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I was giving an example that companies don't have to put together packages to please everyone. Phillips decided their black headphones were going to be more expensive just because. I can choose to buy it or not.

Apple chose to package the black band only with the SG watch.

Right. Which I find odd. I honestly thought Apple offered the silver sport watch with black and white bands. I had to go back to their website to confirm that wasn't the case. Seems like an odd omission.
 
Right. Which I find odd. I honestly thought Apple offered the silver sport watch with black and white bands. I had to go back to their website to confirm that wasn't the case. Seems like an odd omission.

It's not odd. It's intentional. They are going to make you pay an extra $49 if you want that combo.
 
You get what you pay for.

In the good majority of cases you are correct. Yet as one who isn't price sensitive and prefers the best quality, it's still important to do ones research since some premium priced products simply don't measure up.

Here in the USA mainstream marketing is such that cheap sells, even when over time the product requires replacement, sometimes more than once, resulting in a cash outlay greater than if one would have bought quality, paying more initially.

When it comes to doing the math and using common sense far too many people skip those steps and end up paying the price later. Money management is a topic that simply doesn't get the attention required to help people prosper. Examples are everywhere at every socio economic level.

Conversely every ultra wealthy person I know is careful, deliberate, focused and skilled in money management, they make time for it.
 
In the good majority of cases you are correct. Yet as one who isn't price sensitive and prefers the best quality, it's still important to do ones research since some premium priced products simply don't measure up.

Here in the USA mainstream marketing is such that cheap sells, even when over time the product requires replacement, sometimes more than once, resulting in a cash outlay greater than if one would have bought quality, paying more initially.

When it comes to doing the math and using common sense far too many people skip those steps and end up paying the price later. Money management is a topic that simply doesn't get the attention required to help people prosper. Examples are everywhere at every socio economic level.

Conversely every ultra wealthy person I know is careful, deliberate, focused and skilled in money management, they make time for it.

You're preaching to the choir. For example I would never buy Beats headphones for its quality of sound. It's just plain expensive.

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Ha...ok. Whatever you say

Whatever I say? It's reality my friend.

1. Aluminum Apple watch does not come with a black band option.
2. Want the black band it's $49.00 separately.
 
Here's the problem with the Apple watch, the bands are all expensive, aside from the sport bands. What this means is that you'll see very little individuality in the Apple watch, despite its inherent customization (unless third party bands take off/are allowed). The overwhelming vast majority of users will have sport with sport bands. They should have offered many more sub-$79 bands.
 

The Aluminum watch with the black band is the only combination in my opinion that looks conservative and can be taken seriously(I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking this).

The other Skittles colored combos make the watch look like a kid's toy. I think Apple knows this and is gambling on the fact that buyers would rather pay the extra $49 for the black band than an extra $200 for the SS version with black band.
 
The Aluminum watch with the black band is the only combination in my opinion that looks conservative and can be taken seriously(I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking this).

The other Skittles colored combos make the watch look like a kid's toy. I think Apple knows this and is gambling on the fact that buyers would rather pay the extra $49 for the black band than an extra $200 for the SS version with black band.

Exactly. That's the entire concept of upselling...not sure why people are surprised.
 
Exactly. That's the entire concept of upselling...not sure why people are surprised.

Ok but the space gray aluminum does offer a black band and is the same price as the silver and white. And when you buy the bands on their own white and black are the same price. If black was an upsell why wouldn't it be more expensive? And why does Apple offer black and white sport bands for the SS watch? Why not force people to buy a black sport band seperately for that collection too?

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The Aluminum watch with the black band is the only combination in my opinion that looks conservative and can be taken seriously(I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking this).

The other Skittles colored combos make the watch look like a kid's toy. I think Apple knows this and is gambling on the fact that buyers would rather pay the extra $49 for the black band than an extra $200 for the SS version with black band.

The space gray with black band doesn't look conservative? It's the exact same price as the white and silver combo. Plus the black band isn't more expensive than it's colorful counterparts. And on the SS side the white and black sport band combos are the same price. So it's not like Apple is implementing a black "tax". I'll bet if enough people are asking for the silver aluminum watch with black band Apple will start offering it.
 
Ok but the space gray aluminum does offer a black band and is the same price as the silver and white. And when you buy the bands on their own white and black are the same price. If black was an upsell why wouldn't it be more expensive? And why does Apple offer black and white sport bands for the SS watch? Why not force people to buy a black sport band seperately for that collection too?

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The space gray with black band doesn't look conservative? It's the exact same price as the white and silver combo. Plus the black band isn't more expensive than it's colorful counterparts. And on the SS side the white and black sport band combos are the same price. So it's not like Apple is implementing a black "tax". I'll bet if enough people are asking for the silver aluminum watch with black band Apple will start offering it.


