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

[kemal]

I know of three people with the watch and know of one person without an iPhone.

 

[Enygmatic]

Why do some people WANT Apple - or its products - to fail? I mean, if you work for a competing company, or Steve Jobs seduced your wife while on an LSD-fueled sabbatical, I get it. Otherwise...

Anyone?

 

[Gasu E.]

Right...and I recall that Apple has likely sold less than 4 million watches in some older news articles. Again, it's a nice raw number that Apple sold a few million...sure...but as everyone stated before, Apple will sell a few million of anything they release simply because of the large population(s) and the Apple fans. But as a % of society? 5% is pretty sad. Granted it is year 1. But even still, what % of USA folks own a Mac? 15% on a great day...again, millions of units with nice margins but a minority of traditional desktop and laptop computers. iPhones of course are a much higher %.

5% of society buying a single product from a single manufacturer would make this one of the greatest product successes in modern history. Apple won't achieve that, of course, as it is entirely unrealistic. But sad???-- LOL.

 

[Shanley]

Explain why BB would be expanding the Watch to all their stores if it wasn't selling? That makes zero sense. If 1, 2 or 4 was legit then why didn't BB stock them in every store from day one? I'm not aware of only certain BB stores getting the MacBook. My local store has it but doesn't have the Watch.

One hypothesis is the Apple Watch generates foot traffic. Plenty of people are interested in seeing the Apple Watch up close. The Apple Watch gets people in the door, once in the store the people purchase something, even if it isn't the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch itself does not have to sell to be a good item for Best Buy.

 

[dugbug]

I poo-poo the watch not because I want to see it fail, but because the effort and resources put into making something this useless

Useless I say! Can't even use it for mobile payments!

The Mac lineup is stale

STALE! Why did they not revolutionize computeressez this year???? Why are people buying them WHY AM I TYPING THIS QUEUE RAGE FLIP TABLE

iPhones are so hideous they require a case

lol okay... step away from the keyboard.

Product lineups are being split to the point they'll need to bring back the gross 5-digit alphanumeric names of the 90s.

Um... what. They are pretty clear to me.

 

[thekeyring]

Right...and I recall that Apple has likely sold less than 4 million watches in some older news articles. Again, it's a nice raw number that Apple sold a few million...sure...but as everyone stated before, Apple will sell a few million of anything they release simply because of the large population(s) and the Apple fans. But as a % of society? 5% is pretty sad. Granted it is year 1. But even still, what % of USA folks own a Mac? 15% on a great day...again, millions of units with nice margins but a minority of traditional desktop and laptop computers. iPhones of course are a much higher %.

People might have bought the watch because it's Apple, but they won't stick with it if they don't like it. If Apple continually churns out products they don't like, people will associate Apple with bad products.

Same with films sequels. People might go watch a sequel to a film they like, but if it's crap, they'll give it a bad review.

 

[thekeyring]

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.

You can't even imagine a use for a wrist-worn computer?

 

[lkrupp]

Why do ome people WANT Apple - or its products - to fail? I mean, if you work for a competing company, or Steve Jobs seduced your wife while on an LSD-fueled sabbatical, I get it. Otherwise...

Anyone?

Because these people think they know everything. The old adage is as true today as it was when it first appeared. “Success breeds contempt.” People like winners but they like to see winners fail even more. Since failure is the default life experience of these types they can’t stomach a success story. It can’t true or there’s something else going on.

MacRumors is full to the brim with these people.

 

[Rogifan]

One hypothesis is the Apple Watch generates foot traffic. Plenty of people are interested in seeing the Apple Watch up close. The Apple Watch gets people in the door, once in the store the people purchase something, even if it isn't the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch itself does not have to sell to be a good item for Best Buy.

But why would he say demand was high if it wasn't? This was on an earnings call. Last time I checked CEOs don't typically lie on earnings calls. Like I said, Tim Cook could come out tomorrow and say Apple sold 20M watches and some people wouldn't believe him unless they were able to personally count all 20M wrists and even then they'd probably accuse Apple of paying people to wear them.

 

[RDeckard]

Hey Eric, you are all over the place. You say there is a "fire sale", but there is no evidence of discounting. You agree with another poster that you would never buy one in the future, but then one of your reasons is that it is a first generation product. Are you thinking this through?

Thinking this through?

Are you kidding me?

Most of the jamokes here don't even get past the headline! There's a reason a lot of these guys are sitting in their mom's basement, eating Hot Pockets for dinner, and hating everything that they don't like. (That last sentence was NOT directed at you. )

 

[blackcrayon]

You can't even imagine a use for a wrist-worn computer?

He's also pretty sure he's "not alone"- after all without sales to 100% of the population of Earth a product is a clear failure

 

[currentinterest]

The Apple Watch is going to be a huge Holiday hit. Best But knows this and with the initial nonholiday demand being so high, they are just racing to be a part of it.

 

[superliu]

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.

Some spend $500 on a good night out, some spend that on one golf club or on a pair of shoes. So it's hard to justify how everyone spend their money. For me, I buy a watch every 3-5 years and spend around $3-400 anyway. So I have no problem spending $500 on a watch (my last watch was bought 3 years ago).

I don't see how spotting it in the wild should influence if you buy one or not. There are people here who say they see the watch in the wild every day. It depends where you live. If you live in a city with an Apple store would help.

