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Walmart Drops iPhone 5c Pricing to $45 On Contract Through the Holidays

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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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iphone5c-header-250x205.jpg
Following announcements from Best Buy and RadioShack that they will be offering $50 gift cards to iPhone 5c customers that will bring the prices down to $50 for a 16 GB model with a two-year contract, Walmart will be undercutting even those offers starting today by dropping its pricing to $45, reports MarketWatch.

While Best Buy's current offer is good only through next Monday and RadioShack's is scheduled to run for about a month, Walmart's pricing will be valid throughout the holiday shopping season. Walmart has been offering the iPhone 5c for $79 since launch, a $20 discount from standard pricing.

Price drops around the holidays are not terribly unusual for major iPhone retailers, but stores are being rather aggressive in announcing price drops on a brand-new iPhone model so soon after launch. iPhone 5c models have been in relatively good supply since their launch, while the more expensive iPhone 5s has seen significant shortages. The iPhone 5s has not seen any significant sale announcements, although Walmart has been offering the 16 GB model for $189, a $10 discount from normal pricing, since launch.

Article Link: Walmart Drops iPhone 5c Pricing to $45 On Contract Through the Holidays
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/10/04/walmart-drops-iphone-5c-pricing-to-45-on-contract-through-the-holidays/
T

TWSS37

macrumors 65816
Feb 4, 2011
1,107
232
This will be free day after Thanksgiving, you can mark that down in pen.
 
R

Ryth

macrumors 68000
Apr 21, 2011
1,591
157
Not surprising.

It's literally identical to the 5, minus a change in lens and a tad longer battery.

It doesn't have the nicer materials.

So if the 5 is still $549 for a 16GB, then you cannot sell the 5c at the same price especially in a plastic shell.

$450 price is coming. Mark that down in pen.
 
R

Ryth

macrumors 68000
Apr 21, 2011
1,591
157
I was thinking about the 5c in White.

Then I played around with the 5s in White.

Got the 5s in White off contract and did the $30 t-mobile unlimited data/text and 100 min of talk.

Total over 2 years:

$690 - Unlocked 5s + tax
$384 - Year 1 Contract at $30 + tax
$384 - Year 2 Contract at $30 + tax
------
$1457 - Total

Other contracts at T-Mobile, AT&T, etc...minimum is $1890

Savings of $433 = iPad Retina Mini.

:)
 
P

procrastinasn

macrumors regular
Jun 20, 2010
108
287
Ryth said:
I was thinking about the 5c in White.

Then I played around with the 5s in White.

Got the 5s in White off contract and did the $30 t-mobile unlimited data/text and 100 min of talk.

Total over 2 years:

$690 - Unlocked 5s + tax
$384 - Year 1 Contract at $30 + tax
$384 - Year 2 Contract at $30 + tax
------
$1457 - Total

Other contracts at T-Mobile, AT&T, etc...minimum is $1890

Savings of $433 = iPad Retina Mini.

:)
Click to expand...

TMobile doesn't have (or has really crappy) LTE service, don't they?
Isn't there like a 1GB cap of 4G LTE then you get put down to a lower speed one?
 
K

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,031
7,872
This, combined with the Best Buy promotion seem to indicate that Apple either over-estimated demand for the 5c relative to the 5s, and/or overshot it with the price. Let's see if $50 is enough to spur more interest.

Yes, it's actually slightly better than the iPhone 5 inside (better LTE support), but since it's plastic it "looks" cheaper and maybe Apple shouldn't have tried to sell it at the same price point.

I was a bit surprised they didn't drop the 4s and go with a 2-phone strategy (having a "free"/$450 version of the 5c). Maybe this is the first step along in that process. The 5s has enough differentiation to prevent cannibalization. Maybe Apple needs to make a little more of a volume play with the 5c.

----------
procrastinasn said:
TMobile doesn't have (or has really crappy) LTE service, don't they?
Isn't there like a 1GB cap of 4G LTE then you get put down to a lower speed one?
Click to expand...

It's getting better. It's about where Sprint was 6 months ago (which isn't saying much).

Their "unlimited" plans promise about 9GB of 4G speed, although only 2.5GB of that can be mobile hotspot.
 
Xenomorph

Xenomorph

macrumors 65816
Aug 6, 2008
1,397
829
St. Louis
Ryth said:
Not surprising.

It's literally identical to the 5, minus a change in lens and a tad longer battery.

It doesn't have the nicer materials.

So if the 5 is still $549 for a 16GB, then you cannot sell the 5c at the same price especially in a plastic shell.

$450 price is coming. Mark that down in pen.
Click to expand...


Yes, the iPhone 5C is LITERALLY identical to the iPhone 5.

Except it doesn't bend when you sit on it.
And it doesn't scratch up as easily.
And it has a new front-facing camera with improved image capture.
And it has a new LTE radio that supports more frequencies on more carriers.
And it has a larger battery.
And it has a selection of uniquely-designed, official cases from Apple.
And it comes in 5 different colors.
And it has a rounded back that many find more pleasing to hold.

But other than that, the iPhone 5C is identical to the iPhone 5.

Literally.
 
D

doboy

macrumors 68040
Jul 6, 2007
3,765
2,932
procrastinasn said:
TMobile doesn't have (or has really crappy) LTE service, don't they?
Isn't there like a 1GB cap of 4G LTE then you get put down to a lower speed one?
Click to expand...