SG is conservative but from what I'm gathering it's not a popular color based on discussions in this sub.

You're misunderstanding me. It's not a black tax. It's a silver watch + black band combo tax. Notice how you can buy the SS with a black band? That's because you're already paying $200 more for the SS version so Apple is including the black band as a package.

On the flip side Apple is also doing this for the SS SG model. You want a SG SS? It will cost you $450 more because it only comes with the link bracelet.
 
SG is conservative but from what I'm gathering it's not a popular color based on discussions in this sub.

You're misunderstanding me. It's not a black tax. It's a silver watch + black band combo tax. Notice how you can buy the SS with a black band? That's because you're already paying $200 more for the SS version so Apple is including the black band as a package.

On the flip side Apple is also doing this for the SS SG model. You want a SG SS? It will cost you $450 more because it only comes with the link bracelet.

From what I can tell, the Space Gray sport is the most popular choice at the moment.

The black stainless steel is Space Black, not gray. Just trying to let you know because the conversation is kind of confusing with both the sport and stainless steel both being referred to as space gray.
 
So we all seem to be in agreement here that Apple is doing this to make an extra $50
 
SG is conservative but from what I'm gathering it's not a popular color based on discussions in this sub.

You're misunderstanding me. It's not a black tax. It's a silver watch + black band combo tax. Notice how you can buy the SS with a black band? That's because you're already paying $200 more for the SS version so Apple is including the black band as a package.

On the flip side Apple is also doing this for the SS SG model. You want a SG SS? It will cost you $450 more because it only comes with the link bracelet.

I guess the debate then is whether this is purely for "upsell" reasons. IMO if Apple wanted to "upsell" you to the silver Sport watch with black band they'd offer that choice out of the box but charge $50 more for it. As far as the space black SS watch $450 is a pretty big upsell so I have my doubts that Apple limited the band for that watch purely for upsell reasons.

One could argue with a new and unproven product all the combinations Apple IS offering are crazy. That they should have just started with the $349 aluminum watch and a few bands and if the product proved successful added more models/bands with future generations.
 
Ok but the space gray aluminum does offer a black band and is the same price as the silver and white. And when you buy the bands on their own white and black are the same price. If black was an upsell why wouldn't it be more expensive? And why does Apple offer black and white sport bands for the SS watch? Why not force people to buy a black sport band seperately for that collection too?

It's funny. You titled your OP "No mixing and matching...not sure why people are surprised," yet you're the surprised one here :D
 
One could argue with a new and unproven product all the combinations Apple IS offering are crazy. That they should have just started with the $349 aluminum watch and a few bands and if the product proved successful added more models/bands with future generations.

Good point - I think that if Apple looked at the watch as merely a new device to sell they would have packaged the watch and bands separately - much easier to maintain and control inventory levels and provide choice to customers. Essentially they would for the most part leave the band portion to third parties like with cases for iPhones and iPads. Much cheaper and easier from a supply chain and inventory perspective both for sales at Apple Stores and through retailers (can you imagine the type of inventory that a retailer would have to order to make sure that they had enough on hand of each combination of watch).

However, I think that Apple made a conscious decision that this was more than a device - that it is a "luxury product" and a luxury fashion product at that. If it was just a device, there would have been no need to go beyond the sport version to SS and the Edition. But that wasn't the goal. Because of that I think they wanted to present it as an integrated product and I am guessing, spent a huge amount of money on developing and perfecting the bands themselves as well as the materials for case - probably had a whole team devoted just to the bands. As a result, I suspect that they are making a much greater margin including the bands and a greater margin on the SS than the sport and on the Edition than the SS because of the more expensive bands - only way to make the much greater R&D costs back for taking this beyond a mere device.
 
I guess the debate then is whether this is purely for "upsell" reasons. IMO if Apple wanted to "upsell" you to the silver Sport watch with black band they'd offer that choice out of the box but charge $50 more for it. As far as the space black SS watch $450 is a pretty big upsell so I have my doubts that Apple limited the band for that watch purely for upsell reasons.

One could argue with a new and unproven product all the combinations Apple IS offering are crazy. That they should have just started with the $349 aluminum watch and a few bands and if the product proved successful added more models/bands with future generations.

If Apple had done what you asked then we'd see threads like "why is the silver watch with black band more than the others?".

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From what I can tell, the Space Gray sport is the most popular choice at the moment.

The black stainless steel is Space Black, not gray. Just trying to let you know because the conversation is kind of confusing with both the sport and stainless steel both being referred to as space gray.

My bad. I thought they were the same "black" for lack of better term.
 
It's funny. You titled your OP "No mixing and matching...not sure why people are surprised," yet you're the surprised one here :D

Yeah I am because I thought both aluminum watches came with a black band option. :D
 
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