+1 It would have made more sense to have reservations start the week before pre-orders. Instead of building hype around 4/24 "availability," they could have focussed on building hype about reservations and the try-on experience.
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Looking for those with cooler heads
- Thread starter yogibeartacodog
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The "pre-order only" method doesn't change anything with regards to getting more watches into the hands of "fanatics and early adopters," all it does is improve the optics for Apple from a PR standpoint. They learned from the iPhone 6 launch that the long store lines, once populated by hardcore fans and Apple evangelists, were now dominated by scalpers and homeless people paid to stand in line.
- Apple evangelists standing in line overnight = good PR
- Scalpers and homeless people standing in line = bad PR
It's likely that you have the same high percentage of scalpers doing online pre-orders as you would have waiting in line at a physical store, but the optics are much better thanks to the lack of transparency.
Not only that but it was also creating a lucrative business of professional "place holders" and individuals paid to wear tshirts with advertising with the hopes of getting some media attention.
Perhaps Angela was more worried about people not ordering anything at all (if they saw the watches ahead of time), than she was about double orders and possible later returns.
Possibly, but perhaps the 1 or 2(I can't remember which it is) watches per customer limit may have helped in this regard?
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It was the right decision. Those who really wanted it, and put the time in to set themselves up to get it, got it.
Case in point: I favorited my Sport Watch just like apple told me to on my phone app, made sure my payment information was up to date, and double checked (and changed) my shipping address to my work address the night before. Set my alarm for 2:55am (EDT). Ordered my watch through the app at 3:02am, got a confirmation at 3:03am, back to sleep at 3:05am, shipping date apr-24/may-8. Not rocket science...
Case in point: I favorited my Sport Watch just like apple told me to on my phone app, made sure my payment information was up to date, and double checked (and changed) my shipping address to my work address the night before. Set my alarm for 2:55am (EDT). Ordered my watch through the app at 3:02am, got a confirmation at 3:03am, back to sleep at 3:05am, shipping date apr-24/may-8. Not rocket science...
With the world essentially bumbling it's way towards World War III, which in the nuclear age is likely to lead to a huge decrease in the world population if you catch my drift, I wouldn't necessarily say that everything is going to be ok.
I'll be fine if my Watch doesn't get here until May, though.
What people say and what people do are different here.
A lot of people are just bored and mildly frustrated, and complain incessantly (like my wife for instance, but that's another....)
Anyway, then you have people who are actually upset. Hard to believe, but they exist here and there's more than one.
So, why would you even care about them? Are you a mental health specialist, or are interested in mental issues? Or are you worried about young minds as many of them are pretty young I think.
I just think it's a total waste of typing. A hard knock thing.
(note: notice How i fit into the bored/typing category)
A lot of people are just bored and mildly frustrated, and complain incessantly (like my wife for instance, but that's another....)
Anyway, then you have people who are actually upset. Hard to believe, but they exist here and there's more than one.
So, why would you even care about them? Are you a mental health specialist, or are interested in mental issues? Or are you worried about young minds as many of them are pretty young I think.
I just think it's a total waste of typing. A hard knock thing.
(note: notice How i fit into the bored/typing category)
I did exactly the same thing, but my email confirmation was dated at 3:04 am, and I have a ship date of May 13-27.
Unfortunately, this time, doing everything exactly as Apple told you wasn't a guarantee of getting in on the first delivery batch.
While not ideal, if you had narrowed it down to two options prior to the pre-order, you could have ordered both and cancelled the one you didn't want after a try-on, rather than return it. I wonder if they could have done try-ons Mon-Thursday the week of a Friday pre-order.
Clearly they had limited stock so instead of having a few go to each Apple Store, they made it so everyone that actually wants one has a fair chance to get one from the same source.
It makes perfect sense to me.
It makes perfect sense to me.
I managed to get in fairly early, so perhaps I would have been a bit more annoyed if I missed the possibility of a day one delivery (though the uncertainty regardless is somewhat frustrating).
The pre-order/online only system is clearly necessary at this point. Stocking every variant in sufficient numbers for launch day would have been a logistical nightmare, especially if rumours are to believed that there has been some production issues.
I think they overestimated this when they announced the April 24th launch date.
