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Confirmed: Apple Watch will NOT be sold in Apple Retail Stores

M

monaarts

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 16, 2010
1,168
51
Kennesaw, GA
Hi all,

I just wanted to give you all an update to something that started on Friday, April 10th. I went to my local Apple Store to try on an Apple Watch and wound up really liking the stainless steel Apple Watch with the link band ($999 model). I asked the employee helping me at the store whether they would be selling it in store on launch date and he told me they would be but they don't know if it would be all models or not.

Just to be sure, I decided I'd just pre-order it online so I went home and launched Safari and started the process but they saw it wouldn't be here until June!?!? I live in Atlanta so we have several Apples Stores, so I called a different Apple store from where I tried it on and asked if they'd carry it. The employee told me that only the Lenox Apple Store would be carrying the Watches on launch date. So I called the Lenox store to see if they'd have the one I wanted and they told me they WOULD NOT be selling Apple Watches in stores after it launches, it's going to be an online only device.

I wrote Time Cook an email at about noon on Friday, April 10th explaining that there appears to be confusion about the availability of the Apple Watch, even with Apple's own employees and that if I have to wait 2+ months to receive the device I'll just wait for version 2. Anyways, I just received a phone call from someone part of the Apple Online Executive Relations team and he apologized "on behalf of Time Cook and the executive team" for the poor communication internally and he said they will NOT be selling any Apple Watches in store after launch. He offered to have someone help me pre-order the watch online and said he is in the process of writing up a report for the next executive meeting for them to understand "the missed opportunity with communication." Very nice guy.

So with all that said, I wanted to let you know that he said Apple will NOT be selling any of the Apple Watch models in retail stores on launch day. Kind of disappointing.
 
monaarts said:
Hi all,

I just wanted to give you all an update to something that started on Friday, April 10th. I went to my local Apple Store to try on an Apple Watch and wound up really liking the stainless steel Apple Watch with the link band ($999 model). I asked the employee helping me at the store whether they would be selling it in store on launch date and he told me they would be but they don't know if it would be all models or not.

Just to be sure, I decided I'd just pre-order it online so I went home and launched Safari and started the process but they saw it wouldn't be here until June!?!? I live in Atlanta so we have several Apples Stores, so I called a different Apple store from where I tried it on and asked if they'd carry it. The employee told me that only the Lenox Apple Store would be carrying the Watches on launch date. So I called the Lenox store to see if they'd have the one I wanted and they told me they WOULD NOT be selling Apple Watches in stores after it launches, it's going to be an online only device.

I wrote Time Cook an email at about noon on Friday, April 10th explaining that there appears to be confusion about the availability of the Apple Watch, even with Apple's own employees and that if I have to wait 2+ months to receive the device I'll just wait for version 2. Anyways, I just received a phone call from someone part of the Apple Online Executive Relations team and he apologized "on behalf of Time Cook and the executive team" for the poor communication internally and he said they will NOT be selling any Apple Watches in store after launch. He offered to have someone help me pre-order the watch online and said he is in the process of writing up a report for the next executive meeting for them to understand "the missed opportunity with communication." Very nice guy.

So with all that said, I wanted to let you know that he said Apple will NOT be selling any of the Apple Watch models in retail stores on launch day. Kind of disappointing.
Click to expand...

But I assume that eventually they will?
 
monaarts said:
Apple will NOT be selling any of the Apple Watch models in retail stores on launch day. Kind of disappointing.
Click to expand...

If this is true, I'm not disappointed at all. I would very much like to see all of the pre-orders fulfilled before making the watch available for walk-in purchases.
 
Oh man, so when they said that the Apple Watch would only be sold online they meant that it wouldn't be sold in stores? :eek:
 
tgi said:
This was confirmed weeks ago.
Click to expand...
Although I agree and I don't know how the previous press release can be anything but clear on this matter, I am surprised that so many folks still hold out hope and relay stories of their conversations with sales reps in their local stores that seem to intimate otherwise. As much as I despise the "Confirmed" moniker that individuals attach to their posts, at least this one might be useful to help put that issue to bed once and for all. Until, you know, until we actually see watches at stores on the 24 th ....:eek: :eek:
 
SixtyK said:
If this is true, I'm not disappointed at all. I would very much like to see all of the pre-orders fulfilled before making the watch available for walk-in purchases.
Click to expand...

