Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

I went to the apple store yesterday and saw something interesting.

maflynn

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
Original poster
May 3, 2009
74,809
45,142
The apple watches were flying off the shelves (so to speak). I was there to compare the sport vs. the apple watch and while I was talking to one of the salesmen, I saw around me people buying the watches left and right. All of them were getting the sport model, I didn't see a single stainless steel model sold.

The few minutes I was there, I saw about 8 maybe 10 watches sold.

While I know some people are quick to pronounce the watch to be a flop, and Apple is withholding specific figures, I was still surprised by the volume of sales just during my short stay at the apple store. I have no idea if that is constant, or if I just showed up during a spike of activity. Either way it was interesting.

It was the Boston store by the way.
 
Was it the Boylston store? That store is gorgeous but it also attracts a lot of tourists as well so that's probably it.
 
I've seen the same thing here in southern California Apple Stores. At least 5 to 10 new Apple Watch bags being brought out for walk in customers over short periods of time when I visit the store. Employees said it continues almost everyday at that pace.

I know, I know, it's a total failure and everyone hates the Watch. I'm only reporting what I've seen in person. Sorry, I'll try to remain more negative next time. ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Planepics, moetownslick, bunnicula and 3 others
I haven't noticed watches being sold, but what I do notice is that the try-on tables are almost always empty whenever I go. Nobody seems to be trying on watches.
 
My local store is the same daily, not bad for a device that is a flop
 
Night Spring said:
I haven't noticed watches being sold, but what I do notice is that the try-on tables are almost always empty whenever I go. Nobody seems to be trying on watches.
Click to expand...

Yeah, well, the try on is kind of silly. Once you try one it's not much fun to try on because the demo loop does so little... More fun to play with the powered on display models.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PirateP
CobraPA said:
Yeah, well, the try on is kind of silly. Once you try one it's not much fun to try on because the demo loop does so little... More fun to play with the powered on display models.
Click to expand...

Besides, one can just pick one up for a 14-day "try on", so why bother trying it in-store.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AleXXXa
rockyroad55 said:
Was it the Boylston store? That store is gorgeous but it also attracts a lot of tourists as well so that's probably it.
Click to expand...
Yep, it is a beautiful store :)

Night Spring said:
I haven't noticed watches being sold, but what I do notice is that the try-on tables are almost always empty whenever I go. Nobody seems to be trying on watches.
Click to expand...
Quite the opposite experience, when I was there people were crowding the tables, we all were waiting for the next salesman (or saleswoman) and we gave our name, so it would be an orderly process.
 
The last time I was in Hong Kong near the beginning of July, I had basically the same experience as you in that a ton of people were going to try on watches and standing in line to buy them. I can't say for sure if it's kept up since I live two hours out by high-speed train, but it definitely seemed to be doing fine back then.
 
Over the past month or so, I've always seen AWes being bought if I hung out at least fifteen or twenty minutes in the store. Back when they were online-only, I still saw people ordering them via store computers after trying them on.

When we bought mine yesterday afternoon, mine was one of three purchases made while I was there.
 
I visited both Ft. Lauderdale Galleria store and Boca Raton Towne Center store over the last week, They were bringing them out like crazy. I was amazed how many were being sold!
 
I think now that they're readily available in stores and there's a decent number of them in the wild, the Watch becomes more interesting (and somewhat normalised) to the average consumer. I see this playing out just like the original iPhone and iPad launches: an initial rush, shortly followed by a lull, and then consistent growth there on out, although I think the Watch has a lower ceiling than the other two due to it being more of a luxury and requiring an iPhone.
 
I haven't been in the past 2-3 weeks, but I went a lot since the watch was made available for in-store purchase. I think in that entire time I only saw one watch purchase. However, when I went to check for in-store reservations, they were always sold out.

But I am glad to hear so many people are observing so many sales. I hope it is ramping up.
 
AppleWes said:
I've seen the same thing here in southern California Apple Stores. At least 5 to 10 new Apple Watch bags being brought out for walk in customers over short periods of time when I visit the store. Employees said it continues almost everyday at that pace.

I know, I know, it's a total failure and everyone hates the Watch. I'm only reporting what I've seen in person. Sorry, I'll try to remain more negative next time. ;)
Click to expand...
saw this too when I was at The Grove getting mine...
 
I go to the mall about once a week, and of course every time I stop by the Apple Store (I've made friends with several reps there by now LOL). Sometimes the Watch table is absolutely packed, and other times it's deserted. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to when it's crowded vs when it's not.

Two weeks ago, a Monday afternoon, there were Watch buyers everywhere. Multiple try-on's going on, and you had to fight to get to the Watch table. A madhouse, so to speak. That same week, on Friday, around the same time, nothing. If you were to take an aerial picture of the inside of the store, you would see an empty circle around the Watch tables in a sea of people.

Whether that's a good or bad thing, I don't know. But I DO know that the Watch tables receive infinitely more attention than the Beats displays.
 
While i was buying mine 1.5 months ago, 3 other people walked out with one. I didn't see which watch they got tho.
 
Aluminum213 said:
People who says it's a flop, compared to what? It's already outsold all android wear watches combined, outpacing the original iPhone and iPad


It's that people want it to sell at the pace of today's iPhone or iPad
Click to expand...

Either that, or people relishing the chance to shout out "The Emperor Has No Clothes!" ... and maybe a bit of stock manipulation. It's easy to be a skeptic and whine about why something will never work; it's another mindset entirely to think of all the possibilities for the future.
 
Just took my son to the 3-day in-store Apple Camp and while I wasn't paying attention to Watch sales, the staff were sure paying attention to me. Over the 3-days I had seven of them asking me where I got my 3rd-party watch band.
:D
 
  • Like
Reactions: iBlazed
Just went again to my local store. Zero people trying on at table. Zero sales. Asked the guy working there and he said some days it is zero, some maybe 30. He had no idea for that day. But it was on par with I've observed.

I did see a family of 3 getting personal setup/instruction for their Apple Watches (sport model). So that means 3 sales at some point recently.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back