Apple is Training its Retail Employees on new Sales Techniques for the Apple Watch

[RaduTyrsina]

The Apple Watch goes on sale this April, and Apple is using a lot of resources to make sure that its retail employees know how to sell it. According to 9to5Mac's Mark Gurman, in order to showcase and sell the Apple Watch, retail employees will be trained to provide personal fashion and styling advice to customers.

Until now, workers's task in Apple Retail consisted in recommending iPads, iPhones and Macs with just a few few styling options. Now, it seems that they will have to become more knowledgeable regarding fashion tips.

Apple's retail employees will have to build trust with customers and offer them "personal fashion and styling advice." Here are some more details from Gurman:

"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."

In the pictures from below you can see some examples on how employees will provide fashion advice to customers:

With this change, Apple is trying to teach its employees to behave like sellers of traditional watches. It will be interesting to observe if this will have a positive impact on sales or not.

Source: 9to5Mac

 

[scifan57]

Since Apple employees will be using this sales method from day one, there will be no prior Apple Watch sales period to compare this method to so we'll never know for sure if this is a better Apple Watch sales method.

 

[DrumsOfGrohl]

I'm also wondering if these retail employees will get paid better, considering their new responsibilities.

 

[dhewson777]

I'm also wondering if these retail employees will get paid better, considering their new responsibilities.

I doubt their would be any pay change just because of their training or processes. It would remain the same based purely on their position and local award rates.

 

[scifan57]

Retail customers will defiantly get discounted prices from Apple, but as there is lot of verity in Apple watch I think , the discount model will depend upon the watch model

Apple doesn't sell discounted new merchandise, especially a brand new item like the Apple Watch.

 

[twerppoet]

Apple doesn't sell discounted new merchandise, especially a brand new item like the Apple Watch.

Agreed. And it's unlikely that the watch will be available at third party retailers, at least at first. I expect them to be for sale online and at Apple Stores exclusively for at least for the first 6 months; until Apple catches up with demand.

The Edition is, of course, another story. But it is not going to get discounted either, and it's not going to be at Best Buy or Radio Shack.

When you do find discounts on Apple products it is almost always a third party retailer, it's rarely much of a discount, and it's usually a matter of clearing out old inventory; often at a loss.