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If You Want To Buy an Apple Watch In-Store, You'll Need a Reservation 193

Posted by samzenpus from the for-the-discerning-time-enthusiast dept.
An anonymous reader writes "Good news for those of you thinking of buying an Apple watch but were concerned the experience wouldn't feel exclusive enough. According to MacRumors there will be no walk-in sales the first few weeks of launch. Instead, you'll have to call the store and make reservations. From the article: "Apple will begin offering online pre-sales of the Apple Watch starting on April 10th, with the first deliveries occurring on April 24th, the official Apple Watch launch date. During those two weeks, customers will be able to have hands-on 'try-on' appointments at Apple retail stores in order to help make up their mind. However, according to training documents that MacRumors has received, Apple is not allowing any walk-in retail purchases for the Apple Watch at launch. Instead customers must make an online 'Product Reservation' to hold a specific Apple Watch model at a retail store. This new 'Product Reservation' system is used instead of Apple's 'Personal Pickup' system for Apple Watches. Apple's retail training documents indicate that 'If a customer walks in and wants to purchase a watch, offer the option to try on a watch. Then help them place an order online or through the Apple Store app.'"
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If You Want To Buy an Apple Watch In-Store, You'll Need a Reservation More

If You Want To Buy an Apple Watch In-Store, You'll Need a Reservation

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  • Brilliant idea (Score:5, Insightful)

    by DogDude ( 805747 ) on Monday March 30, 2015 @08:36AM (#49369911)
    These guys really are brilliant marketers. Famously brilliant. People who define themselves by the shit they own will eat this up!

    • Re:Brilliant idea (Score:4, Insightful)

      by neumayr ( 819083 ) on Monday March 30, 2015 @08:47AM (#49370003)

      I agree, they're really following up on this "cater to the rich guys" business model. Though even though I like some of Apple's products, part of me would really like to see this product to fail. Bring Apple back from being a fashion accessory to a tech company.

      • Re:Brilliant idea (Score:5, Insightful)

        by gstoddart ( 321705 ) on Monday March 30, 2015 @08:51AM (#49370041) Homepage

        I agree, they're really following up on this "cater to the rich guys" business model

        But, but ... they're the ones with all the money.

        I'm sure people will go gaga over this. I, and I'm sure many people, will continue to not give a damn about the smart watch market.

        It provides me with nothing at all other than another gizmo I don't want or need.

        • The majority of people I know don't wear watches to begin with, a smart watch is a fancy version of something they wouldn't buy in the first place. I haven't worn a watch since I got a cell phone and everything started having a clock in it.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by Binestar ( 28861 )

            The majority of people I know don't wear watches to begin with, a smart watch is a fancy version of something they wouldn't buy in the first place. I haven't worn a watch since I got a cell phone and everything started having a clock in it.

            I felt the same way, and frankly I could get by without a smart watch, but the feature set really hit my use-case. I do onsite consulting for small firms (HIPAA and PCI compliant IT support) and often get SMS and emails from customers other than the one I'm currently at. While it would be possible to pull out my phone and read SMS and emails, I'm often in front of customers or otherwise in a position where it would be rude or even inconvenient to pull out my phone, but I need to know if a server at anothe

      • Bring Apple back from being a fashion accessory to a tech company.

        They're just trying to compete on their strengths.

      • This has happened before. Apple makes a product that is a little too much upscale and pricey for average joe, and fails miserably.
        Apple may be the Cadillac Of technology... However when they try to push out the Rolls Royce type of technology, it goes too far.

        I can't see myself getting one for the price.
        1. The next year or 2 it will be thinner, more powerful, and easier to use. For a watch I want something timeless.
        2. How long can you have such a device until it is not supported by you other device.
        3. I

    • People who define themselves by the shit they own will eat this up!

      I agree. apple users are snobs who define their identities by showing off their gadgets. I don't go near that, this is why I have a nexus one and moto360 writs watch along with a galaxy tab and chromebook on which I'm running Linux.

      • Thanks, I did so enjoy the unintended irony of your post.

      • I agree. apple users are snobs who define their identities by showing off their gadgets. I don't go near that, this is why I have a nexus one and moto360 writs watch along with a galaxy tab and chromebook on which I'm running Linux.

        You do realize, of course, that what you just described is also a form of snobbery, too. One that is far too common on Slashdot.

        It's that "...on which I'm running Linux." that really points out how 1337 you think you are.

