Any Canadians Know About Futureshop/Best Buy?

PaulWog · Jul 20, 2011, 10:07 PM

I visited Best Buy, Futureshop, and London Drugs (here in British Columbia, Canada), and all of them said the same thing about the Macbook Air: We'll match Apple's student discount, and offer you a free copy of Microsoft Office Student Edition, "a $130 value! it's a better deal than the $100 gift certificate".

Well, I don't want Microsoft Office. Every single time I asked (I didn't insist since I was only at each shop to see if they were easy to budge), this is what happened... and literally, it's like they were all scripted: "The Office deal is actually better than the App Store deal. You get a $130 piece of software that you need for school anyways." I didn't argue past that... I just said "Oh, okay... thanks."

So I'm wondering: Has anyone tried insisting or seeing if they have a back-up plan with customers? Ex. a customer comes in, says they already bought Office, and says they want a gift card instead?

Microsoft Office is something I never want to support. It's a piece of junk money grab. I mean, it's industry standard for many businesses... but it's still a piece of junk! They renew it yearly and add what? <_< It's Microsoft's worst product in my opinion. I plan to use Pages and another program specifically made for doing research papers; that's all I need... just word processing. None of this Microsoft Office stuff. I'm a third year college student... I've made it this far without Office... I don't think I need it now lol!

So anyways... has anyone sort-of pushed it and seen if they just say "sorry, that's our only deal"?? I was planning to drive to the Apple store (and I still do plan to)... but I guess I should've talked longer with the sales reps to find out.

Variant · Jul 20, 2011, 10:15 PM

Pages is absolutely terrible. Office is much better, IMO.

You rather support a program that hasn't been update in 2 years over one that is new this year?

Apple OC · Jul 20, 2011, 10:17 PM

they buy Office 2011 in bulk ... giving a gift card would cost them more

usman.rz · Jul 20, 2011, 10:24 PM

As a university student, I much prefer Office to Apple's offerings. I find Word is a lot more capable than Pages, and Word 2011 is actually a good update. I haven't used Pages in a while, but I remember trying it for a couple of weeks instead of Office and I was nothing but frustrated. Plus, Excel blows Numbers out of the water. Personally, I say go with the office deal.

PaulWog · Jul 20, 2011, 10:25 PM

I have to admit... I tend to... uhhh... get my software for free.

However the App Store seems to have some interesting things.

Now, I've never actually gotten an illegitimate version of Office. I've used Open Office, which is a free piece of software which does the same things as Microsoft Office.

I guess I just thought a $100 App Store gift card was a better deal? Or are there many App Store apps that are worth buying at all?

I don't use excel or anything like that. I don't see a use for it for school. I just use word processing basically.

warfed · Jul 20, 2011, 10:30 PM

Office gets renewed yearly? 2003, 2007, 2010

Pages sucks, Open Office is terrible.... sorry but MS Office is king.

You say you only need word processing so I guess I can see why you have no idea why Office is so valuable to a business.

HelloPanda · Jul 20, 2011, 10:32 PM

I bought my MBP from Futureshop specifically for the Microsoft Office deal. I'd rather use Excel and Powerpoint over Numbers and Keynote respectively. With Word and Pages, however, it's a toss up. In fact, at this point at least, I prefer Pages. As a result, I opted for the MS Office deal, and bought Pages through the App. Store.

In addition to the MS Office deal, both Futureshop and Best Buy offer $30 off any printer (or a specific subset of printers).

HelloPanda · 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warfed

Office gets renewed yearly? 2003, 2007, 2010

Pages sucks, Open Office is terrible.... sorry but MS Office is king.

You say you only need word processing so I guess I can see why you have no idea why Office is so valuable to a business.

"Most people" are looking for simple word processors with basic functionality like inserting tables and columns. The reason "most people" prefer Word is due to compatibility. Simply put, when you open up a .doc file in Open Office, it doesn't always look great, to say the least.

I don't mind Pages, Word, or even Google Docs. In fact, I've been using Google Docs for the past year, because it automatically saves a copy of everything I do "in the cloud". I can access the document from anywhere, and share it with anyone, simply by clicking on the share icon in Google Docs.

warfed · Jul 20, 2011, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HelloPanda

Most people are looking for simple word processors with basic functionality like inserting tables and columns. The reason "most people" prefer Word is due to compatibility. Simply put, when you open up a .doc file in Open Office, it doesn't always look great, to say the least.

I don't mind Pages, Word, or even Google Docs. In fact, I've been using Google Docs for the past year, because it automatically saves a copy of everything I do "in the cloud". I can access the document from anywhere, and share it with anyone, simply by clicking on the share icon in Google Docs.

I agree with you. I use google docs for most of my word processing (unless I need to make a PDF) and basic spreadsheets. It just really bugs me when people say "[office] is a piece of junk money grab."

CFoss · Jul 20, 2011, 10:57 PM

I haven't tried the newest version, but I MUCH prefer Pages. I just love the design of it.

I can't comment on Numbers, as I rarely use it.

Keynote is also very good, but I never used PowerPoint for too long.

HelloPanda · Jul 20, 2011, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CFoss

I haven't tried the newest version, but I MUCH prefer Pages. I just love the design of it.

I can't comment on Numbers, as I rarely use it.

