Apple Watch Debut Marks a New Retail Strategy for Apple

Bloomberg Business reports:

The Apple Watch goes on sale in stores Friday. Whether you can just walk into an Apple Store and buy one is another matter.

The debut of Apple Inc.'s first new device in five years is looking more like an event from the fashion world rather than the tech world. This time, there won't be long lines of faithful gadget lovers waiting for hours and days to buy the latest product from the Cupertino, California-based company.

Paris's Colette, London's Dover Street Market and Tokyo's Isetan are among the high-end department stores joining the global rollout of the Apple Watch, which ranges in price from $349 to $17,000 for a gold version. Those shops, plus an undisclosed number of authorized resellers, may be the only places where people can actually buy the new smartwatch. Apple Stores are only showcasing the device, and the company is urging customers to place orders online.

Strategy.