    • out of a trunk at a drive-in, or just inside a dark alley.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by jrumney ( 197329 )
      What if thousands of people were to walk in to Apple stores during the first week, excitedly ask for an Apple watch, then act disappointed and decline to pre-order when told they couldn't have one right away. Apple is so asking to be gamed here, they aren't going to have a clue what the real demand for their watches is, and may end up seriously overproducing for the following months' supply based on the market research they gather from this exercise.

  • Way to piss off customers, Apple. (Score:3, Insightful)

    by xtal ( 49134 ) on Monday March 30, 2015 @08:36AM (#49369915)

    Yeah, I see this going well.

    This runs contrary to any experience I've had with Apple, especially in their retail stores. If I can't walk in and try something without booking an appointment, it'll be awhile before I get around to buying one.

    Boo, hiss. I hope they get an earful over this.

    • This is an excellent marking tactic. For that price, Apple wants to make sure that you get the feeling that the iWatch is "exclusive". Not every ordinary dweeb can walk into a store and buy one. It's like getting a membership in country club or other exclusive club. You're not just buying a watch . . . you are buying a legacy. That's how the ultra expensive Swiss watchmakers advertise their watches in The Economist.

      So, in order to sell it to dumb rich folks, you need to wrap the purchase process in a

      • Re:Way to piss off customers, Apple. (Score:4, Funny)

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 30, 2015 @09:18AM (#49370225)

        >prompt and circumstance
        You're a pal and a cosmonaut.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by xtal ( 49134 )

        It's a piece of technology. Like my phone, it'll be worthless in 3 or 4 years. The legacy sell I think will be a very tough one here.

        The obvious solution is to buy it and return it if you don't like it; that boosts costs to Apple, though.

      • Re:Way to piss off customers, Apple. (Score:5, Insightful)

        by CastrTroy ( 595695 ) on Monday March 30, 2015 @09:33AM (#49370325)
        At a price of $350, it's hardly expensive for a watch. I'm sure that requiring the appointment is much more related to getting the thing set up with your iPhone to make sure the whole thing goes seamlessly I could seriously see quite a few people buying one and being disappointed when they couldn't get it to pair properly with their phone, or they don't even own an iPhone, and just expected it to work on it's own. I think they just want to ensure that people get a good experience with the watch. And letting random people buy it off the shelf is probably a sure way to lead to a lot of people who have no idea what the product is, and just giving it bad reviews.

        • At a price of $350, it's hardly expensive for a watch.

          It's not a watch. It's a fashion accessory. And nobody who is somebody would be caught dead wearing a $350 version . . . Apple is going after the folks who will dish out $10,000 for a watch: http://www.engadget.com/2015/0... [engadget.com]

          $350 for a watch? How vulgar and ordinary!

        • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

          by Barlo_Mung_42 ( 411228 )

          $350 is expensive for a watch that will only last a few years.

          • Exactly. My $800 watch has lasted for about 13 years. It's on it's 3rd battery. My dad's Rolex is about 35 years old now, it doesn't even have a battery.

            I may be able to justify a nice looking smart watch if and only if it had some way of extending it's life as a fashion accessory, otherwise it is just a dumb device that duplicates all functionality I already have in my pocket except on my hand.

            Fashion accessories should not wear out, suffer from EOL problems due to irreplaceable batteries, or not work with

            • You spent $800 on a fashion accessory that tells the time. Smart watch manufacturers are asking you to spend anywhere from $150-500 on a fashion accessory that acts as a tiny computer. Clearly the people purchasing the smart watches are getting significantly more out of it, so they don't need the expectation that it will last for a jagillion years before becoming obsolete; much the same argument was true of smart phones vs dumb phones. One let you make calls and lasted a month per charge, the other puts a c

              • Ok let's assume that both watches have zero features. Because they do. I can ask anyone what the time is, and if I'm in range of my phone from my watch I could pick up the phone.

                Now the argument is:

                Would you spend $800 on something that last 13+ years with no maintenance. Or would you spend $500 on something that last 3 years and then needs to be replaced?

                Now the argument would be if you follow this train of thought then the smartwatch with a flat battery which is unable to sync to the phone is still the sa

        • There's also the matter of choosing the watch size and the strap, which will involve trying the watches on. Just handing them over on demand would probably lead to a lot of requests for exchanges.

    • Especially since Apple keeps the number of stores per state extremely low, thus it increases the number of customers in store and creates an illusion that there's more demand than there really is. Again, brilliant marketing - if only they had the hardware / software to justify buying it.

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

      This runs contrary to any experience I've had with Apple, especially in their retail stores. If I can't walk in and try something without booking an appointment, it'll be awhile before I get around to buying one.

