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Best Buy Unlikely to Carry Apple Watch at Launch

Android wear is an afterthought for Google. They have little invested in it and it really doesn't fit their business model as such.
Samsung has blindly been swinging at the smartwatch concept hoping to connect but they have little ability to innovate or conceptualize such a product category.
Apple may fail, but they have invested a lot of time, effort and creative resources in hitting the mark. They were the first company to really emphasize that this fits "hand in glove" with fashion. You wear it therefore it's also about style in a very personal way. It's been interesting to see more competitors addressing the aesthetics of their devices.
It still has to have utility in people's everyday activities. If it does and it's done well it will be a success.
 
extricated said:
From my experience (in the U.S.) the "store in a store" at Best Buy pretty much sucks. A lonely little corner with absolutely nobody with any kind of Apple knowledge anywhere. There may be exceptions, but I haven't experienced them.
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My local Best Buy has an Apple Specialist (employed by Apple) and a Sales Associate (employed by Best Buy).
 
CoMoMacUser said:
Sure, but that hasn't stopped Apple from using those sales channels for products such as the iPhone and iPad. Apple must be concerned that the Watch's value proposition won't be clear and obvious to most potential buyers.
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Yes, but that took time to reach those channels. Apple is a 'when it's ready' type of company - if you didn't notice. I doubt Apple is concerned.

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Derekuda said:
I can't wait until this stupid watch launches and in 6 month the hype dies down and suddenly people realize how ultimately useless smart watches are. I had Android Wear and can tell you first hand the "new" factor wears off extremely fast. By the end of the first week its just another device you constantly have to remember to charge every night that sucks down your phones battery life due to the constant connection. Give it 6 months and these things will be piled up in pawn shops.
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People are so quick to make bold statements and indulge into speculation on an unreleased product. :rolleyes:
 
Popeye206 said:
... However, given the Apple Watch is more personal, allowing customers to try it on, and try on different band styles will be needed in most cases. I know, I will want to try one before I buy one.

It's a very different buying experience and hats off to Apple for recognizing this and not just stuffing the channel with product until their channel is properly trained.
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It's a smartwatch. People in BB, Walmart, and other retailers have been selling them for years. There is no different buying experience. Find one you like, try it on, and buy it. Just like every other product.

Tycho24 said:
I would imagine small items & this level of value would be attractive to thieves... or even tempt minimum wage employees to become such.
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Those stores have carried small items of higher value for years. A watch is not going to make employees lose their minds. If they attept to steal a watch, chances are they were already stealing other stuff. Minus the edition watch, the majority of the line is most likely under $700.

mcdspncr said:
Right... And if/when Apple sells a car I bet they won't sell that in Best Buy either. It couldn't be that different products are better suited to different retail settings. It's just to fake high demand and because of the "stink" right?
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It's a smartwatch. It doesn't need a special retail setting. Apple is smart marketing their watch this way. It makes it seem as if it's special; something to be desired. At the end of the day it's still just a watch.

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BruiserB said:
Use the Apple Store as your Amazon showroom?
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I've done that plenty. Like the store, but never bought anything in it. 99% of the time, better pricing can be had elsewhere.
 
Amacfa said:
Yes, but that took time to reach those channels.
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About five months, in the case of the iPad. It could also be that many retailers don't want to devote space and resources for the Watch until it's clear that the product has sufficient demand. No retailer wants to be stuck shilling another Pippin or Newton, if that turns out to be the case.
 
69Mustang said:
It's a smartwatch. People in BB, Walmart, and other retailers have been selling them for years. There is no different buying experience. Find one you like, try it on, and buy it. Just like every other product.

Those stores have carried small items of higher value for years. A watch is not going to make employees lose their minds. If they attept to steal a watch, chances are they were already stealing other stuff. Minus the edition watch, the majority of the line is most likely under $700.

It's a smartwatch. It doesn't need a special retail setting. Apple is smart marketing their watch this way. It makes it seem as if it's special; something to be desired. At the end of the day it's still just a watch.
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Agreed. Well said.
 
