Best Buy Accelerating Apple Watch Rollout to All 1,050 Stores Amid Strong Demand

[MacRumors]

Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly today announced that the company plans to accelerate support for the Apple Watch by having the wearable device be sold in every one of its 1,050 retail locations across the United States "by the end of September" (via Fortune).

The move follows Best Buy's initial plan to deploy retail support for the Apple Watch in just 300 of its stores by the holiday season, but recent strong sales of the device have encouraged the retailer to back Apple in not just Apple Watch support, but with all of the Cupertino company's products.

Currently undergoing renovations at 740 locations in the United States are the Apple branded sections of Best Buy's retail stores, "including new fixtures and more display tables for phones, computers, and tablets." The company has already completed the update at 350 of its stores and has plans to get another 170 completed before the holiday shopping rush coming later this year.

We've also been working with Apple to update the 740 stores-within-a-store that were first implemented in 2007. The stores-within-a-store will have new Apple fixtures and are larger with more display tables for phones, computers, and tablets. We've already implemented approximately 350 of them, and expect to upgrade a total of approximately 520 by the holidays.

The additional display tables are great for the merchandising of Apple Watch, which went on sale at BestBuy.com and in more than 100 of our stores in August. Now, because demand for Apple Watch has been so strong in these stores and online, we are excited to share that beginning September 4 we will be carrying Apple Watch in more than 900 of our big-box stores. Apple Watch will be available in all 1050 of our big-box stores and approximately 30 of our Best Buy Mobile stores by the end of September.

Best Buy began selling the Apple Watch in-store and online in early August, along with a few third-party accessories for the wearable, like charging docks and various bands. The retailer will even begin selling AppleCare and AppleCare+ warranty plans in mid-September, no doubt hitting just in time for the launch of the next generation iPhones. Apple has avoided attaching specific sales figures to the Apple Watch, but Best Buy's doubling down on the company's wearable device is no doubt a sign of the Apple Watch's success.

Article Link: Best Buy Accelerating Apple Watch Rollout to All 1,050 Stores Amid Strong Demand

 

[iBlazed]

But I thought it was a flop?

In all seriousness, this follows the usual new Apple product pattern. There's an initial rush, followed by a huge decline while the masses have their eyes on the early adopters to see how they like it. Once people start seeing it more in public and see how people use it and love it, they become more inclined to buy one. Now we have a snowball effect going on.

 

[bpeeps]

Best Buy haters, Apple watch haters... start your engines!

MR is giving you combined ammunition to hate.

 

[luckydcxx]

wait a minute ... so you're saying that watch is selling? I thought no one was buying them?

 

[spiderman0616]

I am not surprised by this. Despite the current narrative in the trash-talking tech media, people that have bought one of these and given it a week or two to come into its own in their day to day life (like myself) are for the most part pretty thrilled with it. I can't imagine a day without mine. I would leave my Macbook or iPad at home long before I'd leave my Apple Watch at home.

 

[doelcm82]

Apple (Watch) is doomed.

 

[KPOM]

Sounds like a hit.

 

[2457282]

I would love to see numbers. There is so much noise out there about how well or badly the watch is doing. Apple's refusal to release numbers has made it difficult to gauge so all the pundits have filled in with opinions (which range from total failure to wild success). Maybe now we can get something from Best buy that gives us a more factual insight.

 

[shox2k2]

the closest Apple Store is almost three hours away. There are two best buy stores in my "area" that carry some of them but they are in the same cities that have apple stores!! Get them in locations where Apple Store is absent and I think the demand will increase. Besides you get more casual shoppers in best buy that may buy impulse.

 

[iBlazed]

I am not surprised by this. Despite the current narrative in the trash-talking tech media, people that have bought one of these and given it a week or two to come into its own in their day to day life (like myself) are for the most part pretty thrilled with it. I can't imagine a day without mine. I would leave my Macbook or iPad at home long before I'd leave my Apple Watch at home.

It's to the point now where I see them in public almost daily. People are definitely jumping on the bandwagon. I'm definitely enjoying mine to the fullest.

 

[The Game 161]

Can't wait to buy mine

 

[otozuz]

So now analysts will say the Watch has a bright future?

 

[wlossw]

I am not surprised by this. Despite the current narrative in the trash-talking tech media, people that have bought one of these and given it a week or two to come into its own in their day to day life (like myself) are for the most part pretty thrilled with it. I can't imagine a day without mine. I would leave my Macbook or iPad at home long before I'd leave my Apple Watch at home.

Just don't leave your iPhone at home...

