Apple Watch Will Be Available for Purchase at Select Boutique Stores on Friday

[MacRumors]

Apple doesn't plan to offer the Apple Watch for sale in its retail stores on Friday, having opted to restrict orders to online purchases only, but some retail stores around the world will have Apple Watches in stock for customers to purchase on April 24.

Several high-end fashion boutiques will be offering the watch for sale beginning Friday, according to a new report from The New York Times. Stores with stock will include Dover Street Market in Tokyo and London, Maxfield in Los Angeles, Colette in Paris, the Corner in Berlin, and 10 Corso Como in Milan.

All of these stores were previously unveiled as retail locations that would carry the Apple Watch, but it was not known that the stores would have stock for customers to purchase on launch day, given the Apple Watch supply constraints that Apple has highlighted. In a press release sent out on April 9, Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts said "strong customer demand" would exceed supply at launch.

Many of the stores have the Apple Watch displayed prominently on their websites, along with wording that says the device will be available in store as of Friday. As noted by The New York Times, all of the places that will have the Apple Watch in stock on Friday are high-end fashion-oriented boutiques known as "retail trendsetters."

It's not known exactly how much stock each of the stores will be given or of what type, but Dover Street Market did share some detail on its numbers. The store in Ginza, Tokyo will have 350 watches to sell, while the store in London will have 570. Neither store will offer the Apple Watch Edition, as it is backordered.

Apple initially declined to comment on its partner stores offering in-store Apple Watch stock while its own retail stores will not, but later reiterated its earlier comment on getting online orders out to customers earlier than expected. The first Apple Watch shipments will be arriving on the doorsteps of customers beginning on April 24, and as of today, many Apple Watch orders that had shipping estimates ranging into several weeks have seen their shipments advance into the "Preparing for Shipment" stage.

Article Link: Apple Watch Will Be Available for Purchase at Select Boutique Stores on Friday

 

[farewelwilliams]

LAUNCH APRIL 24TH

BUT NO STOCK IN STORE

BUT THERE IS STOCK IN STORE

JUST NOT APPLE STORE EVEN THOUGH WE MAKE THEM.


most confusing launch ever.

 

[ninjadex]

Hope these high-end stores are ready for the launch day lineup that Apple just passed them.

How do you think they will handle it? Turn people away who don't meet their criteria?

 

[venom600]

A big part of me wants to show up at Maxfield in LA and camp out to get one, but I have a feeling that a store that high end won't even carry the lowly sports model that I'm after and I'll be laughed off of Rodeo Drive for asking.

 

[AndyUnderscoreR]

A few hundred happy customers who can get to these 2 stores, but hundreds of thousands of unhappy customers who ordered weeks ago but have been put behind them in the queue ... Angela Ahrendts is really making a mess of this launch.

 

[macnerd77]

I thought Italy was not apart for the first wave of launch countries?

 

[sampaul]

And what about the pre-orders, Apple? It seems I just wasted my time pre-ordering 5 minutes after the online store opened.

 

[HopefulHumanist]

Interesting. Guess that person who said this was happening was right.

I get why Apple is doing this. They're trying to market Apple Watch as a fashion item to cement its place for the future. But damn, I know people are gonna be mad lol. And rightly so, obviously.

 

[citi]

It just adds to the exclusivity that is Watch.

Very smart

 

[johnkim]

A big part of me wants to show up at Maxfield in LA and camp out to get one, but I have a feeling that a store that high end won't even carry the lowly sports model that I'm after and I'll be laughed off of Rodeo Drive for asking.

I actually called them yesterday and told me they will have all the models.

 

[KPOM]

LAUNCH APRIL 24TH

BUT NO STOCK IN STORE

BUT THERE IS STOCK IN STORE

JUST NOT APPLE STORE EVEN THOUGH WE MAKE THEM.


most confusing launch ever.

It's probably a tiny stock, and perhaps only the most expensive options. It's not like any of those stores wants hundreds of tech geeks lining up outside their stores on Friday or future launch dates.

