Apple Stores will cater to Apple Watch Edition buyers with 30 minutes of hands-on time
Starting April 10, standard appointments for sampling Apple Watch will run 15 minutes, but shoppers interested in the $10,000-and-up Apple Watch Edition will get a half-hour to see how it looks and fits.
Citing employees familiar with retail plans for the Apple Watch launch, the International Business Times reported on Wednesday that buyers interested in the 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition will get twice the time of others. The hands-on process requires users to select their favorite models through the Apple Store app on iOS, or the company's website, and preferences will be saved with their Apple ID.
Once customers make a reservation to try on the Apple Watch, the associated models they are interested in will determine the time allowed for the appointment. The process would suggest that a shopper could schedule an appointment to sample the Apple Watch Edition, even if they have no intention of purchasing the five-figure fashion accessory.
It's unknown whether all stores will carry the gold luxury version, or if all bands will be available to sample, but Apple has said that the Edition will have limited availability. But the stores will be getting a revamp ahead of the April 10 date, which is also when preorders will begin.
Some may be able to try out the Apple Watch by walking in to an Apple retail store, if a unit is available. But to have a guaranteed spot, shoppers must make a reservation ahead of time once sampling begins on April 10.
Two weeks after that will mark the official launch of the Apple Watch, which will start at $349 for the entry-level Sport version, going all the way up to $17,000 for the most costly Edition and band combination.
Citing employees familiar with retail plans for the Apple Watch launch, the International Business Times reported on Wednesday that buyers interested in the 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition will get twice the time of others. The hands-on process requires users to select their favorite models through the Apple Store app on iOS, or the company's website, and preferences will be saved with their Apple ID.
Once customers make a reservation to try on the Apple Watch, the associated models they are interested in will determine the time allowed for the appointment. The process would suggest that a shopper could schedule an appointment to sample the Apple Watch Edition, even if they have no intention of purchasing the five-figure fashion accessory.
It's unknown whether all stores will carry the gold luxury version, or if all bands will be available to sample, but Apple has said that the Edition will have limited availability. But the stores will be getting a revamp ahead of the April 10 date, which is also when preorders will begin.
Some may be able to try out the Apple Watch by walking in to an Apple retail store, if a unit is available. But to have a guaranteed spot, shoppers must make a reservation ahead of time once sampling begins on April 10.
Two weeks after that will mark the official launch of the Apple Watch, which will start at $349 for the entry-level Sport version, going all the way up to $17,000 for the most costly Edition and band combination.
Comments
Testing the waters for the long sell on an Apple Car too.
Drop your apologetic nonsense, please.
It is anything BUT reasonable given the pie-in-the-sky price; it should be more like 300 minutes for any serious buyer - and people still call US trolls...amazing.
They should only give appointments after a credit check.
Wow. This is really interesting news. That is really going to slow down the purchase process for those undecided and have to schedule an appointment to go in and see one. And then when your 15 minutes are up? Talk about sales pressure. Do people have to do that at an jewelry stores? Very un-Apple-like, but what else are they gonna do? They can't have a watch tethered to something, nor does it seem like they could otherwise secure the bands.
I am curious what kind of demo mode the device will have to get a sense of how it will interact with your iPhone, presuming during that 15 minutes you won't be able to pair your phone with it.
Drop your apologetic nonsense, please.
It is anything BUT reasonable given the pie-in-the-sky price; it should be more like 300 minutes for any serious buyer - and people still call US trolls...amazing.
5 hours to sit an an Apple Store trying out a watch - you must be a total die hard fan, i salute you sir.
IMO it should be the other way round- 30 minutes is needed for cheapskates like me to try our the cheaper watches - aluminum v stainless for example
those that can easily drop $10K-$17K won't waste 30 minutes, probably just need the minute or so to use ApplePay.
Originally Posted by Right_said_fred
those that can easily drop $10K-$17K won't waste 30 minutes, probably just need the minute or so to use ApplePay.
I wonder what the restock fee would be if it's returned?
Well, instead of a physical tether, couldn't they use bluetooth to track the location of a watch making it's way out of the Apple Store to alert the security and have the watch start making a high pitched sound before a shoplifter makes it out of the shop? Isn't that kinda like the whole point of all this technology? lol.
I highly doubt employees are going to be "on th clock". And if Apple finds that appointments are regularly taking more than 15 minutes they'll adjust the appointment schedule.
why would it take 5 hours to try on a watch?
More time to celebrate your bloated sense of self importance
Makes sense. I bet many appointments will run long at the beginning.
I wish they would make it easier to buy accessories, gift cards etc. Hate waiting for help to buy something off the shelf.
They really need a standard checkout line for that stuff. Especially during peak times and the holidays.
sounds good. Do i get 10 hours if I buy 2?
Sure...why not?
Actually they will check your credit limit for the CC you have register with itunes,
I happen to have one CC with a credit limited high enough to cover any watch they sell (i had it when the wife and I use to travel lots for work so it was not unusually for us to have some pretty high CC balance when we were traveling for work) If they check your CC limit I would just have to register that card with itunes and I good to go.
Look in the mirror pal, the only troll to post in this thread thus far is YOU.
Whoosh.
You just suggested that people merely interested in ?Watch Edition should be able to get an Apple employee for 5 hour time frames as standard; and yet you're dumbfounded why such a comment makes you sound like a troll.
Tell me, what single wearable item have you ever spent 5 hours trying on before buying? Nary a one for me, and that includes time getting fitted for a bespoke suit.
Drop your apologetic nonsense, please.
It is anything BUT reasonable given the pie-in-the-sky price; it should be more like 300 minutes for any serious buyer - and people still call US trolls...amazing.
To people like you, anyone who doesn't spout constant venom and bile at every single decision Apple makes is to be accused of "apologetic non-sense".
It's cute how you're standing up for the little guy that goes in to buy a gold Apple Watch, and how you're advocating that they should randomly need 5 HOURS in the Apple Store to make such a decision, as if the time required should scale linearly with the purchase price. As someone who shits on every single Apple Watch, and does not plan to buy any model, let alone the gold, your concern about this is cute. And I assure you, the people who have $17K to spend on an Apple Watch have better things to do than wasting 5 hours in an Apple store. But hey, maybe you can start an online petition or something, since this seems to be something very near and dear to your heart.
Oh, and if you feel lonely, I'm sure you can go in to an Apple Store and PRETEND to want to buy the gold watch, I'm sure the employees will give you some attention that you clearly so sorely lack.
PS- What happened to the concept of ignoring products one that does like/need? Oh wait, that concept does not exist for trolls, who need to remind everyone of how little they care for a product by entering every single thread and posting incessantly about said product.