<a href="http://9to5mac.com/2015/04/08/apple-watch-ship-times-4-to-6-weeks-may-for-edition/">Leaked delivery details</a> from Apple.com indicated supply would be constrained.
Update: A reader got a reply from Apple CEO Tim Cook about the situation. See below.
Apple has today posted a press release reaffirming that Apple Watch try-on sessions and preorders start tomorrow, Friday April 10th. It also confirms that Apple Watch orders will be exclusively online for the launch period.
Angela Ahrendts says that Apple expects demand to outstrip supply at launch on the back of tremendous interest from customers viewing watches online and in the Apple Store app. As such, this has forced the company to limit orders to online only for the time being.
“We are excited to welcome customers tomorrow and introduce them to Apple Watch, our most personal device yet. Based on the tremendous interest from people visiting our stores, as well as the number of customers who have gone to the Apple Online Store to mark their favorite Apple Watch ahead of availability, we expect that strong customer demand will exceed our supply at launch,” said Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail and Online Stores. “To provide the best experience and selection to as many customers as we can, we will be taking orders for Apple Watch exclusively online during the initial launch period.”
Apple Watch will be available in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong and Japan in Apple Stores for try-on sessions from tomorrow. The Watch will also be featured at the Galeries Lafayette in Paris, Isetan in Tokyo, London’s Selfridges, and some resellers in Japan and China. From April 24th, the Apple Watch will also be on display in ’boutiques’, such as Colette in Paris, Dover Street Market in London and Tokyo, Mayfield in Los Angeles and The Corner in Berlin.
As 9to5Mac has previously reported, all customers visiting the Apple Store in the launch countries will be able to see all three models, although try-on sessions for the Apple Watch Edition are limited to only a select number of locations. Apple Watch demo stands will let walk-in customers play with watch faces and other features, no appointment necessary.
Online preorders begin at 12:01 AM PDT on April 10th.
Update: Tim Cook replied to a reader, which helps to clarify the situation a bit. Cook says ‘This isn’t different from other new products’.
A number of units will be delivered on the 24th but it is unlikely every unit ordered tomorrow will be delivered on the 24th. This depends on how many units are ordered for a specific SKU compared to the supply we have of that specific SKU. This isn’t different from other new products. Sometimes demand exceed supply for a period of time. I can assure you we are working around the clock to get as many units to customers as fast as possible.There will be an order limit of 2.
The Badger fans and team were very classy. Of course, I loved the outcome but it was one of those games either team could have won.
Tim
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I think there is a mistake: it should be April 10, not April 8. :)
Yeah, I subtracted rather than adding initially. Silly brain.
You Brits and your metric system
Surprise surprise. Another iPhone 6 ordering nightmare debacle begins. Here’s to hoping that at least they really start sales at 12:01am and not an hour later like last time.
Oh my goodness…last time was horrible. I was up and ready for it and I ended up having to use AT&T’s website. Man, it was bad.
I really hope this will be better.
I thought nobody wanted the watch. Now people are all freaked out because it might not be on their doorstep on the 24th? I’m still not certain I’ll be getting one of these but I for sure won’t be up in the middle of the night ordering it. My sleep is more important to me.
Since there are no carriers involved — meaning no secondary site to order the product — Apple should be able to stick to the 12:01AM time slot.
At least I hope. I’m actually more worried about shipping times. My hope is that it’ll ship within a day or two of launch. If Apple wants to defer people online they have to be vigilant in ensuring orders go out in a timely fashion.
You think starting at 1 AM was bad? I live in South Carolina. It was freaking 4 AM here. I was… not amused. Hope for everyone’s sake this year goes way smoother.
Wait wait wait, does that mean I can’t get one in store on the 24th or what?
I think you’ve understand well. ^^
“Exclusively online during the initial launch period”. So at Lafayette or Selfridges, you won’t be able to pre-order?
So wait, someone tell me what happens if I get up at 2:01AM, manage to secure a preorder for the Watch I want (AWS 42mm w/White) and schedule an try on appt, but then get the the store to try it on and I decide it’s too big or I prefer black, will changing my preorder make me lose day 1 shipping? If so what’s the point of trying it on?
it does not say that in the article – but I assume changing your order will put you at the end of the waiting line. to be safe just order both variants that you are considering and cancel the one that you did not like after trying on ;-)
When does Apple charge your credit card for the preorder?
Because I definitely only can order 1 if it’s immediately.
When you place an order, Apple will contact your credit or debit card’s issuing bank to confirm it is a valid account. Apple requests an authorization, which holds the funds for the full or partial purchase amount. As Apple prepares your items, authorized funds will be unavailable and may display as “pending” on your credit or debit card’s online statement.
