Apple Won't Allow Swapping of Bands at Apple Watch 'Try-On' Appointments

[samcraig]

But as far as we know this is just for launch. I'd be very surprised if this process will be the same 2-3 months from now.

Man if I had a nickel....

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Hmm...perhaps 9to5Mac has more information that MR? Usually Mark Gurman's leaks are pretty accurate.

From Apple's own press release on March 9th

https://www.apple.com/pr/library/2015/03/09Apple-Watch-Available-in-Nine-Countries-on-April-24.html

Beginning April 10 in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK and the US, Apple Watch will be available for preview, try-on by appointment at Apple’s retail stores, and available for pre-order through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com). On April 24, Apple Watch will be available online or by reservation in Apple’s retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers in China and Japan. Customers who purchase online or in-store from Apple will be offered Personal Setup to customize and pair Apple Watch with their iPhone.

 

[Bazooka-joe]

This whole argument about whether Apple are doing the right thing with their marketing and sales tactics could go on for months. We will know for sure in a few weeks.
My view is that Apple know exactly what they are doing. They are masters of marketing and sales. How many other manufacturers can annually boast about demand for new product release outstripping stocks. How many overnight queues do you see for new releases other than Apple products.

Apples strategy guys know enough about consumer demand not to make a mistake and they know that consumers will happily wait in line to evaluate and experience a new piece of Apple tech.

 

[samcraig]

This whole argument about whether Apple are doing the right thing with their marketing and sales tactics could go on for months. We will know for sure in a few weeks.
My view is that Apple know exactly what they are doing. They are masters of marketing and sales. How many other manufacturers can annually boast about demand for new product release outstripping stocks. How many overnight queues do you see for new releases other than Apple products.

Apples strategy guys know enough about consumer demand not to make a mistake and they know that consumers will happily wait in line to evaluate and experience a new piece of Apple tech.

Personally - I am not a fan of lines. In fact I do whatever I can do avoid them. That's across the board - not just in tech.

So I never really saw the argument that because one company's product was easily obtainable because there isn't a line to get it as a negative. If it's a product you want, there's no downside.

Apple knows marketing and sales. They also have to contend with production constraints based on release dates and SKUs available. They haven't ALWAYS been in alignment. But no company is perfect. You can try and predict which watch band/watch combo will be more popular than the next. But if you're wrong, you're wrong.

 

[BlueMoon63]

Just cancel this stupid product. Divert the future billions you will waste to improving OSX, Macs, and iPhone.

Something that is said very often with Samsung and other Android Smartphone makers except they end the sentence saying "divert the future billions you will waste trying to steal Apple's ideas."

I think the people here shouldn't post why this product will fail. It is possible that Apple will only sell about 10 Million watches this year but you should post on Samsung and Android message pages because they know the most about failing and coming in second. Apple doesn't know how to fail.

I still remember the quote in Bloomberg when the iPhone came out...

"Phone maker Nokia will not fear the release of the iPhone as it is a niche market player"

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This might make sense time-wise, but it's huge step in the wrong direction in terms of customer experience.

I'm sure this is a true statement since Apple has a history of failing with new products and new releases. Every time we think we know something bad will happen, the opposite is true with Apple.

I rate the success of an Apple product on the number of bashing posts. Might be a record product launch.

 

[Rogifan]

Man if I had a nickel....

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From Apple's own press release on March 9th

https://www.apple.com/pr/library/2015/03/09Apple-Watch-Available-in-Nine-Countries-on-April-24.html

Beginning April 10 in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK and the US, Apple Watch will be available for preview, try-on by appointment at Apple’s retail stores, and available for pre-order through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com). On April 24, Apple Watch will be available online or by reservation in Apple’s retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers in China and Japan. Customers who purchase online or in-store from Apple will be offered Personal Setup to customize and pair Apple Watch with their iPhone.

Is reservation the same as appointment? So if I have a 15 minute try-on appointment on the 10th I'll need another one on the 24th to buy the watch?

 

[HurtinMinorKey]

Won't third party bands just kill Apple on this? They'll be so much cheaper. I mean, I think the watch is going to bomb, but even if it does sell well my guess is people are not going to want to pay $500 more for a $100 band.

 

[MasterRyu2011]

Don't see an outrage from the general public. The customer checking out the watch is probably gonna care much more about the functionality of the watch and how it can help their daily lives than to think "geez, I need to see this with an alligator skin band attached." The 15 minutes will be used up by then.

 

[peteo]

This whole thread can be summed up with this one song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_hUBMZQHUA

Do yourself a favor and listen to this song while reading this thread...