Keynote is also very good, but I never used PowerPoint for too long.

Pages is aesthetically pleasing. There is something about the crispness of the font that makes Pages a pleasure to use.

shurcooL · Jul 20, 2011, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HelloPanda

In addition to the MS Office deal, both Futureshop and Best Buy offer $30 off any printer (or a specific subset of printers).

Don't you get $100 off a printer if you buy it along with a Mac from an Apple Store?

Variant · Jul 20, 2011, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shurcooL

Don't you get $100 off a printer if you buy it along with a Mac from an Apple Store?

Yup, but you are sorta limited to 3 printers. I chose the $150 model when I ordered mine (wanted wifi, the US gets $100 wifi printer, but we don't

).

Duke15 · Jul 21, 2011, 01:04 AM

Bestbuy offers a 100$ gift card

Jul 20, 2011, 10:07 PM	#1
PaulWog macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Canada	Any Canadians Know About Futureshop/Best Buy? I visited Best Buy, Futureshop, and London Drugs (here in British Columbia, Canada), and all of them said the same thing about the Macbook Air: We'll match Apple's student discount, and offer you a free copy of Microsoft Office Student Edition, "a $130 value! it's a better deal than the $100 gift certificate". Well, I don't want Microsoft Office. Every single time I asked (I didn't insist since I was only at each shop to see if they were easy to budge), this is what happened... and literally, it's like they were all scripted: "The Office deal is actually better than the App Store deal. You get a $130 piece of software that you need for school anyways." I didn't argue past that... I just said "Oh, okay... thanks." So I'm wondering: Has anyone tried insisting or seeing if they have a back-up plan with customers? Ex. a customer comes in, says they already bought Office, and says they want a gift card instead? Microsoft Office is something I never want to support. It's a piece of junk money grab. I mean, it's industry standard for many businesses... but it's still a piece of junk! They renew it yearly and add what? <_< It's Microsoft's worst product in my opinion. I plan to use Pages and another program specifically made for doing research papers; that's all I need... just word processing. None of this Microsoft Office stuff. I'm a third year college student... I've made it this far without Office... I don't think I need it now lol! So anyways... has anyone sort-of pushed it and seen if they just say "sorry, that's our only deal"?? I was planning to drive to the Apple store (and I still do plan to)... but I guess I should've talked longer with the sales reps to find out.
	0

Jul 20, 2011, 10:17 PM	#3
Apple OC Contributor Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Toronto	they buy Office 2011 in bulk ... giving a gift card would cost them more __________________ one Stupid Blog
	0

Jul 20, 2011, 10:57 PM	#10
CFoss macrumors 6502 Join Date: Feb 2011	I haven't tried the newest version, but I MUCH prefer Pages. I just love the design of it. I can't comment on Numbers, as I rarely use it. Keynote is also very good, but I never used PowerPoint for too long. __________________ MacBook Pro Retina (10,1), 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7, 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 RAM, nVidia GeForce GT 650M 1024 MB iPad, 1st Generation, 64 GB, 3G iPod Touch, 2nd Generation, 8 GB
	0

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Jul 20, 2011, 10:15 PM	#2
Variant macrumors regular Join Date: Oct 2005	Pages is absolutely terrible. Office is much better, IMO. You rather support a program that hasn't been update in 2 years over one that is new this year?
	0

Jul 20, 2011, 10:24 PM	#4
usman.rz macrumors Demi-God Join Date: May 2010	As a university student, I much prefer Office to Apple's offerings. I find Word is a lot more capable than Pages, and Word 2011 is actually a good update. I haven't used Pages in a while, but I remember trying it for a couple of weeks instead of Office and I was nothing but frustrated. Plus, Excel blows Numbers out of the water. Personally, I say go with the office deal.
	1

Jul 20, 2011, 10:25 PM	#5
PaulWog Thread Starter macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Canada	I have to admit... I tend to... uhhh... get my software for free. However the App Store seems to have some interesting things. Now, I've never actually gotten an illegitimate version of Office. I've used Open Office, which is a free piece of software which does the same things as Microsoft Office. I guess I just thought a $100 App Store gift card was a better deal? Or are there many App Store apps that are worth buying at all? I don't use excel or anything like that. I don't see a use for it for school. I just use word processing basically.
	0

Jul 20, 2011, 10:30 PM	#6
warfed macrumors regular Join Date: Apr 2011	Office gets renewed yearly? 2003, 2007, 2010 Pages sucks, Open Office is terrible.... sorry but MS Office is king. You say you only need word processing so I guess I can see why you have no idea why Office is so valuable to a business.
	1

Jul 20, 2011, 10:32 PM	#7
HelloPanda macrumors member Join Date: Apr 2011	I bought my MBP from Futureshop specifically for the Microsoft Office deal. I'd rather use Excel and Powerpoint over Numbers and Keynote respectively. With Word and Pages, however, it's a toss up. In fact, at this point at least, I prefer Pages. As a result, I opted for the MS Office deal, and bought Pages through the App. Store. In addition to the MS Office deal, both Futureshop and Best Buy offer $30 off any printer (or a specific subset of printers).
	0

Jul 21, 2011, 01:04 AM	#14
Duke15 macrumors 6502 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Canada	Bestbuy offers a 100$ gift card
	0