You have watched all the ads, read every blog and news item. You even figured out how to persuade your wife that you need this Apple Watch. You’re ready to see one in person, but how they heck do you see it? If you want to see the watch first, before you buy, be sure you schedule a try-on appointment beginning April 10 at an Apple Store. If you can’t decide which Apple Watch you want by shopping online then you can do 3 things.
- Make a reservation by going to an Apple store
- Chat with a specialist by clicking here
- Call 1-800-MY-APPLE and ask your questions
Things you will have to do:
- Apple will start selling its first wearable, which costs from $349 to $17,000, on April 24.
- You can’t just walk up to a table and try out whatever Apple Watch you want. Instead, you have to meet with a store representative for a fitting, which you set up through an appointment or by being lucky enough to visit an Apple Store during a lull.
- The only Apple Watches that will be available for purchase in retail stores are the devices that have been reserved online.
- For consumers who reserve the smartwatch for in-store pickup on Day 1, be sure to know exactly which model, finish and band you want.
- The Apple Watch comes in two sizes – 42mm or 38mm – and three designs – the aluminum-cased Apple Watch Sport, stainless-steel-cased Apple Watch and the 18-karat-gold-cased Apple Watch Edition.
Why Apple is making you go through all this?
The move to offer Apple Watch only by reservation is likely for two reasons – making sure Apple has the right inventory on hand for what consumers want and being able to walk through the process with potential buyers when they come into the store. Apple Watch is different from any other device the Cupertino, Calif., company has ever sold. There are more options to choose from, and Apple Watch is a more personal, fashion-centric device. Because it’s a new product, Apple wants to make sure consumers are comfortable with their choices and understand how the device works before they walk out of the store. And did I mention they don’t want to keep extra inventory in the store
At the end of the day, the Watch selling strategy is not very consumer friendly, but it makes good business sense. Im not sure what the tolerance level will be for consumers. Don’t forget that not being able to see the product so readily makes it a more wanted product. If the Watch is not selling because of consumer intolerance then Apple can always open up the pipeline and put the Watches in the store. Cheers to the new Timepieces of the 21st century.