Apple's Big Three Era

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On April 10, Apple officially launched pre-sale of Apple Watch worldwide. This time, Apple's new product is different from previous ones. All users can only make reservations online and then go to physical stores to try it on. Physical stores do not provide spot sales. This sales experience is refreshing for the entire Apple company. In fact, not only Apple Watch, but also the new Macbook released by Apple is also the same. This is one of the biggest changes that Apple retail stores have seen since Angela Ahrendts took over Apple last year.

Angela Ahrendts uses Maslow's needs to sell the Apple Watch

As we all know, the sales and after-sales service system of Apple Store today is jointly completed by Ron Johnson and Steve Jobs. Since Ron Johnson jumped to JCPenney, the development of Apple Store has not been very breakthrough, and there has not been much change in user experience and technological innovation/online and offline integration in the past few years. Angela Ahrendts' greatest achievement during her tenure as CEO of Burberry was to use technology to re-present the style of the old luxury brand Burberry, making Burberry return to the first-tier luxury brand from the second-tier luxury brand.

As a person with many years of experience in luxury sales, Angela Ahrendts naturally knows how to control the consumer psychology of buying luxury goods. What she needs to do is to sell future Apple products in the way of luxury goods, especially new products like Apple Watch. The diversified pricing strategy of Apple Watch is a typical luxury product pricing method, selling the same product to users of different classes.

For example, the sports version of Apple Watch is a typical traditional Apple pricing method, which focuses on selling product functions and attracts a group of users who intend to buy a smart watch like Apple Watch. In fact, among the 1 million orders for Apple Watch on the first day, this user base is also the largest. This is Apple's most conservative approach to ensure the sales of Apple Watch.

The stainless steel version of Apple Watch attracts a group of users who, in addition to having basic requirements for product functions, also have strong demands for product texture and strap style, to meet their requirements for matching Apple Watch with different outfits.

Angela Ahrendts, who has been working in the luxury goods industry for many years, is well aware of users' consumption psychology. If the sports version of Apple Watch is compared to the safety need in Maslow's needs, then the stainless steel version of Apple Watch is more of a respect need, while the gold version of Apple Watch, which costs 120,000 yuan, satisfies people's self-actualization needs.

All expensive luxury goods are sold to satisfy people's desire for self-realization.

Angela Ahrendts' Apple Store

On the second day after Apple Watch was released, I went to the Apple Store in Wangfujing to try on the Apple Watch. This time I had a completely different experience.

In the past, Apple's pre-sales service was often a user-independent experience. When you saw a product you liked in the Apple Store, you could play with it and experience it. If you didn't understand anything, you could ask the sales expert around you. A sales expert in an Apple store often needs to take care of different users around him at the same time.

However, in this wearing experience, users need to make an appointment online before they can wear the Apple Watch, or go to the store to queue up for an appointment. After the appointment is successful, Apple will arrange a sales expert to provide you with a one-on-one comprehensive service, including teaching you how to change the watch strap and the functions of the Apple Watch.

The sales expert will take out a device like an iPod touch, sense the table where the Apple Watch is placed, and open the drawer. Then he will carefully take out each Apple Watch and present it to you with both hands. Before the user tries on each Apple Watch, the sales expert will repeatedly wipe the dial of the Apple Watch with a special towel, and put it on for you.

You can carefully feel Angela Ahrendts's attentiveness in selling Apple Watch. This attentiveness is reflected in her sales training for sales experts to sell Apple Watch, giving users an excellent sales experience.

***Unfortunately, users cannot directly purchase Apple Watch, but can only make reservations through the official website, and then Apple will deliver it to users. This truly realizes what Cook said back then, which is to enhance the user experience of Apple Store and downplay its sales results. In the future, the Apple retail stores controlled by Angela Ahrendts are very likely to realize online reservations and offline experiences.

When Angela Ahrendts was at Burberry, she used a lot of large LEDs and holographic technology in the store, which greatly enhanced the sensory experience and fashion sense. The Apple Store under her control will inevitably add more technological elements to better showcase Apple products and interact with users.

Apple's Big Three Era

NBA has presented an era of Big Three since the Celtics in 2007. The three Super Stars, Pierce, Garnett and Ray Allen, laid the foundation for the Big Three era of NBA in the next few years. Apple is now also showing the tendency of Big Three.

Cook is the CEO of the company, but he is actually best at product supply chain. It is not an exaggeration to say that he is the world's best supply chain master. When the iPhone 4 was released in 2010, Apple had a serious supply chain crisis. The product sales were in short supply and were accused of starvation marketing. However, in recent years, Apple has become more and more adept at controlling the supply chain, which is inseparable from the great help of the supply chain master Cook.

Jony is responsible for the innovation of Apple products, from iPhone to iPad to the current Apple Watch. These products that have influenced millions of people are all his masterpieces. Although Jony's title at Apple is Senior Vice President, everyone inside Apple actually understands that he is the most important person who really determines the future direction of Apple. His decision will ultimately determine the design direction of the iPhone, iPad and the current Apple Watch that people will see in the future.

Angela Ahrendts focuses on product marketing. She has very unique insights in brand building and marketing. She has been very successful in transforming the entire Burberry brand image. Angela Ahrendts' greatest value to Apple is to lead Apple to find a way to integrate wearable devices and fashion. Apple Watch may be just the beginning of Apple's extension line. Cook wants Apple in the future to sublimate its brand image from a digital consumer product to a digital luxury product.

The extraordinary achievements of these three people in their respective fields have made Apple what it is today. Although Apple has lost the halo of Jobs, we have ushered in the Apple of the Big Three era.