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Where is it going to be sold
- Thread starter rjflyn
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I think given the vast number of options available most jewellers will steer well clear of this one if I'm honest.
I was listening to the latest resolve podcast last night (http://www.resolvepodcast.com/) and they had an interesting discussion about how Apple would sell the watch. I expect to see Watch sold outside of Apple stores but will Apple sell it anywhere iPhones are sold? Will you see it sold at, say, Nordstrom and Best Buy? Or will Apple sell the cheaper aluminum version at stores like Best Buy and the more expensive versions at more upscale retailers?
One thing I think would be cool (and a way to promote the watch) is if every Apple retail employee was given one of the aluminum watches. That way if a customer comes into the store and is thinking about getting a watch the store employee would already have one and would be more easily able to demonstrate and sell it to the customer. Personally I think every Apple employee should get a watch but I'm not sure if Apple has done that before with other products.
One thing I think would be cool (and a way to promote the watch) is if every Apple retail employee was given one of the aluminum watches. That way if a customer comes into the store and is thinking about getting a watch the store employee would already have one and would be more easily able to demonstrate and sell it to the customer. Personally I think every Apple employee should get a watch but I'm not sure if Apple has done that before with other products.
Yep, they got free iPhones back in 2007.
https://www.macrumors.com/2007/06/28/steve-jobs-free-iphones-for-apple-employees/
Cool. Tim should do that with the watch. I think it would also be cool if they gave a watch to every developer attending WWDC next year but I don't expect that to happen.
Lol, not sure you exactly know how to math.
There are 6 total materials choices.
(2 colors of each: aluminum, stainless steel, and gold)
There are two sizes of each of those.
(38mm/42mm)
There are 18 straps.
(6 rubber, 5 modern buckle, 3 leather loop, 2 each, classic buckle & link bracelet, and the Milanese loop)
That is like 200+ combination choices.
I honestly don't see how all the people think this is going to be sold by jewelers or best buy, etc.
I think the only TRUE way to get them will be Apple.com or big Apple stores. Most jewelry shops keep an inventory of perhaps 2-5 watches of a style... NOT 200. At Apple stores, they can have all of the pieces & BTO, but where else can do that as far as having trained staff on at all times and having every choice in stock?
I believe they will eventually sell at all the Apple retail spots (even Walmart), but ONLY in pre-selected choices.
Or, the jewelers could push the higher end models, as they'll have margins closer to the other items in their store, reduce unwanted foot traffic (sub $1k crowd, depending on Apple's pricing), while encouraging the traffic said store would want ($1k+). Don't discredit entirely, we don't know, yet
As for stores like Best Buy, they will be selling it eventually, just like every other major Apple product offered at them, and you will be able to get many of the options across the board. Imagine when other companies start producing straps? Best buy will sell those, along with Apple's, along with the watch. These items won't cover much shelve space and companies want the attention to pull people in the store.
No math involved (unless you consider simple counting math). Go to Apple Watch Gallery and count what Apple says will be models sold.
Sure you can make almost countless combinations but that is by buying optional bands. According to Apple there will be 34 SKU to pick from.
Nope. Apple is not Google. They shouldn't give their products to developers for free.
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I expect something like the Edition sold at Nordstrom and Sport sold at Best Buy.
I think in this case places like best buy will carry all 36 versions online and only some in store. Other wise that would be a ton of product to keep in store and a big nightmare to keep track of in the inventory. Plus to make sure they don't get stolen. Just my thoughts.
Well I've heard that markup on some high-end watches by retailers can be as high as 100%, which would mean that sale of a $50000 watch nets the dealer about $25000 per watch...
So yeah, I am pretty sure high-end watch retailers will not carry the Apple Watch.
So yeah, I am pretty sure high-end watch retailers will not carry the Apple Watch.
I think an important question is not just where it will be sold, but how it will be sold and how it will be displayed. There has been some talk about glass casing to display the Watch but I would expect that should be only for the Edition model. It surely wouldn't make sense to have the Sport and Watch locked in cases that staff members have to open in order to show to customers?
I wonder if they'll be displayed on some sort of loop that means the the watch can be placed on it and easily taken off to be tried on?
I wonder if they'll be displayed on some sort of loop that means the the watch can be placed on it and easily taken off to be tried on?
I'm guessing Watch will be displayed similar to how Apple displayed it at Colette. At least in Apple stores or high end retailers. I'll be interested to see what Apple does at stores like Best Buy (assuming Watch is sold there). iPhone is displayed in the same area as other smartphones whereas iPad is displayed along side Macs in the Apple store within a store. I have a hard time believing Apple wants Watch displayed amongst every android smartwatch and fitness band out there.
I'm guessing that Apple will build some kind of detected aWatch kiosk for the Apple stores.
Also Apple could/might limit places like Best Buy to only carrying the Sport. Also Apple might even expand into stores like Macy's with the SS and Edition only.
I hope Apple limits Best Buy to the cheapest version. But I hope they're allowed to dictate where it's sold on the floor. Having it on a shelf next to all the other wearables cheapens it IMO. I think Watch will get enough press and have enough mindshare that it doesn't need to be located in a "wearables" section of the store.
Jesus, are you some kind of snob or something?
So perhaps a few hundred people live very very close to a Best Buy store, but you don't want them able to buy the Apple Watch of their choice because you personally choose to degrade people personally who purchase things in that store.
That is a horrid attitude to have towards other people.
I don't personally like Tattoo's. So I could say People with tattoo's look lower class and should not be allowed to own an Apple watch as it's too good for those type of people to be seen with and will degrade the brand.
This is getting out of hand, it's a silly little gadget for the mass market at a price less than a common iPhone owned by tens of millions of people from all walks of life.
It's not the UK Crown Jewels.
Please get over it. Its just a silly little gadget that anyone from a tramp on the street to the president could/may chose to wear, and they are equally entitled to wear any one of them if they so chose to.
I tend to think that the price of the Edition has been widely overestimated, it's a small piece of gold! I suspect from $999 for Edition, $499 for Watch and $350 for the Sport. So I think you'll be able to buy every version everywhere. It wouldn't make sense to limit it to certain shops.
Oh please companies choose all the time to sell their products in certain stores or sell a cheaper downmarket version in other stores. I can't buy a Louis Vuitton handbag at Kohls, for example. Macys doesn't sell Milano Blahnik shoes. IMO it makes no sense for Apple to sell the 18-karat gold Edition watch in places like Best Buy. I can maybe see the aluminum watch being sold there but my guess is the other versions will be sold at places like Macy's and Nordstrom. Apple didn't hire people like Paul Deneve (YSL), Angela Ahrendts (Burberrry) and Patrick Pruniaux (Tag Heuer) to peddle their wears at Best Buy.
I have yet to see one guestimate that the Edition will be below $1000. An ounce of gold is still around $1200. A number of people Apple hired in the last couple years came from luxury retail/brands which makes me think they're taking a different approach with wearables. They don't need a sales VP from Tag Heuer to get Watch in a store like Best Buy. But maybe I'm way off base and the hires are just a head fake. Maybe Watch edition with its custom leather box and charging cradle will be sold anywhere an iPhone or iPad is sold.