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Daalseth

macrumors 6502a
Jun 16, 2012
599
306
There are already Apple products in Staples in Canada. It's nothing special.
Exactly. I didn't realize that Staples south of the border DIDN'T carry Apple Stuff. It was the first place I saw an iPad Mini (which is now on my crave list)

Uh, why would anyone buy  products from Staples unless there's just no other store that sells Apple products nearby? It's not like their customer support is any better than that of Apple's retail stores or Best Buy. It's probably even worse than Walmart's.

Good news anyway.
At least around here Wallmart and Best Buy are at the bottom, the absolute dregs for customer service. I even had one BB clerk tell me that they did not sell iPads and while he was talking I noticed the display on the wall behind him. Best Buy announced earlier this month that they were closing a huge number of Canadian stores due to poor sales, which did not surprise me at all. As far as an Apple Store, it's not an option for me. I live on Vancouver Island. Getting to the Apple Store involves a ferry ride to Vancouver. ~$150 RT on top of the price of whatever I'm buying. It's been a couple of years since I've been in an Apple Store.

I keep wondering why the hell Apple doesn't open a store in Victoria! :confused:
 

IJ Reilly

macrumors P6
Jul 16, 2002
17,909
1,496
Palookaville
Uh... because there are not other stores that sell Apple products nearby? Ya think?

And who cares about the service? Staples is just an outlet. Support is provided by Apple.

Sort of. A lot of us remember when Apple products were sold in outlets like Sears and Circuit City. Or more to the point, not sold. A lot of times the Macs on the shelves were unplugged, missing parts, or totally inoperative. Asking a sales clerk about it typically got you a shrug of indifference. This was the reason why Apple opened their own chain of retail stores, where their products could be presented properly. Selling at Staples might be a good thing for those of us without a nearby Apple Store and who already know what we want, but as Apple grows in popularity they have to be concerned that their product image isn't tarnished by poor showings at these retailers.
 

Krazy Bill

macrumors 68030
Dec 21, 2011
2,985
3
but as Apple grows in popularity they have to be concerned that their product image isn't tarnished by poor showings at these retailers.
I really don't care about Apple's image. I just want my device - new in box backed by Apple themselves. And the more places I can buy said device, will incite new competition for sellers of that same device.

Some of you people are putting too much emphasis on the Apple's retailers. Again, I couldn't care less who sells it. It all comes from the same place.
 

IJ Reilly

macrumors P6
Jul 16, 2002
17,909
1,496
Palookaville
I really don't care about Apple's image. I just want my device - new in box backed by Apple themselves. And the more places I can buy said device, will incite new competition for sellers of that same device.

Some of you people are putting too much emphasis on the Apple's retailers. Again, I couldn't care less who sells it. It all comes from the same place.

You may not care, but Apple does, and some of us people understand why.
 

nippyjun

macrumors 68000
Jul 26, 2007
1,636
323
This is great news. I can use my ink and other rewards to get free or greatly discounted apple products.
 
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cire

macrumors 6502
Jun 21, 2007
262
0
I am going to line up four days early so that I can be the first to buy one of everything! I am so excited!
 

obiegrad

macrumors newbie
Jun 7, 2012
22
0
Some non-profit/corporate folks have purchasing accounts and sales tax free status with Staples. It might be easier to use that status at Staples than having to work out a sales tax free corporate purchase through Apple or anyone else.

Also the rewards program, especially the ink recycling, can be helpful to some.
 

shabbasuraj

macrumors regular
Mar 13, 2004
143
22
In Canada, Staples has some pretty good sales on Macs. This past holiday season they had current 13" MBA for $999 and in stock everywhere I checked.
 

dysamoria

macrumors 68020
Dec 8, 2011
2,243
1,865
As I posted at Apple Insider forum on the same story:

I was at Staples last night and saw two Microsoft Surface units on display. Curiosity got the best of me and I decided to pick up one unit. My curiosity was rewarded with an embarrassment alarm. I set it back down after a few seconds of ear piercing noise, since no Staples employee thought it necessary to deal with it, and walked away. Essentially, Staples and Microsoft lost a customer due to not having the slightest clue about encouraging customer interest in the product. It's a HANDHELD device; why is it affixed by a MOTION SENSING security cable?