 

[Reds622]

I have barely seen this device in the wild, if ever. Frankly, not only do I not have the urge to buy it, but I have now completely forgot about the product.

This thing has been a disaster. It's starting to get digs in influential media now too. That's not to say that any smart watch is a hit. None of them are, because they are currently pointless expensive devices with no clear exceptional function. Those who say otherwise must just be trying to justify their 500 dollar iPhone accessory.

 

[Sloppy.Joe]

Did i hear the watch was not selling well...?

 

[iBlazed]

It's funny that the company who was all gung-ho about "CurrentC" and actually disabled Apple Pay on their credit card readers are not only taking Apple Pay now, but expanding sales of devices that support it. Funny how things turn around so quickly. Good times for MCX.

 

[dugbug]

I have barely seen this device in the wild, if ever. Frankly, not only do I not have the urge to buy it, but I have now completely forgot about the product.

This thing has been a disaster. It's starting to get digs in influential media now too. That's not to say that any smart watch is a hit. None of them are, because they are currently pointless expensive devices with no clear exceptional function. Those who say otherwise must just be trying to justify their 500 dollar iPhone accessory.

disaster! Hell I have forgotten what it was already! No hyperbole here, no sir!

 

[Mr Fusion]

But I thought it was a flop?

In all seriousness, this follows the usual new Apple product pattern. There's an initial rush, followed by a huge decline while the masses have their eyes on the early adopters to see how they like it. Once people start seeing it more in public and see how people use it and love it, they become more inclined to buy one. Now we have a snowball effect going on.

Umm... No. With the iPhone I saw the potential. I didn't buy until the 3G because $600 for a phone with web apps & 2G speeds was silly. There's nothing. NOTHING, confirmed, speculated or dreamed, that makes a future Apple Watch appealing for me to buy. And I'm pretty sure I'm not alone.

 

[rdlink]

If you're holding AAPL you'd better buckle up and put a headrest behind you. The rocket's about to launch.

 

[iBlazed]

This thing has been a disaster.

Disaster in which way? Seems to be quite the contrary. But if you're determined to believe negative things, there's not much that will change your mind.

Those who say otherwise must just be trying to justify their 500 dollar iPhone accessory.

Or maybe they actually really like it and wear it every single day for as long as they're awake? Nahh, couldn't be, because YOU'VE never seen one in the wild.

 

[mostlydave]

I have barely seen this device in the wild, if ever. Frankly, not only do I not have the urge to buy it, but I have now completely forgot about the product.

This thing has been a disaster. It's starting to get digs in influential media now too. That's not to say that any smart watch is a hit. None of them are, because they are currently pointless expensive devices with no clear exceptional function. Those who say otherwise must just be trying to justify their 500 dollar iPhone accessory.

Somebody get Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly on the phone Reds622 has barely seen the Apple Watch in the wild, those strong sales must not be real!

 

[iBlazed]

Umm... No. With the iPhone I saw the potential.

Good for you, lots of armchair "experts" didn't. As a matter of fact, neither did many industry experts. And let's not even talk about the iPod or the "giant iPod touch" that is the iPad.

There's nothing. NOTHING, confirmed, speculated or dreamed, that makes a future Apple Watch appealing for me to buy. And I'm pretty sure I'm not alone.

You'll be wearing one in two years tops. You can quote me on that.

 

[efktd]

bought mine the other day at Apple. 42mm space gray. This thing is awesome!!!1!

 

[kerrikins]

It's to the point now where I see them in public almost daily. People are definitely jumping on the bandwagon. I'm definitely enjoying mine to the fullest.

I have barely seen this device in the wild, if ever. Frankly, not only do I not have the urge to buy it, but I have now completely forgot about the product.

This thing has been a disaster. It's starting to get digs in influential media now too. That's not to say that any smart watch is a hit. None of them are, because they are currently pointless expensive devices with no clear exceptional function. Those who say otherwise must just be trying to justify their 500 dollar iPhone accessory.

The contrast between these two comments is amusing, especially when they were posted so close to each other.

 

[Martinez74]

But I thought it was a flop?

In all seriousness, this follows the usual new Apple product pattern. There's an initial rush, followed by a huge decline while the masses have their eyes on the early adopters to see how they like it. Once people start seeing it more in public and see how people use it and love it, they become more inclined to buy one. Now we have a snowball effect going on.

What pattern? Don't confuse media reporting pattern with reality.
Apple has repeatedly said that they are happy with the demand and that the product has been selling well. You pay too much attention to speculative analysts and click-bate articles spread all over the web.