Target, Best Buy hamstrung by Apple Watch, iPhone 7 stock issues
Mike Wuerthele
Brick and mortar retailers Target and Best Buy have apparently not been given enough inventory to fulfill all pre-orders, and are emailing customers informing them that Apple Watch Series 2 orders won't be shipped by the promised date.
Pre-orders at both retailers started alongside Apple's process on Sept. 9, with early buyers being told that shipments would arrive on launch day.
Late Thursday, Best Buy emailed customers saying they would start shipping Apple Watch orders on Sept. 28. Target started sending emails on Friday morning, informing people of stock issues of the Apple Watch, and have not given any indication when shipments might go out.
Best Buy has also informed some customers that Apple Watch Series 1 pre-orders won't be fulfilled until mid-October.
AppleInsider spoke with seven Target stores, only two of them having floor stock of the Series 2 — one with a single unit, the other two. Of the eight Best Buy stores we polled, only one had stock, and even then it was only one unit.
All of the stores we asked had "a few" iPhone 7 models in rose gold, and no other stock whatsoever for retail purchase above and beyond pre-orders.
Both Target and Best Buy are offering Apple Watch Series 2 customers a $50 in-store credit for the inconvenience.
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