UPDATE: I just checked Staples company contact form at their website. It's impossible to send a complaint about the store without giving them name, phone #, email address AND customer number! Customer number?? I was there with a friend and I didn't buy anything (partially because the things I wanted to check out were booby trapped). So my description of my store experience doesn't mean a thing to them.
 

utilizer

macrumors regular
May 12, 2002
154
0
In Atlanta!
Expand the h.h. Gregg agreement instead

Apple should go ahead and expand their relationship with h.h. Gregg, particularly in the Atlanta area. It's frustrating see the sales offers advertised in their emails and there's no way to take advantage of those specials. Best Buy runs them too, but hardly has sufficient stock on hand to deal with the run on these specials.
 

76ShovelHead

macrumors 6502a
May 30, 2010
527
32
Florida
This is great news. Apple is certainly a viable alternative to Windows and the PC market in general. I often wondered why Apple wasn't in Staples.

Next, Office Max and Office Deopt!
 

snberk103

macrumors 603
Oct 22, 2007
5,503
91
An Island in the Salish Sea
Selling Apple products in Staples is nothing special, or Canada is nothing special? :D

Yes.

----

To answer another poster's question, about what's the big deal about Staples starting to carry Apple products - and their experience with lack of knowledge at Staples.

So what? I don't need a clerk to answer my questions on buying ink or paper. I just want to buy the stuff and go. Staples will be the same for most customers. They'll point at the product they want, the clerk will go and get it from storage ... and customer will pay for it along with their paper, file folders, etc. Eazy Peazy.
 

Umbongo

macrumors 601
Sep 14, 2006
4,934
55
England
Ok... Just missing Toys R' Us and PetCo and we are set.

Toys R US sell Apple iOS products already. They sold Macs here in the UK some years back. Mac minis, iMacs, Macbooks and Cinema Displays along side iPods, but I guess it wasn't working out financially because they cleared inventory.
 

dma550

macrumors 6502
Sep 3, 2009
267
4
CT
Staples is really not a fun place to shop, but apple stores are so spread out for me in non Metro Lyme CT. I welcome it!
 

Fatalbert

macrumors 6502
Feb 6, 2013
398
0
Uh... because there are not other stores that sell Apple products nearby? Ya think?

And who cares about the service? Staples is just an outlet. Support is provided by Apple.

I did say "unless there's just no other store that sells Apple products nearby". There is customer service, the help with selection of your Apple product or help with pickup if it's a large item.
 

skepticidis

Suspended
Jan 31, 2013
16
0
Orlando, FL
Walking into a Staples and walking into an Apple store are two very different experiences and I personally prefer the Apple store. You know how crowded Apple stores are even though all they sell are Apple products? Think about going into a Staples, where they'll (presumably) have 2 MacBooks and 2 iPads on display, but just as many people interested in playing with them.
 

atomoboy

macrumors member
Jun 22, 2007
41
0
Birmingham, AL
Staples - Is it really up to the task?

So much of Apple is more than the products, it's the ecosystem, the sales experience... Personally, I prefer to purchase from B&H or other box houses but the success of the Apple Stores says that the public at large loves to buy Apple from Apple. It's a big move for Staples, but I wonder if the consumers will ultimately be satisfied.
 

Macist

macrumors 6502a
Mar 13, 2009
783
458
Can't see Staples lasting very much longer in the UK. It's pricing is high and the range limited for a 'specialist' store.
 

snipper

macrumors regular
Feb 9, 2004
233
30
Y'all are spoiled children. I remember the days when a broken Powebook charger on a road trip might be a very bad thing if you didn't happen to be staying in the correct city with resellers close by.

I love that every WalMart can replace an iPad cord if I need it. I love that the one time I needed an Apple keyboard late at night the Best Buy was open an hour later than the Apple store at the mall.

I love that I don't have to depend on mail-order or Microcenter to get Apple crap, and I love that things are just getting better and better.

I live in the Netherlands. Staples (formerly Office Center) has been selling Apple for years here.
However, they only sell the most populair stuff like 'base model' iPads and iMacs.

They might sell lightning cables because everybody has an iPad or iPhone but they certainly don't sell power supplies for a PowerBook because that is way too rare a product.

Worst of all: Usually, when they offer 'A-brand' hardware, it's with a little discount and it's either from a previous generation or it's a sign that in 3 to 4 weeks it will be.
 

Builddesign

macrumors regular
Sep 14, 2012
100
10
:mad: Im for keeping :apple: products in :apple: stores. Or use the 3rd party distribution to liquidate older models.
 
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