd party reseller and got next day delivery!

 

[Iconoclysm]

OR, "hey let's use the old demand-is-outstripping-supply" scarcity tactic again because it whips up more press coverage and hype every single time. "We love free advertising!"

Ahh, another reference to this never, ever proven tactic.

 

[peteo]

Early Refurbs

Hey apple just let me try on the watch before it goes on sale, is that too much to ask? Also it will help with returns, which will be many since people do not have the ability to try on the most personal apple device ever to see which one fits them well and what band looks good.

Though I bet a lot of people will like the early refurbs..

 

[Iconoclysm]

IT's more like whats the point of a retail store....Make the store a showroom, direct all sales online, and service the products? Doesn't sound like a good recipe for success.

It's the strategy for launches, not the future of the store. Why, throughout all of this news over the past couple of weeks, does nobody seem to understand that this is a launch day strategy - NOT PERMANENT.

 

[Jetfire]

OK, we Apple product buyers who can't be happy about yet another round of scarcity are just stupid. If Apple wants to disappoint a chunk of us because it was just impossible to make enough to deliver what we want to buy when we want to buy it, good for them... because Apple is always right.

It's called reality. The only other option is for Apple to hold of selling until they have enough stock stored up. Which is dumb to have all the money sitting on a self. If your so unhappy with Apple's limited supply at launch. I'm sure Samsung and Microsoft have stock.

 

[Iconoclysm]

It's called reality. The only other option is for Apple to hold of selling until they have enough stock stored up. Which is dumb to have all the money sitting on a self. If your so unhappy with Apple's limited supply at launch. I'm sure Samsung and Microsoft have stock.

Do you know how difficult it was to get a Microsoft band for the first 6 months? Until it showed up in Best Buy, Target, and Amazon last month, they were sold out within 10 minutes of stocking the stores nationwide on a weekly basis.

Nobody knows how many there actually were, but if it was a scarcity tactic it certainly didn't work.

 

[macduke]

This makes a lot of sense. The B&M stores might become more of a showroom than a place for direct sales. I think we got a hint of that when Ahrendts was hired and online was placed under her responsibility (previously B&M and online were separate) and again when Apple decided to no longer break out retail sales but instead include them with regional sales figures.

I completely forgot that they used to be separate until she joined. Yeah, this pretty much explains everything. I'm now even more certain that this is their strategy. You know why this also makes sense? The Apple Watch. This thing is going to be in a lot more places than the Apple Store. I think we'll see more micro stores popping up within other stores—especially jewelry. I think already have? Can't remember off the top of my head. Such locations might actually keep some stock and it would help Apple Stores transition to bigger display areas. Want a Mac or an iPad right away? Go to Best Buy. Want to play with tons of Apple gear, see how it all works together, talk to someone who is extremely knowledgeable, and have a unique and fun experience? Go to the Apple Store.

I also wonder if Apple could be clearing space to show off more HomeKit based devices and how they work with all of their devices? They could also put HomeKit demo areas in larger retail stores like Lowes.

Another interesting thing to ponder: What does Apple do once they start selling cars?

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

It's called reality. The only other option is for Apple to hold of selling until they have enough stock stored up. Which is dumb to have all the money sitting on a self. If your so unhappy with Apple's limited supply at launch. I'm sure Samsung and Microsoft have stock.

Again, appreciate the sentiment. Now I'm dumb and should go buy some competitor's product. That's always a terrific mentality from one fan of Apple to another. When Tim steps aside, I hope you can take over Apple. Between your superior knowledge of manufacturing and your sentiment toward Apple product buyers who have opinions that don't always perfectly align with anything Apple says or does, I'm sure you would do very well. At the next board meeting, I'll recommend you as CEO-in-waiting.

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Ahh, another reference to this never, ever proven tactic.

Nor unproven. I'll concede that it may not be a marketing tactic if you can concede that it might be one. While I can't prove it, you can't prove the other side either. Since this is a speculation-based, rumors site, your speculation is good as mine... and vice versa.

 

[Jetfire]

Do you know how difficult it was to get a Microsoft band for the first 6 months? Until it showed up in Best Buy, Target, and Amazon last month, they were sold out within 10 minutes of stocking the stores nationwide on a weekly basis.

Nobody knows how many there actually were, but if it was a scarcity tactic it certainly didn't work.

The point is it's in Stock now. Just like in the future the Apple Watch will be in stock.

 

[Jimbo Asprilla]

All part of their marketing plan.....

 

[Tech198]

Of course Apple is "expecting" this demand. But the markets, tech news sites, etc. appear not.

I wonder if this time Apple with withhold supply to make the appearance of demand, thereby creating a market of lemmings wanting to buy it because they cannot have it.

Also, FWIW, I'm 100% Apple, love Apple products, etc. But the iWatch is a solution to a non-existent problem.

Maybe.... but maybe not. Remember, when the rush of iPhone 6 Plus's... And still Apple were struggling with demand

I think the correct way is Apple "thinks" it's expecting demand.

 

[drbroom]

What a waste!!!

So not interested in this product!

Apple... Stop trying to sell us garbage we don't want and fix the OSes!!!!

 

[TallManNY]

i never said low supply issues were her fault. What is her fault is allowing sales in so many countries when you know you don't have the supply for it. Limit the number of countries.

I really don't think she makes the call about where phones will be sold. Or at least she isn't the final say. And no Apple is not going to make a luxury watch in gold and then not sell it in China right off the bat. China isn't just another country, it is actually the country where this stuff is made. The Chinese do not want to be treated as second class citizens waiting for the U.S. to get "done" with an item that they made before they get to use it.

 

[heimo]

So not interested in this product!

Apple... Stop trying to sell us garbage we don't want and fix the OSes!!!!

I must agree. Next on my list is 32 inch LG LCD TV - LG, stop making these TVs! I'm not interested. Philips, stop selling coffee makers, I'm not interested, I drink tea! AST Bearings, stop trying to sell me metal shielded ball bearings, I'm not interested! Auggiedog, stop trying to sell me automatic pooper scooper, I'm a cat person! Goddammit, this is going to take some time.