      Try buying an iPhone. Only on launch day is it generally a free-for-all with long lineups. After that, it's pretty much make an appointment to buy iPhones. And that's to purchase - you can have them set up as well, but if you just want to be in and out, you need to make a reservation.

      It's really a w

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by jo_ham ( 604554 )

      They don't have enough of them, simple as that.

      Until their supply chain levels out, they're constrained.

      You don't think they really want to do it this way in an ideal situation right?

      They want to do whatever will make them the most money, but they have to contend with the fact that they simply will not have enough supply for the first few months of sales.

  • At that price, they ought to be begging ME to buy, it, not the other way around.

    This stance also applies to Bentley, Rolex, Cartier, Mont Blanc, etc.

  • It makes sense though, they know how well iPhone, iPads and all their other iProducts sell but the Apple Watch is new and is not likely to sell anywhere near as well as those other products. This way they can save on manufacturing tons of watches and having them shipped to all the stores just for them to sit on the shelves. Sure it'll reduce the number of people that might just walk in and purchase a watch on the same day but they'll save more than they could potentially make.

    • Even better, the policy is offensive to the (supposedly) egalitarian notions of the country, as it suggests that only a special few can buy the product. With any other product, you can just walk in the store, lay down your money and walk out with your new toy. But with the Apple Watch, only a few (admittedly self-selected) people get that privilege. Suddenly there is a division of the "haves" and "have-nots" in the Apple customer base, and (even though anyone can become a "have" by making a reservation), th

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by gtall ( 79522 )

        You...errr...do realize the web site telling us this is MacRumors, right? Maybe you got a memo from Apple?

      • Oh, horseshit ... what's the waiting list for a Harley Davidson?

        What's that? You don't think there is an air of luxury and exclusivity here?

        America has never been egalitarian. In theory, anybody can become a rich douchebag and have more money than most.

        But built into this has always been the notion someone will be rich and someone will be poor.

        So, either you're all butt-hurt over the fact you didn't get signed up, or you're pointlessly wailing how unfair it is there are products which aren't available to

        • Oh, horseshit ... what's the waiting list for a Harley Davidson?

          Uh, none? Maybe you're thinking of HD from 2003 or so. These days their showrooms are full of bikes with some still left over from last year. Want a particular model/color? There's usually 3 dealerships within 50 miles that have it in stock and will discount from MSRP to sell it to you.

      • But with the Apple Watch, only a few (admittedly self-selected) people get that privilege.

        Or anyone can order any model online (like the eve so exclusive Amazon), or just walk in a store and ask to try one on the spot.

        Wow, SUPER privileged.

  • Makes sense (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Dan East ( 318230 ) on Monday March 30, 2015 @09:16AM (#49370205) Journal

    This makes sense for a number of reasons. First, it will keep scalpers from buying up so many devices and selling on eBay. Makes it much easier for Apple to keep track of these people. Second, it will reduce the number of impulse buys for people that don't really understand what the device can, and more importantly, can't do, thus reducing the number of returns and increasing overall customer satisfaction. Sure, it has downsides, but I think the upsides probably win out in this case.

    • Scalpers can just order them online; I think it's much more about customer satisfaction (which you mentioned) plus the fact that they just will not have much stock in store to start with. If everyone has to order one it will feel more fair, and no-one will be pressured to buy some model they don't quite like just because it's there (which goes back to customer satisfaction).

  • Desperate, not exclusive (Score:5, Insightful)

    by iamacat ( 583406 ) on Monday March 30, 2015 @09:25AM (#49370269)

    Exclusive is a salesperson spending an hour just with you, patiently helping you to choose just the right style. Like... Macy's, when buying a watch of comparable price! Apple can not sell jewelry for nuts, they should have partnered with stores that have experience with making customers feel exclusive.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by jo_ham ( 604554 )

      Exclusive is a salesperson spending an hour just with you, patiently helping you to choose just the right style. Like... Macy's, when buying a watch of comparable price! Apple can not sell jewelry for nuts, they should have partnered with stores that have experience with making customers feel exclusive.

      What makes you think they haven't done that?

      (hint: they have, but they're also selling them in Apple stores too).

  • Nobody wants this thing, what do we do? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward

    I'm venturing a guess here - forecasted demand for the watch is low, and will not have the line-forming turnout that keeps Apple products awash in publicity.

    They're making it "by appointment only" as a means of disguising this fact.

  • And if you don't live near an Apple store? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by quetwo ( 1203948 ) on Monday March 30, 2015 @09:42AM (#49370381) Homepage

    I live about 85 miles from the closest Apple store.. Pretty much every interaction I've had when them is through an authorized reseller or via web/mail/phone. Forcing you to go to a store to pick one up is pretty much a PITA. Oh, and I don't live in the boondocks -- I'm in a city of 300,000 people, but stuck between two major markets, so Apple has passed us by.

