Just WALK IN and buy an Apple Watch. Are you mad? Apple has slapped some restrictions on early-bird madcap punters who want to part with hard-earned cash for a fancy wrist-job – they must shop only on white unicorns, bring virgin £50 notes and rap their order. Alright, so the channel bully boy isn’t being quite as prescriptive with those that want to buy an Apple Watch, but a …
why I don't own any apple products.
My last experience at an Apple store (to try to arrange to fix, then replace, my son's ipod) ended with the worker ant I was speaking to saying that he would "Make an appointment for you to see someone to buy this."
It's an mp3 player. Give me the f*cking box and point me at the till. Uppity tw*ts.
Have you tried buying something at a nespresso store?
I thought I'd pick up a few boxes in person given that the minimum order for free delivery is about €80 and there's a 'store' on the way home. Never, ever, again... the grinning cult members were terrifying and insisted I joined a club before I could buy anything.
Why must shopping be an event?
It's all part of a marketing and branding strategy to try and transform a pedestrian commodity item into some kind of exclusive club. I suspect the idea, beyond making new buyers see it as fancier and thus more desirable, is to build brand loyalty in existing customers.
Of course that makes more sense for Nespresso, where it is a repeat purchase so they want to make sure you use their capsules rather than generic or refill ones or swap to a different maker, but it's not so strange for Apple either as they want you to keep buying the new models and new products - they want you to stay a 'Mac person'.
Also, I suppose if something takes more effort, people can be skewed to view the result as better than if it was easy in the same way that happens when something is more expensive. People don't want to feel that they have wasted their time and money so they don't want to admit - to themselves as much as anyone else - that they were a bit foolish. or were a sucker.
Don't get me wrong - Apple make some good products. They have a design aesthetic that appeals to many people and their hardware and software is actually pretty good. They aren't always first with features - even simple ones like copy/paste - but they have understood that a good user experience is based on more than just bullet-point features.
I am at this point reminded of the fantastic mock iPod product video from an MS staffer.
You just tap one of the cultists on the shoulder and they whip out their iPhone and charge your card. Even easier if you use your iTunes account. No queuing, no bullshit. Receipt gets emailed to you, you just walk off with you iDevice or whatever.
There is no step three, remember?
"it used to be the case that no sensible techno-person would ever buy Version 1.0 of anything Apple...."
This also applied to version 2.0 of anything MicroSoft. They twigged this and released Win NT at version 3.0 to try to fool the punters that the Customer Beta versions had been and gone.
Then again, when you upgraded from a 486 DX2 66 to a Cyrix P166+ you really noticed a massive speed boost after typing in C:\>win ....
You don't really see that much of a difference when going from a Pentium M 1.7 to a 2.6Ghz Core 2 duo...
I once walked in to an Apple store because my iPhone was extremely hot, the display was black and it wouldn't respond to a reset.
I was told to make an appointment - the next available one was in two days time.
I said I was unhappy to take the iPhone with me as I felt it was a fire risk and I couldn't turn it off. They wouldn't let me leave it there. So I asked for something in writing to say my phone was so hot you couldn't touch the back and that I was sent away with it ---- after a few mins a 'genius' fixed it. But what a hassle!
Rather than just parrot someone else's poorly written article, why not check and report on the sales process properly - including the differences that apply pre- and post-launch?
It seems to me that Apple is approaching the watch launch from a customer-focused perspective. Perish the thought that they should help people to buy once and buy right!
Resources:
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2015/03/09Apple-Watch-Available-in-Nine-Countries-on-April-24.html
http://9to5mac.com/2015/03/29/apple-store-revamp-for-apple-watch-revealed-magical-tables-demo-loops-sales-process/
It seems to me that Apple is approaching the watch launch from a customer-focused perspective.
I'm pretty certain the customer would like to have their watch as soon as possible, and show it off on their wrist as they walk out of the store.
I rather assume that with all the possible options, between the size and band, they cannot provide enough stock to avoid having the light blue and pink models the only left in the store after two hours.
Apple doesn't usually have so many different versions of what they sell, and they are in general very careful about unintended consequences. The resulting atmosphere of unattainability surrounding the watch might well be considered an additional bonus.
I'm pretty certain the customer would like to have their watch as soon as possible, and show it off on their wrist as they walk out of the store.
and into the arms of the muggers waiting outside for the suckers to emerge inside from the store hoping that their own RDF will protect them.
one of the upsides of a free-market economy is you don't *have* to engage if you don't want to.
My first thought on the article headline and subsequent content was "demand creation" ... Apple may have billions of these [canine] testicular timepieces in the wings. But hint at rationing, and you will guarantee the media frenzy (and associated upsales) of black-Friday style mania ensues.
I wonder if Apple are taking any steps to prevent speculative re-sales ? Presumably the iWatch will need to be connected to an iTunes account ? And only Apple will allow a change ?
Similar to my experience with the Apple store.
Wife had an iPhone with a dying battery. We go to the store, it isn't terribly busy so we try to approach the counter. iPlod blocks our way with an iPad in hand saying we need to make an appointment to see someone. Ok.. so we ask, when is the next appointment.
"4:30"pm.
Wife looks at her watch. It's 4:30. Shrugs her shoulders while he makes the appointment.
You may now proceed to the counter.
Uppity twats.
Just try buying a brand new Rolex steel Daytona from an official Rolex stockist. Current waiting list is 1yr+. Like the Daytona, the Rolex Deepsea D-Blue sells for more nearly new than actually new, as Rolex stockists aren't allowed to sell above list price.
Compared to this, the Apple Watch sounds quite easy. Not that I want one.
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2025