 

[ghettochris]

Just cancel this stupid product. Divert the future billions you will waste to improving OSX, Macs, and iPhone.

I hope apple watch gets iPod/iPhone big so I can see you eat your words. I think it is the beginning of the cyborg era and will be huge.

 

[samcraig]

Is reservation the same as appointment? So if I have a 15 minute try-on appointment on the 10th I'll need another one on the 24th to buy the watch?

Hard to tell from the wording. But taken literally, I would say yes. However, I would hope that at the end of the appointment, you could put your order into the system so that a reservation is not needed. I guess we'll find out. But I wouldn't be surprised if a reservation is needed. Even if it's a quick pick up after the appointment. I don't think they want people walking out of the store with a watch before at least getting some speech/information regardless of whether or not they had an appointment.

 

[Glideslope]

Hey Tim....

I thought it was about the customer?

 

[HenryDJP]

That's fair. I wasn't aware they'd be selling the Watch at 3rd party retailers. But still, trying on a few bands would be something I'd do when shopping for a new watch. £350 for a watch is still a very expensive watch in my eyes. For many that's nearly two weeks wages. I understand Apple Stores are crowded enough as it is, but surely there is a better way than this.

It's been on MR news multiple times that authorized resellers will be offering the AppleWatch. Nobody "needs" this watch on launch day.

If you need to take time to pick out the right band to suit your style you should wait until after the initial launch craze. That way you don't need to deal with the appointment hooplah.

Also if you feel the watch is too expensive then there's really no point in you making a stance about needing time to pick out bands. Don't buy it, simple as that. Sheesh, the down payment alone on a $20,000 car can be several months wages for some but they still buy it. I think you're stretching that a bit. If anyone is tripppin' about the watch costing 2 weeks of their wages they should not be buying the AppleWatch, and if they do their priorities are way out of place.

 

[samcraig]

It's been on MR news multiple times that authorized resellers will be offering the AppleWatch.

If you need to take time to pick out the right band to suit your style you should wait until after the initial launch craze. That way you don't need to deal with the appointment hooplah.

Also if you feel the watch is too expensive then there's really no point in you making a stance about needing time to pick out bands. Don't buy it, simple as that. Sheesh, the down payment alone on $20,000 car can be several months wages for some but they still buy it. I think you're stretching that a bit. If anyone is tripppin' about the watch costing 2 weeks of their wages they should not be buying the AppleWatch, and if they do their priorities are way out of place.

I could argue about the utility and necessity of a car vs the Apple Watch

ETA: I don't disagree with your post. Just re-read it again. My point was that even if people can't "afford" a car, it's not always an option. People would be more likely (and should be more likely) to invest in a car if they need it to get to work, etc) despite the cost. Clearly the Apple Watch, as discussed is not in the same "realm" of necessity

 

[Rogifan]

Hard to tell from the wording. But taken literally, I would say yes. However, I would hope that at the end of the appointment, you could put your order into the system so that a reservation is not needed. I guess we'll find out. But I wouldn't be surprised if a reservation is needed. Even if it's a quick pick up after the appointment. I don't think they want people walking out of the store with a watch before at least getting some speech/information regardless of whether or not they had an appointment.

I'm assuming that the stores are going to have limited quantities at launch so the reservation would be similar to going online and ordering. Though I'll be curious to see exactly how this 'Landing Zone' works.

 

[BlueMoon63]

I like Apple I really do, but all of these "rumors" I'm hearing is just pulling me closer and closer to wanting an Android Wear. It's as if they keep restricting what people may want and aside from normal Apple price gouging.

LOL... Android products have failed over and over again. There is no comparison to Apple products and other companies. Apple continually proves everyone wrong.

"iPhone is a niche product and terrible looking - no one will want this product"...

June 2007 - Apple iPhone sells 270,000 Iphone's rev 1 and cross 1 Million within 90 days and today they have sold over 500 million"

Let's just compare the first gen iPhone to the Apple Watch and then we will know. Will the Apple Watch sell over 270,000 in the first two days and 1 Million in 90 days? Android Wear is still waiting to sell what Apple will sell in 90 days.

 

[jasvncnt]

I'm convinced you are switching platforms to get a different watch just because of this.

Also... How many minutes can you try Android Wear watches?

Depending on which android watch....as many minutes as you want. Just go to ATT or Bestbuy and pair it with your phone.

 

[samcraig]

LOL... Android products have failed over and over again. There is no comparison to Apple products and other companies. Apple continually proves everyone wrong.

"iPhone is a niche product and terrible looking - no one will want this product"...