 

[vmistery]

It doesn't shock me they are selling well now they are in more stores. I'd only buy a watch if I could feel one first no matter the brand and Apple stores are not exactly everywhere

 

[Mr Fusion]

Useless I say! Can't even use it for mobile payments!

STALE! Why did they not revolutionize computeressez this year???? Why are people buying them WHY AM I TYPING THIS QUEUE RAGE FLIP TABLE

lol okay... step away from the keyboard.

Um... what. They are pretty clear to me.

Wow... I guess ignorance truly is bliss. Enjoy your failed watch.

 

[MasterRyu2011]

It'd be nice to see a breakdown of the marketshare of the sport versus SS versions. Of the four Apple watches I have seen in the wild (counting mine of course) since its release, they have all been the Sport versions. I really still think the Apple Watch is a tough sell for $600-$1000

 

[Mr Fusion]

You can't even imagine a use for a wrist-worn computer?

Not a practical one. Laptop? Yes. Phone? Yes. A computer built into my glasses (Google proves the tech isn't there yet but) Yes. A computer wired into my brain? Yes.

Wrist? Nope.

He's also pretty sure he's "not alone"- after all without sales to 100% of the population of Earth a product is a clear failure

You took a quote and spun it to fit your narrative. Well done. Try trolling harder next time.

 

[GoodWheaties]

Exactly. I don't think the Watch is garbage...there's just no reason for me (and most of the population) to currently buy it. Here are a few of those reasons:

1. Too expensive
2. I historically do not wear a watch (this was before the smartphones took over the world) every day
   
3. I typically do not wear a watch every day because I have my iPhone, clocks on the wall, and computer clocks while I work 8 hours a day.
   
4. I already have a very, very, VERY nice looking watch that is both functional and stylish. $100. And. It. Just. Works.
5. Apple Watch is tied to iPhone...lots of "what's the point?" comments
6. Terrible battery life
7. It's Version 1.0...and so is the OS.
8. I don't need or want all kinds of apps on a tiny screen...just give me the time, some great life-changing reasons to buy the Watch
9. Ever been to a store to buy a watch? There are literally hundreds if not thousands of styles...but you only choose 1 right? Well, Apple only sells 1 style...so Apple is really only going to attract a small audience who feel, first of all, that it fits their style/look.

Sadly, Apple's Watch is just another product on the timeline of Gimmicky Watches.

You can add to that list that it basically requires a white collar job as well. I realize that many people work in offices but I don't and there is no way I'm buying something that will get scratched/dirty the first day on the job, and I for sure won't buy something that I only wear after 5pm. And I hate wearing watches

 

[jared porter]

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.
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

 

[jared porter]

I'm not too surprised that sales are decent and very likely rising.

Anecdotally, in Seattle at least, on the streets around the (high tech central) region of South Lake Union, at the upscale Bellevue Square Mall, and Bellevue LA Fitness gym, one will notice NUMEROUS folks wearing Apple Watch, if one cares to notice wrists displaying its distinctive bands, rectangular case with its unique offset digital crown.

Just wait until Christmas Season! What else will the gadget/fitness/fashion fan care for Santa to bring? (Just notice how the Apple Watch is packaged for "presentation"!) I'm SURE the CEO of Best Buy understands this!

 

[jared porter]

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.

Tim Cook stated categorically, long before Apple Watch was released, that specifically Apple would NOT be releasing separate sales' figures (so as not to tip off competition). His statement was around January whereas Watch wasn't released until late April.

 

[Rogifan]

It'd be nice to see a breakdown of the marketshare of the sport versus SS versions. Of the four Apple watches I have seen in the wild (counting mine of course) since its release, they have all been the Sport versions. I really still think the Apple Watch is a tough sell for $600-$1000

A $600 watch costs basically $1.64 per day. Many people spend more than that per day on a coffee. Just today I spent $16 on sushi for lunch. Go out to a nice restaurant and you can easily spend a couple hundred on food, drinks and tip.

 

[Reds622]

I poo-poo the watch not because I want to see it fail, but because the effort and resources put into making something this useless should have been used to fix their current product line, both software and hardware. The Mac lineup is stale, iPhones are so hideous they require a case, the Apple TV's been forgotten about, and all devices (especially the iPad) are suffering from a serious lack of quality software. The little details I used to appreciate are no longer looked after. Product lineups are being split to the point they'll need to bring back the gross 5-digit alphanumeric names of the 90s.

Every move Apple has made in the past several years by the CEO bean counter has been to appease shareholders, not customers. You can argue businesses exist to maximize profits... But they're already #1 in the world. When is it enough? When can you take a step back and start caring about your products just a little? The endless pursuit of money will eventually cause any business to fail, because they lose sight of their roots: Building good products. As an Apple enthusiast, THIS is why I'm pissed.

This post perfectly explains how I'm feeling as well, and I couldn't have said it better. And, honestly, judging by some of the other posts on here that are so quick to "defend" the other side, I'm fine with holding a point of view more in line with this way of thinking, rather than having blinders to some of the real problems that have occurred (hopefully not occurring) the past few years at Apple.

 

[Saucesome2000]

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.


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

Make that last statement your signature.

 

[igorsky]

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.

Awesome...another personal opinion trying to masquerade as real-world fact.