[kingweb]

I wanted to buy the "Sport Loop" band, which is nothing more than a piece of fabric and velcro. With tax, $52.43!! WTF?! For about 5 square inches of fabric, 1 square inch of velcro, and less than an ounce of aluminum or steel, that has a total value of about $0.10, they charge over $50!!
Granted they need to make money, package it, build it, fine. But $50 damn dollars?!
Aftermarket ones on amazon and eBay cost $15.
I know apple is expensive and they try to market themselves as high end, I understand that, and I am willing to pay.
But this is insanity for a piece of fabric. It's worse than paying $30 for a piece of molded rubber (aka iPhone case).
I paid $400 for the watch, at least let me pick my band. Instead I have to select from their pre-configurations of colors and styles, and then I have to buy another band to get the color and style that I want.

Sorry for the rant, but this is ridiculous.

[Spencerdl]

I wanted to buy the "Sport Loop" band, which is nothing more than a piece of fabric and velcro. With tax, $52.43!! WTF?! For about 5 square inches of fabric, 1 square inch of velcro, and less than an ounce of aluminum or steel, that has a total value of about $0.10, they charge over $50!!
Granted they need to make money, package it, build it, fine. But $50 damn dollars?!
Aftermarket ones on amazon and eBay cost $15.
I know apple is expensive and they try to market themselves as high end, I understand that, and I am willing to pay.
But this is insanity for a piece of fabric. It's worse than paying $30 for a piece of molded rubber (aka iPhone case).
I paid $400 for the watch, at least let me pick my band. Instead I have to select from their pre-configurations of colors and styles, and then I have to buy another band to get the color and style that I want.

Sorry for the rant, but this is ridiculous.

Thanks for your opinion which is shared by MANY....LOL

[robertk328]

The good news is you do have the option to go with an aftermarket band if the $50 is more than you’re willing to spend. For me I prefer the higher quality materials in the Apple branded bands than the aftermarket so I’ll spend the premium with no problem.

[kingweb]

Yeah, I do have that option, and I plan on using it.
But please spare the nonsense about "high quality materials". It is a piece of FABRIC! You can buy a designer shirt from the same quality fabric for less than that.
Even worse is the silcone bands. A piece of rubber which costs even less than the fabric.

[Tartarus]

Yeah, I do have that option, and I plan on using it.
But please spare the nonsense about "high quality materials". It is a piece of FABRIC! You can buy a designer shirt from the same quality fabric for less than that.
Even worse is the silcone bands. A piece of rubber which costs even less than the fabric.

Good luck with your cheaper band that is made with child labor and not so fair trade prices for the farmers.

[kingweb]

Good luck with your cheaper band that is made with child labor and not so fair trade prices for the farmers.

Dear God, do you actually believe what you are saying? I'm sure your home contains no cheaply made stuff that came from poor countries with child labor or underpaid farmers. No cheap tee shirts, nothing in your entire home. Everything is the high end model and made by union workers.
Furthermore, do you think Apple is any better? Foxcon makes apple products in china. China is a communist dictatorship the oppresses their people, and their workers are underpaid. So please spare me with your hypocrisy. So of you people are so in love with apple that you say amen to anything they do. My house is loaded with apple products, I like their products, but I am not blindly in love with them.

Furthermore, do you really think the $50 watchband is $50 to pay high wages, or to keep shareholders happy? Grow up and get in the real world.

[Tartarus]

Dear God, do you actually believe what you are saying? I'm sure your home contains no cheaply made stuff that came from poor countries with child labor or underpaid farmers. No cheap tee shirts, nothing in your entire home. Everything is the high end model and made by union workers.
Furthermore, do you think Apple is any better? Foxcon makes apple products in china. China is a communist dictatorship the oppresses their people, and their workers are underpaid. So please spare me with your hypocrisy. So of you people are so in love with apple that you say amen to anything they do. My house is loaded with apple products, I like their products, but I am not blindly in love with them.

Furthermore, do you really think the $50 watchband is $50 to pay high wages, or to keep shareholders happy? Grow up and get in the real world.

I have cheap stuff at home.
I’ll give you that. I’m not some saint which pays extra for fair wages and whatnot.
But my understanding with accessories for wearables is: Never buy the cheapest nor the most expensive.

[kingweb]

Fair enough, but apple’s sure seems like the most expensive. Granted we aren’t talking about real gold bands, etc. just simple fabric. I have yet to see a fabric band more expensive than that.

[Just_Me_D]

I wanted to buy the "Sport Loop" band, which is nothing more than a piece of fabric and velcro. With tax, $52.43!! WTF?! For about 5 square inches of fabric, 1 square inch of velcro, and less than an ounce of aluminum or steel, that has a total value of about $0.10, they charge over $50!!
Granted they need to make money, package it, build it, fine. But $50 damn dollars?!
Aftermarket ones on amazon and eBay cost $15.
I know apple is expensive and they try to market themselves as high end, I understand that, and I am willing to pay.
But this is insanity for a piece of fabric. It's worse than paying $30 for a piece of molded rubber (aka iPhone case).
I paid $400 for the watch, at least let me pick my band. Instead I have to select from their pre-configurations of colors and styles, and then I have to buy another band to get the color and style that I want.

Sorry for the rant, but this is ridiculous.

(Laughing)....Believe me, we feel you!