I got my order in @ 2:04AM CST and was placed in the May 13-29 batch. Today, I changed my mind and decided I would like the 42MM instead so now I have till June. I'm okay with that. It may not even take that long, but I told my lady friend that I'd rather wait for what I want than settle for what I can get. By July this will probably all be one big blur, maybe.
Only thing that was wrong was for Apple to allow In-Store Appointments be AFTER the watch went on Pre-Order.
If the purpose of the Watch is for it to be unique and personal, there should've been a 1-2 week window where someone could try on a Watch(es) to better:
1) Know which model/combination was best for them.
2) Know which day/time they could pre-order the watch
To have someone try on Watches until AFTER they were available was odd.
If the purpose of the Watch is for it to be unique and personal, there should've been a 1-2 week window where someone could try on a Watch(es) to better:
1) Know which model/combination was best for them.
2) Know which day/time they could pre-order the watch
To have someone try on Watches until AFTER they were available was odd.
I agree that communication is key to a smooth launch. Apple did well all things considered. Now that Apple is so large I'm not surprised that some mistakes were made. From time to time most giant corporations make very odd decisions. Why Apple failed to conduct the try-on event sooner than they did is a question only they know the answer to.
Online was the only feasible way. Imagine people camping for days only to realize their combination sold out. Its not like the iphone where all the prices are the same across the board.
Line for a sport watch and only the ss is available which is at least double the price etc etc etc
Line for a sport watch and only the ss is available which is at least double the price etc etc etc
Showroom strategy makes it better for the market overall, and for the employees. You have no idea how many resellers and devious people are the first in line for Apple products, its usually never actual fans, it's either homeless people hired for 50 bucks by a reseller, people with stolen credit cards, or people who have 15 people in line all buying the purchase limit to resell either right outside the store or to a different country.
This strategy makes sure that the people who really want it, get it first. Trust me, you guys would be getting your watches much later if it wasn't for this strategy.
This strategy makes sure that the people who really want it, get it first. Trust me, you guys would be getting your watches much later if it wasn't for this strategy.
I think they should have a date as to when it will be available in store. Online orders start shipping 4/24 or pick up in store... at whatever date. Not having a date tells me there is supply issues and they want to get it in the hands of the customers and not sitting on store shelves. I would think June would be in store unless their supply loosens up.
Besides... now they have an idea of what the people want and what they need to make more of. Its a new product and they have a lot of options to choose from.
Besides... now they have an idea of what the people want and what they need to make more of. Its a new product and they have a lot of options to choose from.
Meh..It's a tech gadget. life goes on. If people can't be still for two months they need a hobby.
That may seem fair and equitable for those of you who live close to an Apple Store. For me the closest is a 2-3 hour round trip (traffic dependent) on the freeway. That makes lining up on launch day a serious commitment - although I will admit I HAVE done it twice - both for iPad launches, once with a 'reserved' in-store pickup. What can I say, too me it was fun - but it wasn't easy.
I am on the West coast so I slept for a few hours and got up at 11:50 to get ready to place an order (I get up for work at 6). I was fortunate to get an April 24 delivery window. It felt good to know that everyone was on the same playing field without having to take a day off from work.
I do feel that Apple really missed the boat by not starting in-store viewing and try ons two weeks before release. That would have preventing me from having to order TWO watches knowing that I will have to return one (I am a women so I think 38 will look better, but I am 56 and my vision isn't the best, so I if it doesn't ridiculous I may be better off with the 42.
I can see how it might not seem as fair to those who live far from any Apple Store. I think I would have been okay with online only orders if Apple had been clear about it BEFORE orders started. Anyway, not a big deal, and hopefully they have learned and would do better next time.
I am a bit younger than 56, but my eyesight has never been too good, so I'm in the same boat as you regarding screen size. Unfortunately, when I went to try the watch, it seemed that 42 was too big for me. Even the 38 was a bit bigger than the watches I used to wear. It's not even that it looks ridiculous, the 42 is so big it doesn't sit right on my wrist.
I measured my wrist after I came home, and came up with 145mm. I always did have problems finding watches / bands to fit me. *sigh*Hope you can wear the larger size, because with bad eyesight, every millimeter of screen real estate helps.
also since the watch is a small object and people would be trying it on before buying, a normal launch with all those people would turn into a thieves paradise.
the fact that they have all the watches locked away in electronic drawers and you have to see them by appointment tells me that Apple's first and foremost concern about the launch was theft.