Apple Vision Pro Will Not Be Immediately Available To Customers After Release Headset May Only Be Purchased Through An Appointment System

The Apple Vision Pro will reportedly be marketed in a different manner. Where other companies will likely want its devices on the shelves of major retail outlets, Apple is taking a different route, with customers requiring appointments to confirm their purchase. The California-based giant also intends to make a separate space in its retail stores to provide that ‘immersive’ experience for users who want to try it before they buy it.

The first Apple Watch was not available to purchase immediately either; like the Vision Pro, customers had to make appointments first

Requiring an appointment prior to making a purchase is a practice that is not unfamiliar to Apple, as Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says in his Power On newsletter that the last time the company introduced such a marketing tactic was with the first Apple Watch, which launched back in 2015. With the company building specific areas in its physical outlets for potential buyers to try out the Apple Vision Pro, these spaces will also serve as a hub to take the correct band size, along with other measurements, as stated below.

“To market the device, Apple is planning to create new areas within its retail stores for demonstrations. The spaces also will let buyers choose the correctly sized bands and light seal, which keeps outside light from getting into the headset. The company is considering initially requiring appointments for purchases, something it did with the original Apple Watch in 2015.”

Apple might also build these spaces to provide that feeling of ‘exclusivity’ to the customer, believing that they are going to be treated nothing short of royalty for splurging $3,499 on an AR headset. However, these Apple Vision Pro hubs may also provide the company with the opportune moment to charge extra through its accessory sales. For instance, an Apple employee could ask the potential buyer if they would be willing to purchase a top strap, or those who wear glasses would be recommended to spend up to $600 on prescription lenses.

Asking such questions from customers may mean that they would have to part with way more than $3,499 since these people would believe that if they are shelling out a small fortune for the Apple Vision Pro, they might as well pay $200-$300 more for some accessories. Given that the latest shipment estimates of the AR headset stand at a poor 150,000 units after it launches, Apple might want to open as many revenue sources as it possibly can. Since it is a brand new product, the company is also expected to deliver a brand new user experience.

Written by Omar Sohail