I 100% agree. As someone that preordered, I would be extremely frustrated if someone else was able to just walk into an Apple Store and pick one up while I'm waiting weeks/months. That happened to me with the iPhone and it was sickening. Cheers to Apple for doing whats right.
 
monaarts said:
I don't read this as them saying it won't be available after it launches. But apparently me and 3 Apple store employees are wrong.
Click to expand...

Exclusively online meaning they're not selling it using any other method. And they say during the initial launch period, meaning after it launches.
 
I think they still haven't decided yet. If they manage to get enough stock, there will be instore pickups around launchday. If not, only online orders until may or june.
 
Yes, to provide the best possible service they can, they will not utilize an Apple Store to sell an Apple product. Makes total sense.
 
rolexwatch said:
I think they still haven't decided yet. If they manage to get enough stock, there will be instore pickups around launchday. If not, only online orders until may or june.
Click to expand...

I wonder if they will stock accessories on the 24th in the retail stores despite the fact that there is a long wait for online orders for bands and straps.
 
mjs402 said:
During the initial launch period. Your quote really didn't confirm that it wouldn't be sold in retail stores after the initial launch period.

Thanks OP for confirming this. Good to know.
Click to expand...

The OP was referring to the initial launch period.

monaarts said:
So with all that said, I wanted to let you know that he said Apple will NOT be selling any of the Apple Watch models in retail stores on launch day. Kind of disappointing.
Click to expand...
 
Bazooka-joe said:
I wonder if they will stock accessories on the 24th in the retail stores despite the fact that there is a long wait for online orders for bands and straps.
Click to expand...

I wonder too, but if they have stock issues with the watches, it won't be better for the bands I guess. I will just stick with my rubber band until there's enough link bracelet stock.
 
dannyyankou said:
The OP was referring to the initial launch period.
Click to expand...

monaarts said:
Hi all,

I just wanted to give you all an update to something that started on Friday, April 10th. I went to my local Apple Store to try on an Apple Watch and wound up really liking the stainless steel Apple Watch with the link band ($999 model). I asked the employee helping me at the store whether they would be selling it in store on launch date and he told me they would be but they don't know if it would be all models or not.

Just to be sure, I decided I'd just pre-order it online so I went home and launched Safari and started the process but they saw it wouldn't be here until June!?!? I live in Atlanta so we have several Apples Stores, so I called a different Apple store from where I tried it on and asked if they'd carry it. The employee told me that only the Lenox Apple Store would be carrying the Watches on launch date. So I called the Lenox store to see if they'd have the one I wanted and they told me they WOULD NOT be selling Apple Watches in stores after it launches, it's going to be an online only device.

I wrote Time Cook an email at about noon on Friday, April 10th explaining that there appears to be confusion about the availability of the Apple Watch, even with Apple's own employees and that if I have to wait 2+ months to receive the device I'll just wait for version 2. Anyways, I just received a phone call from someone part of the Apple Online Executive Relations team and he apologized "on behalf of Time Cook and the executive team" for the poor communication internally and he said they will NOT be selling any Apple Watches in store after launch. He offered to have someone help me pre-order the watch online and said he is in the process of writing up a report for the next executive meeting for them to understand "the missed opportunity with communication." Very nice guy.

So with all that said, I wanted to let you know that he said Apple will NOT be selling any of the Apple Watch models in retail stores on launch day. Kind of disappointing.
Click to expand...

Hence, not confirmed before.
 
rolexwatch said:
I think they still haven't decided yet. If they manage to get enough stock, there will be instore pickups around launchday. If not, only online orders until may or june.
Click to expand...
See? There you go. An official press release and the communication from Tim and this idea still persists. If Apple had any sense at this point, they would not sell from of brick and mortar even if they had thousands of watches on hand. To do so would really just paint them as completely waffling and rudderless on how they handle major events. If the answer is 'maybe', then say maybe. If the answer is 'no', as previous press releases suggest, then that's it. One or the other guys. And so far, there is no reason not to believe that they are being completely consistent in this matter.
 
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