Space Black

One month after Apple began taking Apple Watch pre-orders with a promised April 24 release date, many customers — including people who ordered immediately after Apple’s online store returned — are still awaiting their Watches. As noted on Apple’s discussion forums and numerous social media postings, many Apple Watch models appear to be trickling out of the company’s factories, while Watches bundled with certain premium bands have apparently not yet shipped.

The most significantly delayed Apple Watches are apparently Apple’s four Stainless Steel Case with Link Bracelet models ($949-$1,099), four Stainless Steel Case with Leather Loop models ($699 each), and four Stainless Steel Case with Modern Buckle models ($749 each), which do not appear to have shipped at all.

Update: Following publication of this story, several readers reported the first credit card charges for silver Apple Watch orders with Link Bracelets, covering orders placed five or fewer minutes after Apple’s online store returned. Orders for Space Black versions of the Apple Watch have not yet been charged…

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The job of Apple Retail Store employees will begin changing in profound ways next month. In order to showcase and sell the Apple Watch, retail employees will be trained to provide personal fashion and styling advice to customers, according to employees briefed on the plans. Until now, Apple Retail has been tasked with recommending iPads, iPhones and Macs with few styling options aside from limited color options.

Apple is pushing for retail employees to initiate conversations that build trust, enabling the employee to serve as a valued fashion advisor during the purchase process, similarly to how traditional watches are sold. Apple Watch sales training programs will take place for Apple retail staff over the course of the next two weeks, teaching entirely new sales techniques to encourage iPhone upgrades, assist with gifting, and guide customers in watch and strap choices.

Below, we detail how employees will provide fashion advice to customers and Apple’s multi-part plan for selling an Apple Watch.

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