With Apple announcing their earnings today, I am starting to think they used my brand loyalty against me to launch a new product line with financial security of guaranteed demand. They did not want this product launch to fail as it was their first major product without Steve Jobs. But how could Apple guarantee the Apple Watch's success? By simply allowing consumers to buy as much as they want without ever knowing the true supply.
In the simplest of business terms; they locked their demand in by allowing limitless pre-orders with no guarantee of supply. Apple stated in several adds and press releases that 04/10 would be the date of pre-order, but this simply was not a true. With no line, no order, and no indication on availability; loyal Apple customers were left to find at checkout that their orders would not be available in time for launch.
Of course they will stand behind the honesty of their shipping estimates as to the predicator of order fulfillment; but the fact that only 22% of orders in the USA have been filled documents the fact this was not a pre-order. Apple simply allowed its customers to buy so that it could fill demand first, then fill supply.
http://www.macworld.com/article/291...-left-with-bare-wrists-on-launch-weekend.html
I have been apart of numerous product launches and have never had this issue. This is mainly due to the manufacturer communicating supply to retailers, processed orders depleting supply, and the manufacturer not allowing demand to overtake supply. A Pre-order is to imply that a consumer would receive before those who did not take time to plan ahead.
Did anyone else notice that the term pre-order mysteriously disappeared from Apple's store after 04/10/2015?
Which leads me to say confidently that consumers were mislead by Apple into only being allowed to Pre-Purchase the Apple Watch. No one even knows the order that Apple is using to determine next up in line. This is proven by Apple still not shutting down online ordering; they are simply letting demand flow freely while supply is significantly restricted.
If you were to cancel today, someone has already paid full price to take your spot in line. Apple refunding a few hundred orders because of impatient or jaded consumers means nothing to their bottom line. Everyone paid full price for the product; Apple already has guaranteed demand.
This leads me to the underlying truth. Apple's strategy to secure the success of the Apple Watch was pre-determined since the start. Apple used their customers brand loyalty to guarantee the Apple Watch success by following these 3 simple steps.
1.) Launch as close to their quarterly sales earnings as possible. Previous success would determine Apple Watch's required performance plus overshadow any shortcomings of launch.
2.) Freely allow demand to fulfill an undetermined supply. This is the underlying factor of the difference between pre-orders and pre-purchases.
3.) Fulfillment of orders processed on availability and 2 week shipping windows. Impatient buyers can easily be replaced by the demand waiting behind them.
In the simplest of business terms; they locked their demand in by allowing limitless pre-orders with no guarantee of supply. Apple stated in several adds and press releases that 04/10 would be the date of pre-order, but this simply was not a true. With no line, no order, and no indication on availability; loyal Apple customers were left to find at checkout that their orders would not be available in time for launch.
Of course they will stand behind the honesty of their shipping estimates as to the predicator of order fulfillment; but the fact that only 22% of orders in the USA have been filled documents the fact this was not a pre-order. Apple simply allowed its customers to buy so that it could fill demand first, then fill supply.
http://www.macworld.com/article/291...-left-with-bare-wrists-on-launch-weekend.html
I have been apart of numerous product launches and have never had this issue. This is mainly due to the manufacturer communicating supply to retailers, processed orders depleting supply, and the manufacturer not allowing demand to overtake supply. A Pre-order is to imply that a consumer would receive before those who did not take time to plan ahead.
Did anyone else notice that the term pre-order mysteriously disappeared from Apple's store after 04/10/2015?
Which leads me to say confidently that consumers were mislead by Apple into only being allowed to Pre-Purchase the Apple Watch. No one even knows the order that Apple is using to determine next up in line. This is proven by Apple still not shutting down online ordering; they are simply letting demand flow freely while supply is significantly restricted.
If you were to cancel today, someone has already paid full price to take your spot in line. Apple refunding a few hundred orders because of impatient or jaded consumers means nothing to their bottom line. Everyone paid full price for the product; Apple already has guaranteed demand.
This leads me to the underlying truth. Apple's strategy to secure the success of the Apple Watch was pre-determined since the start. Apple used their customers brand loyalty to guarantee the Apple Watch success by following these 3 simple steps.
1.) Launch as close to their quarterly sales earnings as possible. Previous success would determine Apple Watch's required performance plus overshadow any shortcomings of launch.
2.) Freely allow demand to fulfill an undetermined supply. This is the underlying factor of the difference between pre-orders and pre-purchases.
3.) Fulfillment of orders processed on availability and 2 week shipping windows. Impatient buyers can easily be replaced by the demand waiting behind them.