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Apple Watch Pop Up Shop at Galeries Lafayette in Paris Shuts Down
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Except they raised the prices by $20. Original Apple Watch was $350, now it's $370
I don't wear watches, nor do I buy any high end fashion, but I never thought that the AW would ever be considered an high end fashion item.
This should have been the primary focus from the start.
I think everyone gets the idea of a "pop-up". Yes it is temporary. But, if they were selling like crazy from the these pop-ups, then I doubt they would be shutting down.
I might be dating myself, but I remember a little over 20 years ago there were a lot of pop-up Pog stores everywhere. Most of them opened at the peak of the Pog fad, so they closed down less than a year later (probably their lease term).
The thing is, if the fad lasted a lot longer, I doubt those pop-ups would have closed down.
While I don't think that the AW is a fad that will simply fade away, I do believe that the AW as a fashion item is a fad, and now these pop-ups are fading away.
You get it.
This is true, and it is not like this is their first failure on something.
One thing interesting about that list of failures though, it seems like many of those products were a head of its time.
I love this old chestnut. Nobody has ever really wanted anything Apple makes, but a combination of stupidity, gullibility, and brainwashing made them unwittingly spend money. Apple's not good at design, quality, usability, and customer service - they're good at mind control!!! Put a colander on your head and watch out!!!
Only the ignorant don't understand that the Apple Watch's foray into fashion was an exercise designed to legitimize the aspirational value of the down palette Apple Watches by shifting perception.
The hype over the gold models was not to sell gold models, but to increase interest in the Apple Watch and Sport models.
The hype over the gold models was not to sell gold models, but to increase interest in the Apple Watch and Sport models.
REALLY ... you mean a rectangular blob of nondescript black wasn't seen by the glitterati as luxury ... I'm shocked.
Thank you for coming down from way up there by the pearly gates to inform the rest of us ignorant folk about apple's watch strategy, with your absolutely singular and breathtaking understanding.
(sarcasm)
Whilst the definition of pop up store is in line with what you are alluding to. If it was selling watches like hot cakes do you think they’d have closed it down so quickly?
It's been open for 20 months, that's not that quick.
The edition Apple Watch was a folly. Before long the thing (Any Apple thing for that matter) will be functionally obsolete. It surely sold for a ridiculous premium over melt down value. What's left is the future timely Macrumors / blogosphere headline declaring the same.
You really misunderstood my post. I'm really happy with all my Apple products, I just despise Apple trying to be a fashion company.
But nice rant, man.
I was never convinced Cook was behind the luxury marketing of the watch. I always thought he looked sort of embarrassed when he announced the $17,000 Edition.
This. Apple wanted to push the smartwatch beyond the geek market and make them a more mainstream product. They also wanted them to be an aspirational item.
They bought large swathes of advertising space in Vogue, etc. These magazines are full of very expensive fashion, but there's also pieces that the average person can afford, or with a bit of saving, aspire to afford.
Apple gave the Edition watch out to celebrities. To get these people to wear something you need to bling it up. The celebs got to wear an Apple Watch before anyone else for some bonus points and it was in gold to go with their lifestyle. They get photographed at events and it generates buzz for the product.
Designers know that getting their product on a celebrity does wonders for their sales. For some small fashion designers it has been the big break to get their item worn by a celeb. Suddenly everyone wants one too and they can rake in the money.
These high priced watches also made for a lot of headlines, which generated lots of free advertising for Apple.
I would say that due to combinations of the above the Apple Watch gained a huge advantage over its competitors in being instantly nameable by the average non-techy person. How many non-techy people even know of Samsung Gear? Particularly going back when the Apple Watch first launched.
Apple items have also had an association with fashion; whether deliberate or otherwise. Their tech has always had a certain cachet and always makes lists of cool things to own even if it's based purely on their looks alone.
You really misunderstood my post. I'm really happy with all my Apple products, I just despise Apple trying to be a fashion company.
But nice rant, man.
Apple has been in the 'fashion' business since the first iMac was released.
I've always thought the same thing, he definitely looked uncomfortable when he unveiled it at the keynote.
I think the gold Edition was probably Jony Ive's and Marc Newson's idea after Newson's earlier work designing the high end Ikepod watches.
When Apple shows Macs some love, Mac users will show Apple some love.
Again, you don't need to read between the lines this time as I’ll make it plain;
If that item was selling from that store like hot cakes do you think they’d have closed it?
Probably not.
But it's a watch, not a phone. People don't replace them every year.
I think it's more of a change in product strategy though. They're marketing it as more of a fitness device as opposed to a fashion item, which is why they removed the gold one.
I'm also going to guess you don't own one.
If the Apple Watch was selling well they wouldn't be closing them, pop-up store or not.
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Sry, but when you explicitly call Apple customers "stupid" and imply they've been taken in by a marketing campaign, pardon me but it doesn't sound like you actually meant what you now say you meant. In fact, your two posts have pretty much nothing in common. (Good luck going into one of the Apple Watch forums and posting that the people who bought one are stupid.)You really misunderstood my post. I'm really happy with all my Apple products, I just despise Apple trying to be a fashion company.
But nice rant, man.
But nice backpedal, man.
Again, I didn't say anything about the watch itself. Yes, I call customers stupid who pay 500€ for a watch band. But that's just my opinion.Sry, but when you explicitly call Apple customers "stupid" and imply they've been taken in by a marketing campaign, pardon me but it doesn't sound like you actually meant what you now say you meant. In fact, your two posts have pretty much nothing in common. (Good luck going into one of the Apple Watch forums and posting that the people who bought one are stupid.)
But nice backpedal, man.
Peace, and good night.
I really don't know what I am doing with my Apple Watch. I wear them to the gym. But I never pay attention to the number. For me, a good workout is when I sweat. I don't use any apps and finally, controlling music from the watch is too painful while jogging (I am using the airpods). I think I am wearing the watch just because I paid for it...
I think Apple Watch is marketed similarly to the Michele brand. Which is a highly successful women's fashion brand. It would appear that apple sells far more than Michelle ever has. So I would say Apple Watch is a success. I would never wear one. But plenty of people, especially women, do.