The Apple Watch sold a few units on preorder around the 10th.
Almost one million units is the current guess.
The initial Apple Watch preorder numbers have been flowing in and among the first to report was research firm Slice Intelligence, which estimates nearly one million customers in the U.S. preordered the device on Friday.
Compiling data from a panel of two million online shoppers, Slice Intelligence said 957,000 U.S. customers preordered Apple Watch on its first day of availability. As expected, Apple’s cheaper Apple Watch Sport model was most popular and garnered an estimated 62 percent of orders.
Upon surveying 9,090 shoppers, Slice stated the average Apple Watch buyer purchased an average of 1.3 watches, spending US$503.83 on the device. Broken down by model, Sport buyers spent on average $382.83 per order, while those picking up stainless steel Apple Watch versions spent $707.04.
Buyers were most interested in larger 42mm Watch models, while the most popular case overall was the Space Gray aluminum Sport. According to the report, 40 percent of all Apple Watch purchases went to this model, followed by silver stainless steel at 34 percent, raw aluminum at 23 percent and the diamond-like carbon-coated Space Black stainless version at 3 percent.
As for watch bands, 49 percent of Apple Watch and Sport buyers opted for a black fluoroelastomer Sport Band, while 16 percent chose the white Sport Band. Apple’s woven steel Milanese Loop came in third with about 10 percent.
The numbers jibe with research from BMO Capital, that said about 60 percent of customers planning to buy Apple Watch were interested in the aluminum model, 12 percent for stainless and 4 percent gold, with 24 percent undecided. The report suggests Apple’s advertising tactics could have helped up-sell those undecideds toward higher-priced models, as 53 percent of in-store and online displays focused on the stainless steel Apple Watch compared to 26 percent for aluminum and 21 percent for gold.
Apple kicked off preorders on Friday and quickly saw initial supply exhausted. Within minutes of going live, preorder ship-by dates for most Watch models slipped to 4 to 6 weeks. The company also initiated try-on appointments for customers on the fence about buying the pricey gadget, offering 15 minute one-on-one sessions to those interested in aluminum and stainless steel models, and 30 minutes for buyers looking at the solid gold Apple Watch Edition.
If you preordered or tried on an Apple Watch over the weekend, let us know about your experience in the comments.
Via AppleInsider and Slice Intelligence