  • worried about no lines (Score:3, Insightful)

    by xombo ( 628858 ) on Monday March 30, 2015 @09:50AM (#49370437)

    Apple is worried that there will be no lines and that this will make the news, sending their stock price down.

    So, they've created a highly-publicised reservation system to prevent any such news from being relevant.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by jo_ham ( 604554 )

      Apple is worried that there will be no lines and that this will make the news, sending their stock price down.

      So, they've created a highly-publicised reservation system to prevent any such news from being relevant.

      Or the reverse - they don't have enough.

      Their supply is constrained, which has been known for a long time.

      I doubt it will sell as well as the iPhone (what could really?), but I am certain that demand will heavily outstrip supply, at least for the first couple of months.

  • The subhead could be "Demonstration models available in store, purchases restricted to Apple website or Apple Store app."

    Sensationalizing your headline is fine in mainstream media, let's please aim toward more rational headlines on venerable Slashdot.

  • I think you may not understand what "exclusive" means. I sometimes have to reserve a Motel 6 ahead of time because they are busy, are they "exclusive" also?

    The process is there because there are so many watch combos they can't realistically stock them all. Also, it's a REALLY GOOD IDEA to try something in person first before you wear it around all the time (not just in terms of looks but how it feels on your skin).

    Isn't it smarter to make sure a customer gets a watch they want rather than taking a lot of r

  • Remember the Wii (Score:2, Insightful)

    by wisnoskij ( 1206448 )
    The we don't have enough stock, you have to line up a week in advance to have any change of getting one worked great for them. Artificial scarcity is the best way to increase demand. If American's even has an hint that they might not be able to have something, they just go crazy.

    • "Artificial scarcity is the best way to increase demand. "

      Even if that's true, not selling things is a terrible way to increase revenue.

  • I've had reservations about the Apple watch since I first heard about it. My reservations, though, are the sort that will keep me out of the store.

    All the same, I've been watching Apple and its customers long enough to know that I will be hanging on to my Apple stock. The watch doesn't have to make sense; it just has to make money.

  • Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Monday March 30, 2015 @11:42AM (#49371589)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  • Look, consumer electronics these days are for everyone (they're not like the Casio calculator watch from back in the day), so they need to look sexy and even a little bit "exclusive". Apple hasn't been "exclusive" for years now, and I suspect they want to take the idea back a little: being fashion-forward AND having something that not everyone else has yet.

    Except...I've had a smart-watch for months. People notice and ask questions, but I've observed that the questions I get aren't from people who WANT one

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by jo_ham ( 604554 )

      Look, consumer electronics these days are for everyone (they're not like the Casio calculator watch from back in the day), so they need to look sexy and even a little bit "exclusive". Apple hasn't been "exclusive" for years now, and I suspect they want to take the idea back a little: being fashion-forward AND having something that not everyone else has yet.

      Except...I've had a smart-watch for months. People notice and ask questions, but I've observed that the questions I get aren't from people who WANT one of their own, even the iPhone users (people still have phones that are glued to them anyway), they're just wondering why I have it in the first place. So Apple is probably limiting supply to increase perception of demand.

      Or they're limiting supply because supply is limited, which has been known for some time.

      Of course, the click bait summary doesn't think that's a sexy enough headline, so they're going with the "exclusivity" angle.

      If you walk into the Apple store and want one, an employee will walk you through buying one online fem inside the store, because they won't have the stock on hand to just be able to give you one right there due to a) the tight supply of the watch itself (mainly down to the screen) and b) the large

  • Do you? I know plenty of people who use Apple products, but none of them want an Apple watch. I still prefer the old school stand alone (offline) Casio Data Bank 150 [casio.com]/300 watch! :P

  • This sounds like a great way to troll apple:

    Call them and make a reservation.
    Go to your appointment.
    Try it on, ask a bunch of questions, wasting as much time as you can. Bonus points for ridiculous questions that don't give the gambit away.
    When it comes to the crunch time and you can't waste any more of their time, you say "No thanks, it's a piece of crap and way too expensive".
    Rinse, repeat.

  • I have this theory that rich people like having to waitlist for luxury items. This is not so much for the items themselves (although they to provide a nice status symbol), but to experience what it is not to be rich and having to actually lust, expect and wait for something. If you want, to experience a kind of elusive desire for something they don't have. Most of the common goods they can have immediately, this makes this common goods, irrespective of actual price, worthless to some degree.

    We relatively po

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