Apple’s decision to cater to Watch buyers with reservation-only sales and personalized in-store appointments worried one retail analyst, who wondered whether it signals a sea change in how the Cupertino, Calif. company leverages its nearly 450 outlets.

“One concern I’d have as a retail person is that this could end up turning [Apple’s] stores into more of a showroom and less of a place to buy stuff,” said Stephen Baker, an analyst with the NPD Group who specializes in technology retailing.

“If the Watch has volume at some point, and as they put more people on [selling the Watch], it could result in less traffic in the store,” Baker said, referring to customers after other Apple products.

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