While Apple will offer extensive in-store sales and try-on experiences in Apple Stores, the company will also allow customers to virtually try on an Apple Watch or Apple Watch Edition and receive setup support, according to sources. Prior to purchasing either of two higher-end Apple Watches, customers will be able to video chat with an Apple Online Store representative who will personally try-on and model Apple Watch collections and band combinations. Additionally, as we noted in our prior article about Apple Watch Edition sales perks, Edition customers will be able to have a “personalized pre-sales experience” either over phone or online chat…
Following the purchase of either a stainless steel Apple Watch or Apple Watch Edition, customers will be offered virtual personal setup via the Apple Online Store. These online specialists can walk the customer through the Apple Watch unboxing process, the setup of the iPhone Companion application, pairing with an iPhone via Bluetooth, and installing apps from the Apple Watch App Store.
This online virtual personal setup feature is ideal for those who want to quickly purchase the model of their choice, leave the store, and not participate in the customer journey. At launch, neither of these virtual offerings will be available for the entry-level Apple Watch Sport. Apple has offered similar virtual personal setup appointments for iPhones, iPads, and Macs in select European regions in the past, but this will mark the first time that such programs will be available in the United States.
We previously noted that Apple will not offer special business discounts for the Apple Watch, the appointment booking process, and that Apple Watches will be unable to be purchased without a reservation.
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A lot of posts from Mark today… Great articles, as always!
Nice reporting, as usual.
It’s amazing how much this one product is affecting how Apple does business.
These changes are actually pretty dramatic considering how well the status quo has been working for the company. If you’re an Apple fan, these are very interesting times, indeed.
I was thinking the same thing, the atmosphere in the stores is going to be really different. Especially considering the ultra-experience that Edition purchasers are going to have when buying one. Apple has a really solid control over the buying experience.
I give it 3 days before this convoluted system breaks down. This is fraught with issues. Who is the gatekeeper that determines who can afford an Edition watch and receive the coveted one hour appointment? How is the poor sports watch buyer supposed to feel when the stainless buyer gets the set up assistance. This is all superciliousness not service. Burberry has never had the amount of traffic Apple stores experience at launch. Angela Ahrendts may prove to have been as poor a choice as Ron Johnson was for J. C. Penney.
Going by your logic Apple shouldn’t even be selling the stainless steel watch because it might make someone who can’t afford it feel bad.
It may not be logical (and I think you are right about that), but for what it’s worth I have a similar feeling of foreboding.
This is all new territory for Apple, and the Edition watch is a product that is quite completely different from any they have sold before. I still get the feeling that Apple is not prepared for this launch even for the non-Edition models. Imagine that table in the picture, surrounded by literally hundreds of people all wedged next to each other. How could that possibly be anything but the worst experience?
It’s not logical, just intuition, but still. We shall see very soon now anyway. Should be interesting to see how it goes. I think if it all goes smoothly, that some blood should be spilled on the altar of whatever gods Apple prays to.
I’ve never really understood why anyone even *tries* to buy a new product at an Apple store at launch. You get it perhaps a day sooner than you would have if you ordered it online, but the amount of hassle is just over the top. Much saner to just wait for it to be delivered IMO.
Only a simpleton would deduce that from my comment
You sign up for which model you are interested in when you sign up.
Is that confirmed? What keeps a customer from changing his mind once he sees it?
So what, I’m not even going to go to the Apple Store until the lines die down or ask one of them when the least busy times are. I’m sure it’s probably best to go there on a Monday night since a lot of people are watching Sports.
I imagine they will walk in and say something like, “hello id like to buy the gold apple watch please”
Dis you ever buy a car?
Not sure that I agree that it’s supercilious, not service. But I agree it’s a lot of moving parts. Bang for buck-wise, seems inefficient. Very anti-Apple in that regard.
i guess it’s down to me to point out that “virtual online try-ons” is both an oxymoron as well as a redundant statement?
Hard to be both an oxymoron and redundant.
Good article.
I have always had difficulty with Apple packaging so I am excited to see they will be able to help “walk the customer through the Apple Watch unboxing process”.
:)
I wonder how much the refurbished Apple Watches will be since they will refresh the products every so often, returns, etc. Maybe that’s another way to eventually buy one.
“Eventually” is right. The thing will likely sell out in the first few hours, so if you’re waiting for the refurbished store, yo will probably be buying one in the Fall?
// Prior to purchasing either of two higher-end Apple Watches, customers will be able to video chat with an Apple Online Store representative who will personally try-on and model Apple Watch collections and band combinations. //
I’m confused. If this is happening before purchase, how do they know which watch the customer is going to get?
Because whether you are trying on or buying you must make a reservation online. At that point, I assume Apple would ask you which collection/model you are interested in.
Reservations aren’t available yet, so we can’t confirm what they’ll look like.
But if that’s how it’s going to work, then everyone would check “Watch” to get the extra treatment, then change their mind in the store.
Algorithm seems off. Can’t believe that’s really the plan. Why encourage folks to sign up with misleading info, which could mess up the bean counters’ estimates come Apr 24?
Just to be clear, the only part I’m confused about is the pre-purchase online virtual modeling part. I just don’t get what purpose it serves. If the customer has already selected a Watch, not the Sport, why does he need to see some salesperson modeling it on a webcam? If this is pre-purchase, why force a tentative non-binding commitment to get it? And why not find four models of different height/weight and gender to make 30 second web clips for each combo that everyone can watch? Seems like a solution in search of a problem + unnecessary layer of admin red tape.
Just to be clear, you can not walk-in and purchase an Apple Watch. Apple made it very clear you MUST reserve the watch online to purchase it whether it ships to your home or you pick it up at a store nearby.
I think that was already clear.
Looks like everyone is omitting that virtual online modeling business in the latest round of updates. Guess we’ll find out when we find out.