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4. There’s a bunch of complaints about the logistics being way too conservative. Something about only 200k units originally created or something. People think that the logistics will take too long to catch up to potential demand, which may temper *long term* demand.

If you believe that Apple made only 200,000 Apple Watches for a world-wide roll out of a product they've been preparing for since announcing it in September, I have this great bridge for sale in Brooklyn you might be interested in buying. Do you believe everything FUD written about Apple? Apple would NEVER move forward with a roll out with only 200K of a product on hand. That would be insane.

Apple would not even embark on a product with such a low target number.

3. The “try one on” process feels like a letdown. a) Because some locations don’t have the correct fit in style the consumer is really looking for and b) it creates a non-impulse buy scenario.

REALLY? The only Apple Watch that is not available at every Apple Store is the Apple Watch Edition which is available only in specific store locations. That is probably understandable for an item selling for $10,000 to $17,000 and up. Every other store has every other model available for trial fitting and every band style to swap out on the watches. . . so that any model variation can be provided to try-on within seconds. Again, you are making up Straw Man arguments or your sources are. That makes them essentially FUD articles if you are quoting an article from some source. . . but you never provide a link to any of your points.

Bottom line is that people (mostly Apple fans, actually) are asking “why would I rush down to the store to see something I can’t actually own right now?”

Exactly WHERE are these "Apple fans" you quote? They can go see the Apple Watch and there are lines at the store to see the Apple Watch, even if they cannot have an appointment to touch one. I think you are literally making up your "facts" as you type.

There is another aspect of the Apple Watch to consider. It is not a product that lends itself to being examined by a shopper without supervision. Like any piece of personal jewelry one wears, to be able to hold one or try it on, requires attendance of a salesperson to make sure it doesn't walk away. . . or it must just be seen inside a locked case. It is the highest consumer contact sale intensive product Apple has ever attempted to sell and requires one-on-one attention of their staff. The Apple Watch can only be displayed in a locked case, to be removed on request, on at a time. All other products can be placed on Apple's famous wooden tables, cabled down but operational, to be picked up and played with and tried out before purchase.

The thoughts I’ve read is that Apple would have been wiser to create a wide-appeal base unit that they could have put in the store, then allowed for customized options for the discriminating shopper.

Excuse me? Do you even understand what the Apple Watch is? How it works? I don't think you do. There are three basic models, and two sizes in each of those basic models. There are also two colors of finish in each of them. From those basic limitations you can mix and match bands, sizes of watch etc.

The Apple Watch Sport comes in 38mm ($349) and 42mm ($399) in either Aluminum in a silvery finish or Space Gray with a Gorilla Glass bezel. There are numerous types and colors of bands you can select according to your taste. . . and you can buy as many bands as you want.
The Apple Watch is in Stainless Steel with a Sapphire bezel 38mm ($599 to $999) and 42mm ($699 to $1099). Two finishes: white metal and Space Black. All the bands of the Sport, plus much fancier bands including Milanese loop, space black links, several types of fine Leather and again you can buy as many types/styles you want. Prices varied according to the band you wish.
Apple Watch Edition in 18K yellow or rose gold with sapphire bezel. 38mm ($10K to $17K and up) and 42mm ($11K and up). All bands from other models plus special bands with 18K gold matching clasps or buckles, up to a full 18K gold link bracelet. Price varies according to bracelet.

How much MORE customization do you want, or can Apple provide???

There seems to be enough of these articles to support the notion that - *COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING* - Apple has not executed this launch as well as previous launches.

What part of the Apple Watch has not yet launched do you fail to understand. That will occur next Friday, on April 24th, one week from today. Only after that date, can anyone start to say the "Apple Watch LAUNCH has failed." What has happened so far is that pre-Launch sale orders are being taken, but the Apple Watch is not yet being offered for actual sale where any buyer can take one home.

Some of these same FUD spreaders were claiming the same things in the two weeks leading up to the release of the Apple iPhone 6 and 6 plus, because the pre-orders were showing that deliveries were going into weeks after the official "Launch Date" and they claimed Apple would have none available at the Apple Stores for buyers on Launch day. I got mine at an AT&T store by walking in on launch day and waiting 20 minutes. . . and my girlfriend got hers at an Apple Store on day two by waiting in line with me. Gee, they had plenty of stock at the stores. Some models, such as the Gold iPhone 6 plus, became unavailable late in the day on each day. . . but were resupplied by the next day. My girlfriend got the second to last iPhone 6 gold 64 GB on the second day.

Sigh.

You probably also don’t view calling someone a “FUD spreader” just because they disagree with your assessment a pejorative either. Strike two on objective credibility.

Look - dayglored asked what I had seen that suggested the position in the article. I have reiterated the opinion pieces I have read on the net. I apologize that you disagree with those opinions, but I was answering dayglored question about what people have said Apple should have done differently.

FYI - here is another article that says this was a botched launch - http://bgr.com/2015/04/16/apple-watch-release-date-availability/

I’m sure you’ll just call that more FUD. Congratulations on your overuse of that acronym.

What you fail to grasp is...

1. My initial comment on this thread was specifically designed to address the misdirection posted. The post didn’t address the meat of the article, instead it was about record profits and money in the back. A billionaire can still have one start up facing business issues. In this case, I’ve seen several articles suggesting this wasn’t Apple’s smoothest launch. That is apparently anathema to you. You still haven’t been able to answer the question I have posed to you twice: has Apple ever done anything wrong, ever? Anything at all? (BTW, your continued choice to ignore this question is in line with the way a paid social marketer would act. Answering questions like that are not in their mandate.)

2. My point about customization was completely misconstrued. Go back and read it again. It’s about have base units for sale in the store, not about a lack of customization.

3. I don’t really care THAT much about the launch to debate this much further.