Best Buy Now Retails Apple Watch, But is it the Right Time to Pick One Up?

Ahh the Apple Watch hated by some, loved by…some. Apple’s only wearable device has been one of the most debate-sparking gadgets released this year. The watch has been the epicenter of opinionated rants, shocking for a product that isn’t exactly ubiquitous.

Photo: Slice

Apple’s watch saw decent sales numbers at the beginning of its life span. Shortly after it’s release, the watch has seen slower and slower adoption rates – far from “flying off of the shelves”. Many people blame the fact that the watch is unnecessary, others blame its short battery life; most would say the device is just too expensive.

While all the nay-sayers are going about their lives without an Apple Watch, there are still consumers who feel that their wrists need some technological love. The Apple Watch is a tempting piece of gadgetry that can now be purchased from more source than just one.

If you’re in the market for an Apple Watch, you’ll be pleased to hear that the nation’s largest specialty electronics store chain will now be offering Apple’s tiny device. This is the first national retailer to sell the Apple Watch, besides Apple of course.

You’ll be able to find the Apple Watch on Best Buy’s website or in-store. The in-store option is still an attractive opportunity for many buyers who wish to see and feel a product before buying. This option also will work great for habitants of rural areas who might have to travel hours to an Apple Store, in comparison to just a few minutes to the local Best Buy.

According to Statista, there are over 1,000 Best Buy stores in the United States. This figure doubles the amount of Apple retail stores open to consumers here in the U.S., effectively multiplying the amount of people who can now purchase an Apple Watch in-store, where it could be most convenient for them. Although the watch will be available in all stores, eventually, it is currently only available in select stores. MacRumors provides more information on the subject.

Apple Watch purchases placed online ship immediately, and in-store pickup is also available…The Apple Watch is available in 100 Best Buy stores, with Best Buy planning to expand retail availability to more than 300 stores over the next few months.”

MacRumors goes on to write

Best Buy plans to offer 16 models from the aluminum Apple Watch Sport and stainless Steel Apple Watch collections. Models available online include all 38 and 42mm Apple Watch Sport models, and 38 and 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch models with Black Sport Band, White Sport Band, and Milanese Loop.”

The watches are reportedly available on a first-come first-served basis, not surprisingly. Also not surprising, all versions of the Apple Watch will be available to consumers in Best Buy retail locations except for Apple’s most luxurious watch. The Apple Watch Edition, which is made of gold and retails for 10,000 dollars, will not be available at Best Buy. So if you’re looking to drop some serious cash on an Apple Watch Edition, Apple’s website is going to be the go-to place.

According to Tech Times

The availability of the Apple Watch in Best Buy’s brick-and-mortar stores makes sense for the big-box technology retailer. Apple has been instrumental in boosting sales for Best Buy, especially during the critical end-of-year holiday gift shopping and sale season.

The Apple Watch has only been made available in its own retail stores since mid-June. Prior to that, Apple only made them purchasable through its website due to more demand than stock. But on Aug. 7, the stock of Apple Watches seems to have finally caught up with the demand, and they were officially made available to purchase from Best Buy.”

Even better yet, Best Buy will feature a huge variety of Apple Watch accessories to trick out your shiny new timepiece. Many of the accessories that Best Buy offers are less expensive than the types that you might find in an Apple store, making Best Buy a great one-stop-shop to pick up everything you need.

Photo: DailyTimesGazette

If you’re one of the many that still aren’t convinced now is the time to jump on the watch bandwagon, remember that Black Friday is right around the corner. Best Buy is known for providing amazing deals during the discount-frenzy holiday. If the total price of the watch including accessories is your main concern, you might be able to save a substantial amount of money by waiting just a few more months to pick up your Apple Watch.

 Did you go to a retail store to try the watch on before you made the purchase? Or are the in-store options irrelevant to you? Let us know in the comments below!