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

[Arran]

Why?? If you could sell them as fast as you can make them, why would this move be necessary?

Seriously?

Because then you can crank up production. If you're "selling them as fast as you can produce", then you really have no idea what sort of sell rate the market is capable of because you're limited by production.

Imagine a book publisher printed just 10 of the latest blockbuster per day. They'd be quite literally "selling them as fast as they can produce them". But the publisher would be leaving a ton of money on the table as legions of unsatisfied customers buy something else instead.

 

[kdarling]

There's no incentive to rolling out the watch to all the stores if this was puffery. Sales are very good (strong demand as the title says) so while you may not believe it. The proof appears to be in the pudding.

Apple is undoubtedly paying to put their Watch displays in Best Buy stores. That's incentive enough for BB!

It's like when Samsung put in their Experience displays. Best Buy needs all the revenue they can get:

Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly said it was just last December when he and Samsung Electronics CEO J.K. Shin first met to discuss the idea of putting "Samsung Experience" shops into Best Buy locations. Today more than 200 of these shops are already open. By June, 1,400 Best Buy locations will have them.

Best Buy CEO 'Pleased' With Samsung Shops' Early Results - CNBC April 2013

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".

- August 2015

Deja vu all over again

 

[KPOM]

Apple is undoubtedly paying to put their Watch displays in Best Buy stores. That's incentive enough for BB!

It's like when Samsung put in their Experience displays. Best Buy needs all the revenue they can get:

Deja vu all over again

Actually, Best Buy's sales were better than expected. They make more revenue from actually selling a product than whatever Apple pays them for floor space. If Best Buy scales back Watch sales in the future, that would be a sign it isn't selling well. But in the meantime, deciding to sell them in all their stores should be seen as a sign of success.

 

[dk001]

Who heralded it as the next iPhone? I'm sorry but that's BS. Even the biggest bulls never expected iPhone revenue and profits. It's the haters that are saying because it doesn't have iPhone 6 like success it's a failure.

You are kidding... right?
That is all that came across the news, investors, WSJ, Forbes, Money, Bloomberg, Apple, etc... that the AW was going to drive the next big money maker and reduce the companies dependency on the iPhone as the primary profit source. Google some archived news ... Every time I opened a financial rag there was another "NBT" article. It was tiring.

Personally, I don't have a use for a smartwatch. I have a couple of Eco's and a Tag if I want to wear one. Kids bought me an Urbane. Yep, it sits in the drawer too.

 

[KPOM]

You are kidding... right?
That is all that came across the news, investors, WSJ, Forbes, Money, Bloomberg, Apple, etc... that the AW was going to drive the next big money maker and reduce the companies dependency on the iPhone as the primary profit source. Google some archived news ... Every time I opened a financial rag there was another "NBT" article. It was tiring.

Personally, I don't have a use for a smartwatch. I have a couple of Eco's and a Tag if I want to wear one. Kids bought me an Urbane. Yep, it sits in the drawer too.

How can it reduce Apple's dependence on the iPhone when it requires an iPhone to operate? Even the wildest forecasts were for sales of about 40 million next year (which have since been ratcheted down to about 20 million), which is a far cry from the iPhone sales.

 

[aront]

What are your thoughts of the aesthetic of the gear 2? It's the first smart watch that I actually think looks nice.

It's okay. But still not that great and not as good as what's possible. At least it's thinner and sleeker than the AW. Apple has the design skills to have made something great, but they failed pretty badly.

 

[Rogifan]

You are kidding... right?
That is all that came across the news, investors, WSJ, Forbes, Money, Bloomberg, Apple, etc... that the AW was going to drive the next big money maker and reduce the companies dependency on the iPhone as the primary profit source. Google some archived news ... Every time I opened a financial rag there was another "NBT" article. It was tiring.

Personally, I don't have a use for a smartwatch. I have a couple of Eco's and a Tag if I want to wear one. Kids bought me an Urbane. Yep, it sits in the drawer too.

No I'm not kidding. No one said it was going to be the next iPhone.

 

[aront]

Unfortunately it seems not everyone agrees with you. I guess I'm pointless and have no taste because I like my Watch? What would make it not ugly for you? Changing the screen from square to round?

Definitely not a round screen. That would have made it even worse. It should've looked like a mini iPhone, or similar to any other portable device. Like this mock-up (linked below). Not exactly, but similar. It should have been as large as possible to improve usability, but not so large that it draws too much attention or sacrifices wear-ability, and should've been thinner. The current Apple watch screen is way too small and it's too thick and chunky.

https://www.macrumors.com/2014/07/02/2-5-inch-iwatch-concept/

If the screen was much larger; if it was thinner; if it was more sleek, luxurious, and classy looking; wasn't dependent on an iPhone; and maybe came in rose gold, light gold, flat pastel white, Apple white, space grey, then every young kid and young adult (especially female) would have eaten it up.