You get 5GB of LTE (if available) for that specific $30 plan before they throttle to 2G. However, data is still unlimited. I get 10-30 Mbps up and down in San Diego area. T-Mo has more LTE area than Sprint at least.
 
B

BruiserB

macrumors 68000
Aug 9, 2008
1,731
705
Ryth said:
I was thinking about the 5c in White.

Then I played around with the 5s in White.

Got the 5s in White off contract and did the $30 t-mobile unlimited data/text and 100 min of talk.

Total over 2 years:

$690 - Unlocked 5s + tax
$384 - Year 1 Contract at $30 + tax
$384 - Year 2 Contract at $30 + tax
------
$1457 - Total

Other contracts at T-Mobile, AT&T, etc...minimum is $1890

Savings of $433 = iPad Retina Mini.

:)
Click to expand...

Eliminate the tax on your T-mobile refills by buying at

http://www.callingmart.com/

or save a little bit here

http://www.refillmobi.com/

or look on E-bay to even save 5-20% off the refills...though some claim these are from dubious sources. I believe callingmart is 100% legit, you can just save tax by buying outside of your state.

I've bought from all 3 places at various times and haven't had any problems.
 
X

xVeinx

macrumors 6502
Oct 9, 2006
361
0
California
I have the iPhone 5c in white, and I have to say it's a great phone. Moved up from a 4, so a decent jump. The 5S is nice for sure, but I can see many people being more than happy with the 5c. With the lower cost, there may be more wiggle room to lower pricing over time to increase it's market penetrance.
 
R

Ryth

macrumors 68000
Apr 21, 2011
1,591
157
procrastinasn said:
TMobile doesn't have (or has really crappy) LTE service, don't they?
Isn't there like a 1GB cap of 4G LTE then you get put down to a lower speed one?
Click to expand...

Not in the D.C. area I'm in. They just redid everything here and other major cities. First 5 GB at up to 4G speeds

Xenomorph said:
Yes, the iPhone 5C is LITERALLY identical to the iPhone 5.

Except it doesn't bend when you sit on it.
And it doesn't scratch up as easily.
And it has a new front-facing camera with improved image capture.
And it has a new LTE radio that supports more frequencies on more carriers.
And it has a larger battery.
And it has a selection of uniquely-designed, official cases from Apple.
And it comes in 5 different colors.
And it has a rounded back that many find more pleasing to hold.

But other than that, the iPhone 5C is identical to the iPhone 5.

Literally.
Click to expand...

- Can't help if you sit on your phone. Lots of things bend when you sit on them.

- LTE radio doesn't matter. People who buy their phone by their carrier. Every carrier has the phone.

- Slighty better FT camera is nice.

- There are tons of cases for the 5s/5

- Many find the 5 easy to hold. That's opinion.

What's not opinion is that it's obvious the 5c is having issues selling. Retailers are discounting the phone already. All these changes you quoted aren't significant changes to have that price point with the plastic shell.

$450-$500 is a more realistic price point.

----------
xVeinx said:
I have the iPhone 5c in white, and I have to say it's a great phone. Moved up from a 4, so a decent jump. The 5S is nice for sure, but I can see many people being more than happy with the 5c. With the lower cost, there may be more wiggle room to lower pricing over time to increase it's market penetrance.
Click to expand...

I agree it's nice, but for the $100 more which I could afford, I know I will get the best phone AND the resale next year will be almost near max value due to the fingerprint scanner, etc.
 
BC2009

BC2009

macrumors 68020
Jul 1, 2009
2,237
1,393
For those who are trying to say that the iPhone 5c is not selling well....

http://appleinsider.com/articles/13...s-at-big-4-us-carriers-iphone-5c-close-behind

canaccord-sept13-20131004.png


It is the second-best or third-best selling phone in the USA on the major carriers and in the USA, the target market for iPhone 5c is teens and tweens who will be getting an iPhone 5c for Christmas (December should be a big month for iPhone 5c). If the iPhone 5c is doing this well in the USA, it must be doing even better in price-sensitive markets. The only phone that is outselling the iPhone 5c in September on some carriers was the Galaxy S4, and the iPhone 5c was only available for the last 10 days of September. In October, the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c will be available all month long.

Just because supply of iPhone 5c is healthy, does not mean it is not selling.
 
R

Razeus

macrumors 603
Jul 11, 2008
5,348
2,030
Not surprising.

The iPhone 5 has the better materials.

Plus, the iPhone 5C all seem to be girly colors. I suppose that was to match the girly colored iOS 7 look. Why is my music app pink? Seriously, where's the black and the gray colors? :mad:
 
BC2009

BC2009

macrumors 68020
Jul 1, 2009
2,237
1,393
Ryth said:
Something that is selling well doesn't need discounts 2 weeks after launch.

#capitalism
Click to expand...

Something that is selling well is selling well. #correlationVersusCausation

BTW, in capitalist systems you want to have the lowest price so folks buy from your store versus another. Retailers are competing with each other (including Apple Store) and they are also competing against the iPhone 5s (which they don't have in decent supply). Given the fact that the report I linked shows the iPhone 5c is selling well then it must simply be selling well directly through Apple or through carriers. These retailers want to make their numbers too, but until Apple starts shipping them quantities of iPhone 5s, they have to sell what they can get (iPhone 5c).
 
Last edited:
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