Executive Team Response Regarding Launch

[Bazooka-joe]

So what they are saying is that they may have watches in store on the 24th. If that does turn out to be the case a lot of people may visit their apple store and cancel their on line orders.
Surely they should honour all the online orders for April, may and June before shipping out to the stores.

 

[Iceage]

All I know is the availability in store better not be at the expense of the customers that got up to place their order. My order was in at exactly 4 mins after launch and I expect. It on the 24th.

 

[JFazYankees]

Just ship some of those 4-24-5/8 pre-orders on 5/8 and use the early stock for stores .

Uh, as someone with one of those 4/24 – 5/8 delivery dates, no thanks!

 

[Rogifan]

It was more along the lines of "It could very well change.", vs "We don't know.". Also yes, I didn't think about that when posting, but he did mention some watches weren't immediately available at all due to supply constraints and the high quality control standards of the bands, esp the link bracelet.

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Good to hear.

 

[Givmeabrek]

They need to have plenty available for the scalpers............ not!

 

[Poochi]

Question to all of you:

- Would you rather the store have some stock on April 24th and "maybe" if you line up early you can get it on launch day?

or

- Would you rather Apple have no stock in store and fulfill everyone who got up early (or stay up late) and ordered online on April 10th?

 

[ZombiePete]

Surely they should honour all the online orders for April, may and June before shipping out to the stores.

People make this argument during every Apple product release, but the simple fact is that a pre-order is simply a guarantee that you'll get the make/model you want at some point, not at launch and not necessarily before others get it at the store. Those who wait in line to get products have no guarantees and basically are left to get what they can get.

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Also yes, I didn't think about that when posting, but he did mention some watches weren't immediately available at all due to supply constraints and the high quality control standards of the bands, esp the link bracelet.

I don't want to accuse you of exaggerating your conversation, but it's somewhat hard to believe that they discussed manufacturing delays/constraints with you.

 

[lewisd25]

If my order isn't scheduled for delivery on 4/24, then I will be camping out in front of my Apple Store just in case there is store stock. Apple should consider shipping orders early because I'm sure there are more people like me.

 

[ZombiePete]

If my order isn't scheduled for delivery on 4/24, then I will be camping out in front of my Apple Store just in case there is store stock. Apple should consider shipping orders early because I'm sure there are more people like me.

You'll know when your Watch is scheduled to arrive several days (at least) before 4/24.

 

[andrewpturko]

Surely they should honour all the online orders for April, may and June before shipping out to the stores.

I'm sure many would hope they set aside stock for retail stores as well.

 

[Wildgift]

Good for you, man. Apple is so well-run!

 

[ZombiePete]

I'm sure many would hope they set aside stock for retail stores as well.

If they are setting aside stock for retail sales, one set of stock has nothing to do with the other. It's not as if they pull from Watches slated to go to pre-orders to make up their retail quota, or vice versa. Logistically, that would be a fairly challenging thing to do. If in advance of pre-orders they saw that they weren't going to have enough to handle both well, they may have just cut their plans to ship stock to the stores and focused on their online sales, but that's a different matter.

 

[andrewpturko]

People make this argument during every Apple product release, but the simple fact is that a pre-order is simply a guarantee that you'll get the make/model you want at some point, not at launch and not necessarily before others get it at the store. Those who wait in line to get products have no guarantees and basically are left to get what they can get.

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I don't want to accuse you of exaggerating your conversation, but it's somewhat hard to believe that they discussed manufacturing delays/constraints with you.

It's not that hard to believe, I just talked specifically based on what I've heard and got reaffirmations.

 

[ZombiePete]

It's not that hard to believe, I just talked specifically based on what I've heard and got reaffirmations.

And you forgot in your original post that Apple had directly confirmed to you that they were having manufacturing delays? That's hardly an aside comment; it's a pretty major revelation, one that as a corporation Apple would generally not be too keen on being public knowledge. Color me skeptical; it just seems like an odd thing to forget to mention.

 

[yalag]

Have they officially announced that there will be no stock on launch day? Or was that a rumours all along? Can someone remind me? I can't imagine them retracting from an official announcement though.

 

[rayricepudding]

This is why I've been an Apple loyalist

Apple has always been all about superb customer service. Here's the story of how they turned me into a customer for life:

When I was 13 I ordered a custom-built PowerBook G3 (fancy for a 13 year old, I know, but I actually did graphic design work for the family business). Anyway, a couple days after ordering the computer, I got a call from Apple that they wanted to hold off on building my computer, because a substantially improved new model was being released the following week (the first ever firewire power book, dubbed, "Pismo"). I always thought it was awesome that someone there decided to look out for me, rather than just take my money and send me a computer that would have otherwise been obsolete in a week!

As a young and impressionable kid, that experience resonated with me - I've never really had quite an experience like that with any other consumer products company.

 

[andrewpturko]

Have they officially announced that there will be no stock on launch day? Or was that a rumours all along? Can someone remind me? I can't imagine them retracting from an official announcement though.

