The Apple Watch, which is due for release on April 24, will unfortunately be sold in limited quantities, though Apple has yet to give us an idea of how limited these quantities will be. What the company has confirmed, however, is that the Watch will only be available via reservation, and customers who walk in an Apple Store to purchase the device will not be entertained.
A report from CNET claims that Apple confirmed to the publication that customers will have to submit an online reservation if they’re interested in purchasing the Apple Watch. Buyers who walk into an Apple Store in hopes of a “try before you buy” arrangement, or in hopes of buying the device right then and there wouldn’t be able to do so. It also seems that Apple will be making this the standard procedure for quite some time, and not for the release date alone.
With Apple likely to be implementing the reservation system for a good while, if not for the entire life of the Apple Watch, it can be said that this isn’t just an attempt to prevent the device from unexpectedly running out of stock. It seems that Apple wants to reinforce that the Watch is not the type of product you can check out on your own, and one where it’s important that consumers know their options in terms of style and Watch variant before they go ahead and make their purchase.
Many have posited that Apple wants to personalize the Watch buying experience, as well as fully explain what the device is all about before customers buy it. And with that said, the company has also launched a series of videos giving users a “guided tour” of the Apple Watch and explaining its selling points in greater detail. So far, there are only four videos, but Apple has promised more to follow in advance of the device’s release date.