If you are shipping an item, your card will only be charged after the item has shipped. For pickup items, you will be billed before your item is ready for pick up. If your order contains multiple items, you may see multiple charges on your credit or debit card statement.
Correct. If you order the 42mm and realized later in the store that it’s too big you would have cancel your order and do it again online, by doing this you probably might not be able to get the watch on the 24th , depending on the model
Queues of eager punters snaking around the block, high fiving the staff as they enter, spending their hard earned and coming back out with their iPhone held aloft like the World Cup while banks of photographers jostle for the best shot – hoping that the first punter out drops it like that dude in Australia did… absolustely
In my opinion, Apple know demand for the AppleWatch could never match that. If they launched it in stores there would never be the same types of queues each and every iPhone launch brings and because of that it would wrongly be perceived as being unwanted by the public. And any negative publicity is rightly a no-no.
Far better to do it all online until the initial demand dies down :)
That’s one way to look at it. The other is that Apple, specifically Angela Ahrendts, wants to change how products are purchased and how their stores are perceived.
Having people camp out for days or even weeks before launch; sleeping on sidewalks, barring the elements, some even enclosing themselves in human sized trash bags, does not line up with being a luxury brand, which is what Apple is striving for.
Whether they go this route with the next iPhone is another question. Considering I had to order my iPhone 6 online, after standing outside for nearly 6 hours, I would’ve preferred to just get up at 12:01AM and sit by the computer for an hour or two then snuggle back into my bed.
Best comment.
I’ll agree with Jeremy – great way of looking at it – and probably the most accurate :)
Couldn’t agree more with this comment, and I’ve written the same thoughts elsewhere.
Moreover, this change may have another effect in larger cities: a smaller line at launch may also reduce the scalper and other less savoury elements associated with launch day line-ups. This is a huge boost in perception of the brand (not that the Watch will attract iPhone numbers by a long shot).
The Apple Watch is a major shift in how Apple does business, how it wants to be perceived, and this represents some of the incremental changes we’re gong to see over the next while. Good times for Apple fans as it gives us something new to observe.
Whether we appreciate these changes remains to be seen, but I don’t think they’d be motivated by anything other than improving service and chasing down customer satisfaction numbers Cook loves to report on.
I agree: “luxury brand” and “buying experience”. Just as being part of, for example, HSBC Premier is an amazingly different banking experience in some parts of the world, I would expect that this allows an orderly, civilized purchasing experience. Sentiments like “perhaps we can sit down and review the attributes in which you’re most interested… would you like some coffee while we discuss?” etc. Like buying a luxury car.
Buy different.
I think the reality is more prosaic than that.
Let’s see: 5m units for the product’s first quarter, split between 38 skus and nine countries. Unless the Watch is a resounding flop, the only way to prevent an inventory crunch is to constrain purchasing options. It’s not impossible (however unlikely) that between the pre-order fortnight and launch weekend, they could sell through 5m units. That’s a tiny number for a new Apple product, even if the expressed demand has been less than passionate.
Since I’m a crazy outlier getting the SS Space Black with Link Band, I’m not worried about shortages myself, but anyone looking for the 42mm Space Grey Sport better hop online and grab it immediately if they want it before July.
So I apologize if this has been covered elsewhere, but I haven’t seen it. So if I want a try on appointment do I make that at 2:01am, and then after that appointment, do I then order the watch I want? I assume it will be sold out at that time, so is it best to make an appointment and pre-order watches and cancel one after the try on appointment?
It depends on the type of shopper you are. If you’re considerate about what you buy, then going in and trying one on first to figure which you prefer before ordering is the best way to go. Once you determine the one for you, you can order it. Will you get it on the 24th? Who knows? But it’s not exactly a life or death matter – you can wait a little longer if supplies run out before you get your order in.
As mentioned in FAQ , Will be possible to make the reservation online and pick-up at the store? or with this new press release everything changes.
I think stock is especially limited because of apples desire to launch in many countries on the same day
Ok this is great and all but can I go into the Apple Store on the 24th and purchase one?
previous reports said this was the case if you reserve one online for pickup, though that may be changed now – which I think is ridiculous. I also don’t see why making a try on appointment for tomorrow wouldn’t let you reserve one for pickup on the 24th as you already know which size and style you’ll want – therefore taking less time away from customers that have a try on and buy appointment on the 24th.
Welp. So much for thinking the SS Space Black with Link Bracelet wouldn’t be hard to get. I ordered a few minutes after midnight and still got a June (!) delivery confirmation.
I purchased the stainless steel w/sport band at 3:10am est, delivery will be May 13th-24th.