Apple Stores begin selling Watch bands in advance of device's own retail debut

Posted:
in Apple Watch edited May 2015
Select Apple Stores are now selling official bands for the Apple Watch, according to photos and anecdotes posted on Twitter on Thursday, as Apple gears up for the product's formal retail debut.

Via Twitter user Apple Radar
Via Twitter user Apple Radar


One of the first pieces of evidence was a photo shared by Twitter user Apple Radar, showing Sport bands on shelves at The Falls Apple Store in Miami. The person also mentioned the Classic Buckle being available.

Not all Apple Stores have units in stock yet. AppleInsider contacted a store in Austin, Texas and was told that while the shop is expecting to sell bands soon, a shipment was not due to come in until next week, and clerks hadn't been informed which bands would be included. Similarly, Apple's SoHo location does not yet have bands in stock.

Online or offline, a Sport band costs $49, while the Classic Buckle, Leather Loop, and Milanese Loop each sell for $149. A Modern Buckle is $249, and the Link Bracelet is $449. Notably Apple's website isn't offering some variants separate from a Watch, like any gold band or the space black Link Bracelet. This policy will presumably continue at retail, at least for the foreseeable future.

The Watch itself is only expected to show up in Apple Stores sometime next month, possibly in tandem with an international expansion. People have been able to try on the device at outlets since April 10, but actual orders have been channeled online or through the iOS Apple Store app. Even then, orders are typically taking weeks to arrive.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member
    I think Apple's retail strategy, in spite of the whining and bitching, was the best possible route they could have taken. Having the orders online only initially helped them figure out what the demand was for each of the SKUs, and let them keep sitting inventory at zero, instead of having fuckloads of Watches sitting in stores and not getting the most efficient mix of models per geographic location. Now, they have a pretty good idea of this and can manage inventory much more efficiently.
  • Reply 2 of 17
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Slurpy View Post



    I think Apple's retail strategy, in spite of the whining and bitching, was the best possible route they could have taken. Having the orders online only initially helped them figure out what the demand was for each of the SKUs, and let them keep sitting inventory at zero, instead of having fuckloads of Watches sitting in stores and not getting the most efficient mix of models per geographic location. Now, they have a pretty good idea of this and can manage inventory much more efficiently.



    Perhaps, however, from my point of view it was totally a supply issue. I can see them not wanting to commit to extra stock of the gold and even the stainless models, but they had to realize they could sell as many sport watches as they could make. No testing the waters there, just plain old lack of supply.

  • Reply 3 of 17
    applezillaapplezilla Posts: 941member

    How about charging cables? Do they have these in store now?

     

    I was thinking of walking over to my local store tomorrow to pick up an extra one.

  • Reply 4 of 17
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,056member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mstone View Post

     



    Perhaps, however, from my point of view it was totally a supply issue. I can see them not wanting to commit to extra stock of the gold and even the stainless models, but they had to realize they could sell as many sport watches as they could make. No testing the waters there, just plain old lack of supply.




    I do understand the huge challenges rolling out millions of anything. Untested waters, much guesswork, supply chain and manufacturing issues. Likely the MBA types have this kind of thing in a textbook or class syllabus.

     

    But ya know...I place an online order on April 10. If I can walk into an Apple store and buy the model I ordered before my online order fills...well...someone from MBA class needs to get a failing grade.

  • Reply 5 of 17
    mazecookiemazecookie Posts: 163member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleZilla View Post

     

    How about charging cables? Do they have these in store now?

     

    I was thinking of walking over to my local store tomorrow to pick up an extra one.




    Yes, Apple Watch charging cables are available at all Apple retail stores now,

  • Reply 6 of 17
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mstone View Post

     



    Perhaps, however, from my point of view it was totally a supply issue. I can see them not wanting to commit to extra stock of the gold and even the stainless models, but they had to realize they could sell as many sport watches as they could make. No testing the waters there, just plain old lack of supply.




    I agree. Indeed, even with the 5 different color SKUs, they've already got tons of experience with the 5c, the iPods, and the iPad covers to know what colors are in greatest demand, so even that's not a surprise.

  • Reply 7 of 17
    bageljoeybageljoey Posts: 2,004member
    My guess is that they are churning Watches out by the boatload right now. They could probably fill outstanding orders but they were smart enough to build in some slack when orders outstripped supply on launch day. I imagine that they will soon clear out all the old back-orders and begin retail store sales and the next phase of the international roll out in quick sequence.

    If you are still waiting for a watch ordered April 10th (like me), it might feel like things have ground to a halt, but I think that in the next few months watches will be reaching consumers at a much higher level.
  • Reply 8 of 17
    pte applepte apple Posts: 82member

    OK - is the picture of backroom storage or sales floor display?

    I've never seen Apple TV or Airport Express or anything in quantities  besides 'minor accessories' on display - but

    maybe some stores have different display policies?

  • Reply 9 of 17
    eliangonzaleliangonzal Posts: 490member
    slurpy wrote: »
    I think Apple's retail strategy, in spite of the whining and bitching, was the best possible route they could have taken. Having the orders online only initially helped them figure out what the demand was for each of the SKUs, and let them keep sitting inventory at zero, instead of having fuckloads of Watches sitting in stores and not getting the most efficient mix of models per geographic location. Now, they have a pretty good idea of this and can manage inventory much more efficiently.

    So instead of calling it a pre-order, it should be labelled "a retailing science experiment." I think I'm non nonplussed by the dissembling at this point.

    Apple Watch Debut II: This Time, We Really Mean It.
  • Reply 10 of 17
    dougddougd Posts: 292member
    I'll buy an Apple Watch when hell freezes over
  • Reply 11 of 17
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    dougd wrote: »
    I'll buy an Apple Watch when hell freezes over

    I cannot emphasize this point enough... No one cares.
  • Reply 12 of 17
    suddenly newtonsuddenly newton Posts: 13,819member
    For the beautiful people. Like me!
  • Reply 13 of 17
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    eightzero wrote: »
    I place an online order on April 10. If I can walk into an Apple store and buy the model I ordered before my online order fills...well...someone from MBA class needs to get a failing grade.

    i doubt that will happen.

    our second AW had a "June" ETA originally, and arrives tomorrow, May 22.

    im pretty sure Cook has enough wherewithal not to piss off the AW's first cheerleaders -- if he said theyll have stock it means he knows the preorders are being fulfilled now. you know, since hes running the biggest tech firm in history w/ the happiest customers, and all. he may be from alabama but he didnt fall off the turnip truck...
  • Reply 14 of 17
    richlrichl Posts: 2,213member

    None in the Regent Street store today. :(

  • Reply 15 of 17
    I walked into a store in DC where they weren't on display (yet) but asked and they snagged one for me from the back. They said they should be on the sales floor in the next day or so.
  • Reply 16 of 17
    bestkeptsecretbestkeptsecret Posts: 4,265member

    Only Apple could get people to queue up to buy straps!!

  • Reply 17 of 17
    kimhillkimhill Posts: 8member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by dcrunner79 View Post



    I walked into a store in DC where they weren't on display (yet) but asked and they snagged one for me from the back. They said they should be on the sales floor in the next day or so.

     

    I don't believe you.

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