[doc16mom]

Was in my local Best Buy today and noticed that they are manufacturing Apple Watch Sports Bands. I bought one for my watch and are impressed with the quality and price. The sports bands are only $14. I'm surprised Apple does not see this as a conflict of interest in that Apple has their own sports bands and Apple watches are sold at Best Buy. I'm excited to purchase more colors and not to have to pay $50.

[Closingracer]

Conflict of interest? There isn't any. Apple could stop selling the watch there but I can still buy those bands.

[Mac Guy]

Conflict of interest? There isn't any. Apple could stop selling the watch there but I can still buy those bands.

That makes no sense.

[Closingracer]

That makes no sense.

It does make sense .... I can still buy those bands should Apple decide to not sell the watch at bestbuy. I for one rather just buy the Apple sports band over those $14 ones

[Mac Guy]

I'm surprised Apple does not see this as a conflict of interest in that Apple has their own sports bands and Apple watches are sold at Best Buy.

It is a little surprising. A manufacturer that made PCIe drives for on of the MacBooks was also selling upgrade sticks to fit the same MacBooks, and Apple did not like that. They told the manufacturer they'd pull there orders and go elsewhere unless the external sales stopped. They stopped.

I think Apple holds a patent on the lugs for the bands, so if they wanted to, it would be pretty easy to get BB to cease and desist.

[StraightlineBoy]

That's just giving consumers a choice, not a conflict of interest. A conflict of interest is when a salesman is pushing one product over another even when it's clearly not the best for the consumer because they get a greater commission on the one they are pushing. It's hard to see a scenario where it could apply to watch bands. It's generally more applicable to selling financial products such as loans and insurance.

[StraightlineBoy]

..and if it is a conflict of interest then it applies to every shop in the land that has any kind of own brand product as well as branded stuff, so supermarkets, electrical stores etc.

Apple can choose to give / withhold stock from any shop they care to, that's their choice and nothing more than that

[msm0511]

The only way I would see it as a conflict of interest is if Best Buy put their bands front and center and put Apple's own bands in the back corner of the store. They sell other 3rd party watch bands. As long as Best Buy isn't giving their own special attention or placement there really isn't a problem in my eyes.

[Mac Guy]

Apple band lugs are proprietary. There's most likely some agreement between Apple and BB to make the bands and if so, there's no conflict of interest. BB presumably is not going to bootleg Apple IP.

If there were no agreement between the two parties, than BB making and selling the bands would be a conflict of interest. It wouldn't matter if their sales people steered customers to their own product or not. It's a conflict of interest, not of action. In the interest of fairness, of being impartial, Apple couldn't be assured that BB isn't steering customers away from Apple's product. Apple would be free and correct to call that a conflict of interest before one band was ever sold.

In a case where a shop brings in products to sell, terms and conditions are established. Everybody knows that going in, and on it's face the mere presence of competing products does not mean a conflict of interest in that case. A violation of the terms and conditions would be a difference story. Subsequent actions of one party of party could create one were none had existed previously, i.e., Apple finds out sales staff is actively and regularly steering customers away from Apple product to their own. That would be much harder to prove. Apple has no doubt considered the possibility and is willing to accept it so it's business as usual.

[anon(4697585)]

I get mine on eBay for around £7 delivered. They may be cheap but they do a job and last. If I want quality I'll use my official ones

[robertk328]

There are others making 3rd party bands besides Best Buy. If Apple wanted any of them to stop, they could. I've bought some of the 3rd party sport bands on amazon and the quality is close but not as good. You can tell it's a 3rd party band... I haven't worn one of them in a while because it's just not as nice.

I do want to try a 3rd party leather before I decide whether or not the $150 is worth it for a genuine one! based on the sport, I may just skip the 3rd party and go for the real deal.

[msm0511]

There are others making 3rd party bands besides Best Buy. If Apple wanted any of them to stop, they could. I've bought some of the 3rd party sport bands on amazon and the quality is close but not as good. You can tell it's a 3rd party band... I haven't worn one of them in a while because it's just not as nice.

I do want to try a 3rd party leather before I decide whether or not the $150 is worth it for a genuine one! based on the sport, I may just skip the 3rd party and go for the real deal.

I really wanna try a 3rd party link bracelet myself. I just can't bring myself to pay more for an Apple branded bracelet than I paid for the watch itself. I don't really think 50 is too much for the sport and nylon bands. I don't wear leather anyway, but 150 would also be a hard pill to swallow. If I knew that Apple would keep the same lugs/attachment method for a few more years I might buy one of the link bracelets though.

[robertk328]

I really wanna try a 3rd party link bracelet myself. I just can't bring myself to pay more for an Apple branded bracelet than I paid for the watch itself. I don't really think 50 is too much for the sport and nylon bands. I don't wear leather anyway, but 150 would also be a hard pill to swallow. If I knew that Apple would keep the same lugs/attachment method for a few more years I might buy one of the link bracelets though.

Worth a shot! I've seen some who have used the link without issue.

[Mac Guy]

If I knew that Apple would keep the same lugs/attachment method for a few more years I might buy one of the link bracelets though.

I think the lugs are a hallmark and would be very surprised to see Apple change them, unless they changed the shape of the entire Watch. Even then they wouldn't necessarily have to change the lugs. Now if we're talking ports...

There are others making 3rd party bands besides Best Buy.

True. For the most part, they're not also selling Apple bands, that I know of.

If Apple wanted any of them to stop, they could.

That depends. Assuming that Apple is licensing the use of the lugs, Apple could pull the licenses just like they did with Mac computers. Those not willing to manufacture without license would be stopped. Those off shore who don't care about licensing wouldn't be. Apple might get US Customs to stop importing them. Maybe not that easy since they're direct from China to the customer. And speaking of China, Apple may not be too interesting in crushing the little guy. There are still lots of places there to buy near identical, faux Apple gear. I think Apple did get the fake Apple Stores closed, though.

But that's not what this was about. If you and I have an arrangement to sell my products, and you suddenly start an endeavor that could under cut me in our arrangement, we have a problem, there is a COI. If our arrangement provides for that, no worries, no COI. Not the same thing with somebody other than you selling competing products. Anyway...

I just can't bring myself to pay more for an Apple branded bracelet than I paid for the watch itself.

Word! I have a few Apple Sport and Woven bands, and will probably get two more of the latter. But I won't pay more for an accessory than the item it's meant to complement. It just ain't right.

Metal/bracelet bands are nice, several of my watches have them. But I haven't really warmed up to the Apple bracelets for the Watches. The Space Black looks pretty good, but the Steel version seems a little plain. And all the third-party versions I've are too 'busy' and just don't look right with the Watches. Not usually a Milanese loop guy, the black ML does look really nice.