AppleInsider Staff
As part of a continued effort to extend Apple Watch sales beyond Apple Stores and into retail chains, Apple will soon supply stock to select authorized retailers in Australia, Germany and the UK.
In Germany, aluminum Sport and stainless steel Apple Watch models are showing up for purchase on the online storefronts of Media Markt and Saturn, while Mac reseller Gravis is expected to gain access later in September, reports iFun.de. It appears both Media Markt and Saturn have yet to receive stock from Apple's supply chain, as their respective online ordering system fails to provide estimated delivery dates.
A separate report from MacRumors notes Australian retailer The Good Guys is also selling Watch at brick-and-mortar locations and claims UK's Stormfront will start sales next week.
The retail rollout is in line with a reseller push in North America that started with U.S. and Canadian Best Buy stores last month.
Apple Watch initially debuted in nine countries — the U.S., Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and the UK — but saw demand grossly outstrip launch supply. Apple Stores began selling units in June by reservation only.
Most recently, Apple expanded Watch availability to UK outlets John Lewis and Curry's this month, while Belgium is scheduled to get the device on Sept. 19.
Malcolm Owen
Christine McKee
Amber Neely
5 Comments
Part of me wants to wait for the 2 gen version but seeing the current version just now being released in new markets makes me think it's going to be a while before we see an Apple Watch 2.
I am surprised Apple is just feeding out through their old distribution channels. Having Watch dumped in alongside laser printers, mice and toaster ovens totally devalues the market positioning they have spent so much time and money on. Apple Watch needs to be in Department stores, Jewelers and Watch shops, some of which are nation wide chains. Sitting alongside Seiko and Pulsar and Omega etc. With nice window displays and a jeweler's customer service. It also expands the catchment area, access to different types of shopper and more women
I am surprised Apple is just feeding out through their old distribution channels. Having Watch dumped in alongside laser printers, mice and toaster ovens totally devalues the market positioning they have spent so much time and money on.
Apple Watch needs to be in Department stores, Jewelers and Watch shops, some of which are nation wide chains. Sitting alongside Seiko and Pulsar and Omega etc. With nice window displays and a jeweler's customer service.
That does make sense on the surface of it, but it gets difficult when you look into the details.
I did not think about that earlier, but it became obvious when they announced the Herm?s edition last week. THAT is the way into "traditional" luxury stores the Apple Watch (due to above reasons) would never find. Brand it, customize it and set your own price tag in line with the margins in your own business, and voilà, everybody gets what they want. Actually, it is quite ingenious.
[quote name="dreyfus2" url="/t/188325/apple-watch-availability-expands-to-australian-european-authorized-retailers#post_2778410"] That does make sense on the surface of it, but it gets difficult when you look into the details. [LIST] [*] Selling above junk-level watches is a high margin business, commissions are huge (I have personally bought high end watches negotiating the price down 20-25%.) Why would they recommend an Apple product that gives them Apple dealer margins (which are not quite rich)? [*] High margin maintenance (like swapping in a 5 Dollar battery and changing a rubber seal for $200 flat and more) is not happening with Apple Watches. [*] People buying Apple Watches will have questions about supported iPhones, pairing, WiFi and BT connectivity, app availability etc ad inf. These questions are far closer to computer/gadget dealers than to traditional watch shops. Training lots of people to sell products with lower margins is not that attractive. [/LIST] I did not think about that earlier, but it became obvious when they announced the Herm?s edition last week. THAT is the way into "traditional" luxury stores the Apple Watch (due to above reasons) would never find. Brand it, customize it and set your own price tag in line with the margins in your own business, and voilà, everybody gets what they want. Actually, it is quite ingenious. [/quote] Excellent response, I would only counter that the electronics shops know very little as well when you get tricky questions. Which does not remove the key reason the jeweller would not want to - margin. I think if jewellers were to it would only be Watch and Edition ranges - not sport.
I think if jewellers were to it would only be Watch and Edition ranges - not sport.
Well it is being sold by New York's London Jewelers. Alongside Hermes, Apple seems to be positioning the watch as an exclusive luxury fashion item for now, while surprisingly also selling it as an electronic gadget in Best Buy. Most jewelers are independent affairs, with the big chains likely competing directly with Apple in the shopping Malls. I can see it would be difficult to negotiate individually with all of these mom and pop businesses, outside of the big chains which aren't likely interested at the moment, probably due to the profit margin issue.
The least compelling reason for me is the expertise issue. Most jewelers who specialize in watches have to know far more about the individual eccentricities of digital and digital hybrid watches than most tech store clerks would ever know about their products. Not to mention the mechanical watches with numerous complications, none of which conform to any uniform standards. And, while there isn't a lot of money in maintenance fees to be made, there's plenty of profit in third-party watch bands which is the whole reason to push these watches in the first place.