June 2007 - Apple iPhone sells 270,000 Iphone's rev 1 and cross 1 Million within 90 days and today they have sold over 500 million"

Let's just compare the first gen iPhone to the Apple Watch and then we will know. Will the Apple Watch sell over 270,000 in the first two days and 1 Million in 90 days? Android Wear is still waiting to sell what Apple will sell in 90 days.

I love when people tout statistics that are irrelevant. You realize that the world we live in today is not 2007? Comparing adoption rates/sales from then to now is just silly.

 

[BlueMoon63]

I love when people tout statistics that are irrelevant. You realize that the world we live in today is not 2007? Comparing adoption rates/sales from then to now is just silly.

It's silly seeing everyone say this product will fail so they will buy an Android Wear product. Walk into any store and you can pickup an Android Wear product because they can't give them away.

My comment was to all posts saying that Apple Watch won't sell until revision 2 or 3 (if ever). Those are irrelevant comments just the same as posting facts from before when it was said the same about iPhone rev 1 or 2 or 3.

 

[samcraig]

It's silly seeing everyone say this product will fail so they will buy an Android Wear product. Walk into any store and you can pickup an Android Wear product because they can't give them away.

My comment was to all posts saying that Apple Watch won't sell until revision 2 or 3 (if ever). Those are irrelevant comments just the same as posting facts from before when it was said the same about iPhone rev 1 or 2 or 3.

The availability of Android Wear is also irrelevant. And who said that because the Apple watch with fail, THAT'S why their will get an Android Watch.

First of all - until Google has and Android Wear App in the Apple ecosystem, it would be foolish for someone without an Android phone to get an Android Wear device. And there's ZERO reason for someone in the Android ecosystem (without an iPhone) to get an Apple Watch.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. So they aren't irrelevant. However trying to talk about the technology landscape in 2015 and using adoption rates from 2007 as an indicator is.

 

[Arran]

It's silly seeing everyone say this product will fail so they will buy an Android Wear product.

Everyone said that?

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I hope apple watch gets iPod/iPhone big so I can see you eat your words. I think it is the beginning of the cyborg era and will be huge.

That sounds like a fun prediction!

Kind-of how back in the 70's they predicted we'd all be wearing disposable paper clothes and flying in jet-cars by the year 2000. Did I blink and miss it?

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I love when people tout statistics that are irrelevant. You realize that the world we live in today is not 2007? Comparing adoption rates/sales from then to now is just silly.

Agreed. The other important thing is that in 2007:

• Everyone had a cell phone
• Everyone had become dependent on their cellphone.
• Everyone hated the way their cellphones worked.

In that perfect storm, an easy-to-use iPhone couldn't fail.

OTOH, Who - today - is deeply dissatisfied with their current watch?

 

[iReality85]

It's probably due to limited strap availability per store. I've been in some really big Apple stores, and some really small ones. I can't imagine that at the smaller stores, they'll have every option to try on. So you'll have to get a reasonable feel with certain bands and then order what you want. Or find a larger store.

 

[samcraig]

Everyone said that?

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That sounds like a fun prediction!

Kind-of how back in the 70's they predicted we'd all be wearing disposable paper clothes and flying in jet-cars by the year 2000. Did I blink and miss it?

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Agreed. The other important thing is that in 2007:

• Everyone had a cell phone
• Everyone had become dependent on their cellphone.
• Everyone hated the way their cellphones worked.

In that perfect storm, an easy-to-use iPhone couldn't fail.

OTOH, Who - today - is deeply dissatisfied with their current watch?

Well your logic is acceptable. However I do think that it's hyperbole to state that everyone had a cell phone and that everyone hated how they worked.

And while people may become reliant on their smartwatches (who knows) - the utility of a phone is not a comparable to the watch. For many, a cell phone has long past become a "want" and is a true need.

 

[sracer]

God I can't wait for this launch to be over with so these children get off the comment threads and leave the adults to sustain real conversation.

Is this an example of the type of "real conversation" you're looking forward to?

 

[Arran]

Well your logic is acceptable. However I do think that it's hyperbole to state that everyone had a cell phone and that everyone hated how they worked.

And while people may become reliant on their smartwatches (who knows) - the utility of a phone is not a comparable to the watch. For many, a cell phone has long past become a "want" and is a true need.

Agreed. I was a bit hyperbolic, but when in Rome.

My fundamental point was that there was a clear need for an easier smartphone in 2007. I think we're agreed on that, yes?

 

[Patriot24]

You know when you're in line at the ice cream shop and you get annoyed at the people in front of you that are trying way too many samples of all of the flavors rather than simply picking the one? That's what Apple is attempting to avoid.