Extremely Disappointed the the rMB Launch (Or Lack Thereof)
I just need to chime in here too and express my disappointment in what Apple termed as the launch for the new MacBook. They clearly stated that it would be available as of Friday and then failed completely to deliver on this statement.
Sure, it's not the end of the world because this happened, but Apple is usually much better at this. It's understandable that supplies will be tight for the first few weeks, but to have absolutely nothing available to purchase at the retail stores is really inexcusable. What are the stores for if not to be able to purchase things from them?
If this is Angela Ahrendts way of enhancing the experience, then she hasn't the first clue about what the experience is all about. First of all set realistic expectations. If they aren't going to be available, tell us. If they are only available for pre-order, as was the case with the rMB, then make that clear. Set our expectations and then deliver on them or exceed them, but don't ever disappoint without a very strong rationale that you can give so that your customers will understand what happened.
Much of the fun and excitement of having a new Apple product comes from being one of the first to have the latest and greatest item on release day. Even queuing up and waiting is part of the positive experience that we, the customers, choose to do. No one is forcing us into this. Another part of the fun is with smaller launches like the rMB, where the goal is to locate one and grab it on launch day. It serves and fulfills our hunting instincts. This is all part of the experience of buying something brand new and interesting. These experiences are long remembered and become part of the lore of the product, enhancing it further.
I think that Angela really needs to get out into the real world and experience these things firsthand and talk with actual early adopters to better understand their motivations and what their role is in helping the company by evangelizing their products for them. She is clearly lacking in this area.
It is understandable that they want the Apple Watch to be a new experience for people and to be a much more personal experience, but that doesn't mean that this same sales model should be applied to their other products.
And speaking of the Apple Watch, why did they announce it so early on when it wouldn't be available for several months? They really shouldn't have presented it last year like they did. It would have been much better to have had the reveal this spring like they did with the second event and then have it available within just a few weeks rather than months later.
Even the Apple Watch pre-order was a disappointment for most of us. I ordered two Apple Watches immediately after the online store reopened only to find that they won't be delivered for another month and not in two weeks like they announced. This is again a letdown. If supplies are that constrained, then they should've pushed the launch back or reset our expectations.
Apple used to be much more consistent with their launches and in fulfilling the expectations that they had set beforehand. It appears that this will no longer be the case. This is certainly no way to delight customers!