[Mac Guy]

Very few people enjoy paying the prices for the Apple bands. Yes, there's a huge markup. But like the Hermès, Rolex, etc., paradigm, you want their product you pay their prices.

Apple is aiming for the people who are willing to pay their prices. They don't expect everybody to pay them, but they know enough will.

While I won't say any Apple band is worth every penny they want, I will say few third party bands are equal to or better in quality than the Apple bands. Some do have a better bang for the buck depending on any individual's standards.

If I see an Apple band I like, I buy it. I'm always looking at third party bands and have bought a few. But there're only a couple that are a) as nice in quality as Apple's and b) that I enjoy as much as the Apple bands I have.

Apple wants their products to be seen as a premium, with the least amount of work on their part. Otherwise you could get a CTO Apple Watch. It would be hell regarding inventory and shipping times, but if a person is willing to wait, Apple should accommodate. But time is money, and Apple is all about saving money in a lot of places.

[Jude526]

I find awesome watch bands on Ebay. Love every band I have purchased

[Chronoman]

My two bits:

1. In marketing, the consumer's perception of a product and the quality of that product is influenced by many things, including the brand name, the packaging, the advertising, celebrity associations, and the pricing. Studies have shown that public perceptions of quality are positively correlated with the price.

2. While there may be a difference in quality between Apple branded bands, and third-party bands, the difference is not great enough to justify the enormous price difference.

Did I say there were only two bits? Well, there's actually three: and 3. I agree with the poster who stated that he/she did not like being forced to buy the combinations of watch and band being sold by Apple. Neither did I. I like Apple products, but do not like being manipulated, so I bought two aftermarket bands on Amazon. These two bands were under $35, but had I bought them from Apple, would have been about $400. Pay back time!

[Rob Phillips]

The good news is you do have the option to go with an aftermarket band if the $50 is more than you’re willing to spend. For me I prefer the higher quality materials in the Apple branded bands than the aftermarket so I’ll spend the premium with no problem.

I have a healthy balance of OEM and aftermarket bands. I find the OEM bands to be a better quality as well.
One thing Apple has shown is that people will pay premium prices for their stuff. Obscene or not I can’t see that changing any time soon.

[tcuprof]

My band collection is also a mix of Apple and third party. I’ve got about four Apple bands and easily 20+ third party bands. The Apple bands are clearly better quality and there are some super expensive Apple bands I really like and think are worth the money, despite the fact that I was “forced” to buy them (such as my space black link bracelet or my Nike volt sport band).

[robertk328]

I've bought two leather knock offs on amazon. Both were garbage so I sent them back. I've bought a knock off sport, and it's definitely not as good as the stock, and I can't remember the last time I wore it.

I'll vote with my wallet, and buy/enjoy the Apple ones. You can do the same. If you're happy with the difference, then you've done your part.

[Rob Phillips]

I've bought two leather knock offs on amazon. Both were garbage so I sent them back. I've bought a knock off sport, and it's definitely not as good as the stock, and I can't remember the last time I wore it.

I'll vote with my wallet, and buy/enjoy the Apple ones. You can do the same. If you're happy with the difference, then you've done your part.

I rarely agree with anything you say but I you’ve really surprised me this time around. The OEM bands are a much better quality. Worth the added expense to me.
For example, my saddle brown Apple leather band is phenomenal. It’s much nicer than my equally as expensive Pad & Quill leather band and a million times better than the cheap pleather knockoffs I’ve seen floating around.

[anon(5630457)]

I won't argue with you there. I agree.

[TripleOne]

LOL, they are expensive.
But the quality of Apple’s products speaks for themselves.

[robertk328]

I rarely agree with anything you say but I you’ve really surprised me this time around. The OEM bands are a much better quality. Worth the added expense to me.
For example, my saddle brown Apple leather band is phenomenal. It’s much nicer than my equally as expensive Pad & Quill leather band and a million times better than the cheap pleather knockoffs I’ve seen floating around.

If I've made you agree with me, I haven't done my job

I never went for the leather, even though I wanted it. Couldn't find one I liked at a price I wanted to pay so just went without. Really wanted the Apple one based on yours but couldn't spring the $150.

[ksassy]

I don't like the price of Apple bands but I prefer them so I'll pay the premium for the higher quality and better fit over the third party bands.

[Lee_Bo]

Wannabe Nike watch band, $12 on Amazon and it fits better and it's easier to put on and take off than the two Apple woven bands that I already have.

[cwbcpa]

Wannabe Nike watch band, $12 on Amazon and it fits better and it's easier to put on and take off than the two Apple woven bands that I already have.

Yep. I have a couple of those and they fit great. No complaints. I’ve had the actual Nike band as well and the difference is minimal in my opinion. We will see about long term wear though.

[Mac Guy]

Wannabe Nike watch band, $12 on Amazon and it fits better and it's easier to put on and take off than the two Apple woven bands that I already have.

That's more of a function of Sport vs Woven than knockoff vs Apple.

[Mac Guy]

my saddle brown Apple leather band is phenomenal.

Completely agree. I love mine, and haven't found one to equal it. I do have a couple of nice leather bands that would be great on another brand of Watch. They're just a little to heavy/bulking looking for the Apple Watch.

[TripleOne]

I don't like the price of Apple bands but I prefer them so I'll pay the premium for the higher quality and better fit over the third party bands.

Me too!