 

[RDeckard]

Whiners: You made it this far in life without the Apple Watch. Perhaps you can wait a little while longer before getting one?

 

[dave2010]

Artificial shortages?

So there is no real shortage. The week/month long waits were fake. The watch will be available in stores.
Apps haven't been released and some details of the watch still haven't been released till after most people have committed to buying.

This is an amazing marketing strategy to see unfold.

 

[TonyD1983]

Angela Ahrendts clearly doesn't understand Apple customers and their passion for pretty much ANYTHING Apple releases.

Making us either stay up until all hours of the night, or wake up to preorder Apple Watch so we MIGHT have it on our wrists April 24th is one thing, but then going and allowing certain stores to have it in stock on launch day is a slap in the face.

This isn't Burberry, get on the program Angela. Don't mess with a good thing.

 

[KPOM]

Interesting. Guess that person who said this was happening was right.

I get why Apple is doing this. They're trying to market Apple Watch as a fashion item to cement its place for the future. But damn, I know people are gonna be mad lol. And rightly so, obviously.

What's wrong with sending a few hundred watches to 4 or 5 fashion boutiques on a launch date? That's enough to send a grand total of 4 or 5 watches to each of their own retail stores. Would that have made the Apple fans happier?

 

[diddl14]

Ok, packing in and on my way!

 

[Bigsk8r]

Well, now that we have completely indoctrinated you into paying a very high margin for high quality products, we are now going to make those of you that are loyal, but normal, wait in favor of those that want the latest "it" thing and have mucho $$$ to get it.

 

[TonyD1983]

What's wrong with sending a few hundred watches to 4 or 5 fashion boutiques on a launch date? That's enough to send a grand total of 4 or 5 watches to each of their own retail stores. Would that have made the Apple fans happier?

That in itself isn't a problem.

What is a problem is having her tell the world that Apple Watch will only be available online for the first few months, making people wait months for a watch, and then announcing "yeah, you can buy them here."

That's pretty misleading. She really screwed this up.

 

[3square]

I actually called them yesterday and told me they will have all the models.

remember to put on something nice for the tv cameras

 

[eayering]

Color me pissed. About ready to cancel my pre-order! What was the point in even HAVING pre-orders if these stores are going to have watches IN STOCK!!!

 

[RDeckard]

What's wrong with sending a few hundred watches to 4 or 5 fashion boutiques on a launch date? That's enough to send a grand total of 4 or 5 watches to each of their own retail stores. Would that have made the Apple fans happier?

Agreed.

It just makes those prone to whining go into a conniption.

 

[ginkobiloba]

Whaat ? This is the most bizarre and confusing Apple launch ever...
Colette, here I come.

Ok, everyone please, keep this hush hush, we don't want to see stock sold in 5 minutes...

 

[RDeckard]

Color me pissed. About ready to cancel my pre-order! What was the point in even HAVING pre-orders if these stores are going to have watches IN STOCK!!!

Please cancel your preorder...

One less person in line in front of me!

You can always grab another smartwatch on a BOGO deal at Best Buy right now.

 

[rpramanik]

That in itself isn't a problem.

What is a problem is having her tell the world that Apple Watch will only be available online for the first few months, making people wait months for a watch, and then announcing "yeah, you can buy them here."

That's pretty misleading. She really screwed this up.

Really don't post much. But, this truly has been a pretty confusing launch. Not sure who or what is to blame. Hopefully they can improve their transparency about theses processes while maintaining their secrecy on the product. Unless they are actually already selling the product as in the case of the Apple Watch since 4/10/15.

Not having a complete set of information about a product while trying to actually sell something is also not good. Fortunately for them, their competitors aren't much better. Unfortunately for us the consumer.

 

[duepeak]

Color me pissed. About ready to cancel my pre-order! What was the point in even HAVING pre-orders if these stores are going to have watches IN STOCK!!!

You mean every apple launch ever? You have always been able to pre-order for delivery or go and stand in line on the day of launch. This time there is no in-store stock except for those few high end stores. Calm down.