Oh, and lose the goofy, tacky, childish, colored, cheap rubber wristbands. Those look like a terrible, tacky, joke. Tim got too excited about the profit margins on those hideous things and couldn't resist.

If it at least succeeded in one of the two areas (i.e., a nice visual fashion accessory or functionally effective), then it would have had a chance. Instead, it fails in both areas and what we have is an ugly pointless watch.

And whoever allowed this scene to happen needs to be fired. With all the resources, talent, and cash available someone at Apple couldn't have gotten a clue and given this guy a make-over for the presentation? It looks like his mom dressed him. I'm sure the kids were drooling for a new watch after seeing this presentation.

 

[aront]

They have never soldered memory in Mac Pro and 99% of the desktops. Only the newest 21inch iMac memory is soldered.

The rest of this rant is just gibberish anyway.

Here's yet another example of Apple reps. purposely misdirecting, misrepresenting, and lying with the intent to deceive readers and potential customers.

You failed to acknowledge that the Macbook Pro Retina has soldered RAM, as well as the 21" iMac. As well, the newest Mac Mini has soldered RAM. Do you think the MM is a tablet and not a desktop? Or are you purposely trying to mislead and deceive readers?

I said, "Don't solder memory in pro and desktop computers." That doesn't imply that all are currently soldered, so your Mac Pro and "99%" reply was to purposely mislead and deflect the real issue/criticism.

All this bean-counting soldered RAM nonsense was done under bean-counting Tim Cook's watch as CEO.

 

[KPOM]

I said, "Don't solder memory in pro and desktop computers." That doesn't imply that all are currently soldered, so your Mac Pro and "99%" reply was to purposely mislead and deflect the real issue/criticism.

All this bean-counting soldered RAM nonsense was done under bean-counting Tim Cook's watch as CEO.

Soldering RAM started under Steve Jobs. I'm pretty sure it would have continued. Even "pros" don't need to open the case as often as they used to.

 

[aront]

Yet another example of dishonest Apple affiliated PR apologetics. First, misrepresent my position, then make pathetic defenses for soldered RAM.

Clearly, my argument was that there is absolutely no reason or justification for soldered RAM in pro and desktop computers, so misrepresenting by saying "soldered RAM started under Steve Jobs" is a deliberate attempt to deceive readers. Tim Crook the bean-counter started soldered RAM in pro and desktop computers. And if Steve Jobs did the same thing, I would be criticizing him, but doubt he's that stupid to sink to such a level of bean-counting.

And your rationalization and justification for soldered RAM in pro/desktop computers is that "pros don't need to open the case as often as they used to"? LOL! Apple affiliated PR apologetics, hilarious. You guys make it so obvious.

There is absolutely no reason or justification one can give for soldered RAM in pro and desktop computers. When you try to do so, you expose your affiliation.

 

[lordofthereef]

It's okay. But still not that great and not as good as what's possible. At least it's thinner and sleeker than the AW. Apple has the design skills to have made something great, but they failed pretty badly.

I've only seen preliminary pics but it looked as thing to me as a standard watch. As I've said I'm not a watch guy though lol. I agree. The apple watch looks more like a wrist computer than I would like.

 

[lordofthereef]

Apple is undoubtedly paying to put their Watch displays in Best Buy stores. That's incentive enough for BB!

It's like when Samsung put in their Experience displays. Best Buy needs all the revenue they can get:




Deja vu all over again

Apple is not only paying for that, they are paying for Best Buy employees to go through a two hour training session on how to sell the watch. The more I've looked into it the more I've come to conclude that this is probably more a move of Apple's than Best Buy's.

 

[lordofthereef]

Actually, Best Buy's sales were better than expected. They make more revenue from actually selling a product than whatever Apple pays them for floor space. If Best Buy scales back Watch sales in the future, that would be a sign it isn't selling well. But in the meantime, deciding to sell them in all their stores should be seen as a sign of success.

Best Buy's makes very little off of Apple product. The vast majority of their revenue is anything they can attach to said products (cables, insurance, etc). It will be interesting to see what their Apple care agreement is since they can no longer sell geek squad protection in Apple products once Apple Care hits their store shelves.

 

[TRSmudge]

The Apple space in Best Buy in Appleton, WI has been increased and now also carries the Apple Watch (only 1 on display) and a ton of accessories for it as well. Interesting they also added an Apple TV display to the left.