Kohl's Will Begin Selling Apple Watch at 400 Locations Across U.S. Later This Month

[MacRumors]

Kohl's will begin selling the Apple Watch at 400 of its 1,100 stores across the United States on November 15 as a way to boost its activewear business (via Fortune). Apple's partnership with the retail chain is said to help the Cupertino company reach into areas of the country that don't have Apple Stores or official Apple resellers with Apple Watches, as well as "reach a more modest-income shopper and a wider-ranging clientele."

In total, Kohl's locations will stock 10 different Apple Watch models, but the company didn't go into specifics about which. In the retailer's Black Friday ad, the Apple Watch Series 2 in Space Gray with Black Sport band and Series 1 in Rose Gold with Pink Sand Sport Band are both advertised.

Within the store itself, the Apple Watches will be displayed on stands that measure four feet tall, and the Kohl's staff will be educated on the devices to help customers in purchasing an Apple Watch, which Kohl's sees less like an electronic device and more "as an active and wellness device."

"We're not launching it as an electronics partner," Michelle Gass, Kohl's chief merchandising and customer officer, told Fortune in an exclusive interview at the retailer's design center in New York City. "We were positioning this as an active and wellness device."

On Black Friday, customers will be able to receive Kohl's Cash when purchasing an Apple Watch: $105 for a Series 2 and $75 for a Series 1. The retailer hopes that its introduction of the Apple Watch goes over as well as its profits for selling FitBit devices, which is now "a $100-million-a-year business" for Kohl's.

In September, Macy's announced that it would be the first United States department store to begin selling Apple Watch when the device launched that month. The new Kohl's deal of 400 retail locations is much larger than Macy's, which began selling Apple Watch in 180 of its stores in September.

Article Link: Kohl's Will Begin Selling Apple Watch at 400 Locations Across U.S. Later This Month

 

[stiligFox]

Sort of interesting to see Apple Watches pop up in all sorts of stores. It's unusual coming from Apple, but it should hopefully get more shoppers looking at them, especially the ones who wouldn't traditionally go to an Apple Store.

 

[magicschoolbus]

I still don't think Apple really understands this segment.

Fitbit makes a activity band.

Apple makes a great watch.

I wish Apple made something more on par for exercising like Fitbit does.

 

[ghostface147]

And yet Kohl's doesn't offer apple pay outside of their Kohl's card....

 

[nt5672]

Kohls is something of a discounter? I guess watch bands are not selling themselves. I can't wait to buy my next computer from Kohls. Oh wait, by next year Apple will not be selling computers!

Yeh, I saw where they said it was not an electronics business partner, but the Apple brand and strategy is defined by the stores that carry it. Enough said.

 

[Smartass]

i hope they got huge warehouses for all the unselled watches

 

[Robert.Walter]

And yet Kohl's doesn't offer apple pay outside of their Kohl's card....

Not true. More than half a year ago mom paid using Amex (which was then newly accepted by Kohls) on her Apple Watch. She has since reverted to using her Kohls card because of its linkage to kohls discounts/rewards program.

Btw nice store. After Apple Pay, Costco, Target and Kroger lost much of my moms biz to early AP adopters Kohls and Meijer.

 

[jjhny]

When will it be at JC Penney?
/sarc

 

[jdag]

Kohl's always offers significant discounts, including 20% and 30% off anything. I assume the Apple Watch will be excluded, but if not, it would make shopping there for an AW a no-brainer.

 

[BootsWalking]

Bargain bin here we come.

 

[mollyc]

Wow. Way to remove the luxury perception.

 

[bagofbeef]

What's the deal with Kohl's cash? Is that like, a straight-up coupon or something?

 

[Elbon]

"Apple's partnership with the retail chain is said to help the Cupertino company...'reach a more modest-income shopper'"

I think they're going to need to drop the price a bit if that's what they're hoping to do.

 

[2298754]

People actually shop at Kohls?

I don't think the average Kohl's shopper is really looking at spending a premium on Apple products...

 

[fatalogic]

Will we be able to use Kohls cash on an Apple Watch? Because Kohls is pretty generous when it comes to discounts.

 

[Razeus]

Just because you put your product in a "modest" consumer store doesn't mean they have the money to purchase.

 

[maflynn]

I'm not seeing the fit here, Kohls is a good place for clothes, but apple products - I don't get it

 

[Soccertess]

This is just silly. They can put them in all the stores around the world, it won't help their sales.

People aren't buying the Apple watch for many reasons, price, utility, etc. But the one thing I have never head is they didn't get it because it wasn't at the store they regularly buy from.

Second, most smart phones out there are android, so 87% of the world's smart phone market can't use it. And yes, that figure includes periphery countries (third world). The only point I'm trying to make with this is that they have a limited market.

This just shows how Apple is lost at sea, and captain dongle-head is clueless.

 

[gertruded]

Will the increase in watch band sales make up for the end of Apple's computer business? Apple is pricing their computers so ridiculously high while selling old tech to make it obvious they intend to exit the computer business.

 

[oneMadRssn]

I think I got a mailer earlier this week from Discover card saying there is 10% cash back at Khols for some period of time. Might be a nice way to snag an additional discount for that have have Discover.

 

[Jim]

How are they going to offer the Apple Watch series 2 when it isn't even in good supply at their Apple Stores?

 

[DaveOP]

Wow. Way to removed the luxury perception.

Did selling at Walmart not already do this?

 

[Small White Car]

And here comes the elitism.

My mother-in-law is a huge Kohl's shopper and her iPhone is bigger and more expensive than mine is. Just because you don't personally do something doesn't mean the people who do are losers with no money/tech/intelligence.

 

[NachoGrande]

Cool maybe I can save up my Kohls cash...
[doublepost=1478183036][/doublepost]

Wow. Way to removed the luxury perception.

It NEVER had a "luxury perception" like never...

 

[silentbob007]

What's the deal with Kohl's cash? Is that like, a straight-up coupon or something?

It is money to be redeemed during a specific time for future purchases. For example, this week you may earn $10 in Kohls cash for every $50 in purchases. Next week, you will be able to redeem that cash on new purchases (but there is a timeframe it must be done in). They also definitely prorate with KC in mind if you return anything.