Do we have any indication whether there are more Space Black orders or Modern Buckles? I would have guessed more Space Blacks.
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Stainless Steel Space Black Shipping Status
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It was obvious their sales expectations for the Link watches was so low they didn't even bother producing an initial run before they started taking orders so they could fulfill them on "launch day" (soft launch would be more accurate with the hard launch only happening now). They basically said, "we don't know if we can sell a single or even a couple thousand of these things over the next few months, so lets just not make any." Which is why, even if you ordered the second the store opened, you got a 4-6 week deilvery date...but again, technically the first SB orders got May 13th, which is 4 and a half weeks.
Anyway. As I've said before, someone crazy at Apple who should be let go asap decided that the Link watches were so risky from a sales perspective that they should expect to sell zero of the Links. Because when's the last time there was a rush for the most expensive (not including the edition watches) variant of an Apple product...oh, that's right, that's every time there's a launch...
I'm very surprised they moved on to a different band instead of keeping all the links together.
I actually think the modern buckles are going to be the very last. They were the only watch that there was no ETA for on the online store (almost everything else said July). Most of the 38's said June or 2-3 weeks.
I'd think more Modern Buckles because they're in four different colors and cheaper, so naturally more people (particularly women) would purchase them. Supply constraints might be another matter though.
Well, thus far each batch has been a common SKU. Maybe the 38 SS LB isn't a high order number at all and they end up getting processed after our 42mm's.
It's a crapshoot at this point what the order's going to be.
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I find it hard to believe that they can only focus on one type of band at a time.
Too right!! I camp over night for the phones and have to buy out of contract to get a new one every time they come out so I'm generally paying full price and I get the top model (White 6+ 128gb). And even being 13th in line on the iPhone 6 launch day at a high volume store they were out of that configuration two people after me!
I knew this was going to be a big seller as did some of the apple people I talked to, so I don't know why they didn't figure that out!. It's all black and is nothing like any other one, how could it not be popular!!!???
This is most likely a very different process than what they'll do once the channel is fully populated (i.e.. they have stock of every watch configuration, available for new orders).
The factories are still mass producing the "heavy hitters" - the sports watches and the SS with link bands.
Ours are tiny in comparison. So, to make us happy, they're likely doing an "out of band" fulfillment where they have people assembling our orders outside of the regular mass production process. Each SKU will be on skids. They'll be scanning them a skid at a time, then distributing them.
You guys make it sound so easy to prioritize 2 million orders of 38 different SKU numbers! 
Whenever *I* get my own world-class wearable-computing/fashion product line off the ground, after 4 years of R&D, I know just where to go for supply-chain optimization advice - MacRumors FTW!
Whenever *I* get my own world-class wearable-computing/fashion product line off the ground, after 4 years of R&D, I know just where to go for supply-chain optimization advice - MacRumors FTW!
You guys make it sound so easy to prioritize 2 million orders of 38 different SKU numbers!
Whenever *I* get my own world-class wearable-computing/fashion product line off the ground, after 4 years of R&D, I know just where to go for supply-chain optimization advice - MacRumors FTW!
Heh...all we can do is conjecture, as Apple hasn't exactly given out a powerpoint or spreadsheet on their process and schedule.
Guys c'mon. This is like saying chevrolet produces only the cruze cause is cheaper and sells a lot more than a suburban or escalade. Really? and disregard all the profit provided by the most expensive product that most likely has the largest margin of profitability ?? I don't think so.
Shipping/order stats
I wonder what this updated information is:
It breaks down the shipping and order stats as of the time of this article.
http://blog.returnpath.com/blog/tom-sather/an-apple-watch-watched-never-ships
I wonder what this updated information is:
It breaks down the shipping and order stats as of the time of this article.
http://blog.returnpath.com/blog/tom-sather/an-apple-watch-watched-never-ships
Well, the amount of time to "re-tool" a production line may be about how long it would actually take to produce our SKU (vs, leaving it running and continuing to produce another 200,000 SS with SB). Maybe they hit a tipping point and did all of the less popular watches in a day or two and now they're all sitting on skids waiting to be scanned in Harrisburg. Who knows?
They could have gotten things setup at Foxconn and cranked out the less popular watches over there before kicking off other lines as well.
You have specifics you want to share with the class?
The steam will pick up once the charges start showing up. Then things will get exciting around here. I'm very excited for the people who are getting very close.
Actually, there's a lot of the data there I'd disagree with (there have been zero space black reported in the wild). The data is incomplete. Also, Apple hasn't been sharing numbers, so I'd like to know what his source is.
I'd take that with a cup full of salt. Somewhat meaningless anyways at this point as Apple's been churning them out and supposed to be increasing production.
Well, the amount of time to "re-tool" a production line may be about how long it would actually take to produce our SKU (vs, leaving it running and continuing to produce another 200,000 SS with SB). Maybe they hit a tipping point and did all of the less popular watches in a day or two and now they're all sitting on skids waiting to be scanned in Harrisburg. Who knows?
They could have gotten things setup at Foxconn and cranked out the less popular watches over there before kicking off other lines as well.
You have specifics you want to share with the class?
You sir, get it, with your last few posts.
There's still more 42mm SS LB's being changed to PFS or SHIPPED status today.
I know I'm late but I thought I'd chime in. I ordered a 42mm Space Black SS Watch at 12:01, confirmation at 12:02. Ship dates May 13-May 27. No movement at all yet.
Really hoping we have our watches by the end of the week...
Really hoping we have our watches by the end of the week...
the 12:01-12:10 people (I'm 12:03) are the ones that must be the most frustrated.
I'm pretty sure everyone that ordered any watch within the first 2 hours has gotten theirs by now.
Except for the 4 "least popular" / lowest quantity orders
- SS w LB
- SB SS w LB
- SS w LL
- SS w MB
We're seeing progress in the regular LB and LL (both 42mm), but that's it.