Apple Watch At Best Buy

...when was the last time some of you visited your local Best Buy? mine has a new much larger Apple section - it's actually larger than the Samsung store and is staffed by a full time Apple employee plus they have several Best Buy staff that are Apple trained and are very knowledgable on Apple stuff...the Apple section has three brushed aluminum walls very similar to an Apple retail store that surround the three Apple tables (just like a retail store too)...it's really like going to an Apple retail store...:apple:
 
Derekuda said:
I can't wait until this stupid watch launches and in 6 month the hype dies down and suddenly people realize how ultimately useless smart watches are. I had Android Wear and can tell you first hand the "new" factor wears off extremely fast. By the end of the first week its just another device you constantly have to remember to charge every night that sucks down your phones battery life due to the constant connection. Give it 6 months and these things will be piled up in pawn shops.
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x1000

I got a moto360 which integrated into my life very well, surprisingly so as i was cynical but love gadgets.

Within a month I got bored with having to carry yet another bespoke charger with me whilst travelling and for the last 3 months it has sat on my kitchen table, discharged. I have yet to mourn the loss, unlike my wallet/car keys/smart phone which I always check my pockets for every morning as I leave the house.


Apple HQ is full of execs, doing this at the thought of all the people willing to spend near ipad money - on a gadget watch strap. :rolleyes:

350x233px-LL-4f2558c6_tim-cook-laughing.jpeg
 
Back to the real news... j/k


Apple may want to control this, but they have got a expensive one..... so, the rest open up soon. They must...

AppleScruff1 said:
Apple owns Beats. You're supposed to love Beats. :eek: :D
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i have Beats :D and i love my beats
 
Best Buy Unlikely to Carry Apple Watch at Launch

AppleScruff1 said:
Which has nothing to do with the post I replied to.
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But it is the whole point of this thread and is the reason the person you replied to said he can't use Best Buy as his showroom for the watch. You can't get Best Buy to price match a product they don't carry.
 
BruiserB said:
But it is the whole point of this thread and is the reason the person you replied to said he can't use Best Buy as his showroom for the watch. You can't get Best Buy to price match a product they don't carry.
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Now I get it. Sorry.
 
I like Best Buy but I would never buy Apple products there. Store-in-store experience really sucks, an official Apple store would be much much better.
 
LeilaW said:
I like Best Buy but I would never buy Apple products there. Store-in-store experience really sucks, an official Apple store would be much much better.
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Agreed, unless there isn't an Apple store in you're area, it really makes no sense buying Apple products from Best Buy.

Last year, my mom bought a MacBook Pro from them and they sold her a much older model with useless bloated software and charged her more money when she could have gone to Apple and bought the very latest MacBook Pro for less money.
 
sodapop1 said:
Agreed, unless there isn't an Apple store in you're area, it really makes no sense buying Apple products from Best Buy.

Last year, my mom bought a MacBook Pro from them and they sold her a much older model with useless bloated software and charged her more money when she could have gone to Apple and bought the very latest MacBook Pro for less money.
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I have never seen any difference on a Macbook Pro purchased from Best Buy, what were the programs, what state, did you complain to Apple or Best Buy as I doubt highly that this was Apple approved.
 
69Mustang said:
It's a smartwatch. People in BB, Walmart, and other retailers have been selling them for years. There is no different buying experience. Find one you like, try it on, and buy it. Just like every other product.



Those stores have carried small items of higher value for years. A watch is not going to make employees lose their minds. If they attept to steal a watch, chances are they were already stealing other stuff. Minus the edition watch, the majority of the line is most likely under $700.



It's a smartwatch. It doesn't need a special retail setting. Apple is smart marketing their watch this way. It makes it seem as if it's special; something to be desired. At the end of the day it's still just a watch.

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I've done that plenty. Like the store, but never bought anything in it. 99% of the time, better pricing can be had elsewhere.
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The sales experience at Best buy is abysmal (and after sale... Oh my). That's the main reason they won't be selling it right away. Maybe when the products mature they will, but not initially.
 
GordonGekko999 said:
I have never seen any difference on a Macbook Pro purchased from Best Buy, what were the programs, what state, did you complain to Apple or Best Buy as I doubt highly that this was Apple approved.
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I don't recall the programs but this was in CT. I was over my mom's visiting for the holidays and she asked me to look at her computer because she was having some problems. She ended up showing me her receipt and it turned out we both had bought MacBook Pros within a few weeks of each other, yet she got the HDD version and I got the SSD version. Aside from the additional software, we both payed the same base price for the computer alone.

Best Buy is a retailer and buys products from Apple in bulk, so it doesn't surprise me that they would still be selling older models when the newer models come out from Apple. But even so, they should be discounting those older models, especially when they're no longer available from Apple.
 
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