Although ambiguous, Angela said this:

1

“We are excited to welcome customers tomorrow and introduce them to Apple Watch, our most personal device yet. Based on the tremendous interest from people visiting our stores, as well as the number of customers who have gone to the Apple Online Store to mark their favorite Apple Watch ahead of availability, we expect that strong customer demand will exceed our supply at launch,” said Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail and Online Stores. “To provide the best experience and selection to as many customers as we can, we will be taking orders for Apple Watch exclusively online during the initial launch period.”

If that means online only, meaning personal pickup not even an option, then they effectively did retract from their first initial press release:

2

“On April 24, Apple Watch will be available online or by reservation in Apple’s retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers in China and Japan. Customers who purchase online or in-store from Apple will be offered Personal Setup to customize and pair Apple Watch with their iPhone."

Sources:
1:apple.com/pr
2:apple.com/pr

 

[jbachandouris]

Question to all of you:

- Would you rather the store have some stock on April 24th and "maybe" if you line up early you can get it on launch day?

or

- Would you rather Apple have no stock in store and fulfill everyone who got up early (or stay up late) and ordered online on April 10th?

I agree in concept, except I WAS one of those people who got up at 3AM. I ordered a Space Gray Sport. Nothing fancy. When I placed the order, the screen said April 24th. At 3:05, I received an email saying that delivery is now May 13-24.

Under promise, over deliver? We shall see.

 

[profmjh]

This is the most satisfying thing that has even happened on the internet ever.

I didn't read the OP's original thread -- I started reading his e-mail to Tim Cook, but assumed he was probably a bit of a loon (sorry, Apple enthusiast) and didn't bother reading any further.

I've read it now.

First off, I totally agree with his point.

Second, this proves beyond doubt that people on the internet are (a) idiots and (b) tossers. The abuse the OP got was unbelievable. And – as is so typical in these cases – people weren't satisfied that one person had a go (which was then vigorously upvoted) others wanted to pile in and add their own poison.

Nobody knows anything. The ones who are most strident are the ones who know the least.

This is a huge victory for the OP.

And thirdly, it has restored (some of) my confidence in Apple, which had taken a bit of a knock after "windowgate", i.e. the lack of specific delivery dates with instead two-week and even month-long windows.

OP I salute you. As for the rest . . . you're all a bunch of nasty tossers who should learn some humility from this incident.

 

[Pinksteady]

Wow good work. A shame no word on deliveries on the 24th.

I wonder though, how long until someone says "thanks for that, now they'll be diverting stock to the stores instead of my delivery!"

 

[bjdraw]

It isn't hard to prevent people from lining up for the Apple Watch on the 24th. All employees have to do is walk up to the people as they form a line and notify them that they'll need to order online as there will be no watches sold on the store on that date.

 

[jk4lebron23]

Very cool that you got an email and call back!

 

[andrewpturko]

This is the most satisfying thing that has even happened on the internet ever.

I didn't read the OP's original thread -- I started reading his e-mail to Tim Cook, but assumed he was probably a bit of a loon (sorry, Apple enthusiast) and didn't bother reading any further.

I've read it now.

First off, I totally agree with his point.

Second, this proves beyond doubt that people on the internet are (a) idiots and (b) tossers. The abuse the OP got was unbelievable. And – as is so typical in these cases – people weren't satisfied that one person had a go (which was then vigorously upvoted) others wanted to pile in and add their own poison.

Nobody knows anything. The ones who are most strident are the ones who know the least.

This is a huge victory for the OP.

And thirdly, it has restored (some of) my confidence in Apple, which had taken a bit of a knock after "windowgate", i.e. the lack of specific delivery dates with instead two-week and even month-long windows.

OP I salute you. As for the rest . . . you're all a bunch of nasty tossers who should learn some humility from this incident.

LOL. I am a loon though! (erm, I mean Apple enthusiast)

 

[StophMac24]

This part is standard Apple: Under-promise and over-deliver. Good on them.

And with that...here's to hoping we receive our watches on 04/24 and not on 05/08

 

[Wildgift]

Question to all of you:

- Would you rather the store have some stock on April 24th and "maybe" if you line up early you can get it on launch day?

or

- Would you rather Apple have no stock in store and fulfill everyone who got up early (or stay up late) and ordered online on April 10th?

Latter, of course...

----------

This is the most satisfying thing that has even happened on the internet ever.

I didn't read the OP's original thread -- I started reading his e-mail to Tim Cook, but assumed he was probably a bit of a loon (sorry, Apple enthusiast) and didn't bother reading any further.

I've read it now.

First off, I totally agree with his point.

Second, this proves beyond doubt that people on the internet are (a) idiots and (b) tossers. The abuse the OP got was unbelievable. And – as is so typical in these cases – people weren't satisfied that one person had a go (which was then vigorously upvoted) others wanted to pile in and add their own poison.

Nobody knows anything. The ones who are most strident are the ones who know the least.

This is a huge victory for the OP.

And thirdly, it has restored (some of) my confidence in Apple, which had taken a bit of a knock after "windowgate", i.e. the lack of specific delivery dates with instead two-week and even month-long windows.

OP I salute you. As for the rest . . . you're all a bunch of nasty tossers who should learn some humility from this incident.

This.