iPhone Coming To Best Buy?

[MacRumors]

According to AppleInsider, Apple is set to broaden the distribution of the iPhone beyond just Apple and AT&T stores.

Among those first in line for the gadget is specialty electronics retailer and Apple's new best friend in the retail business, Best Buy. By October -- and more likely by September -- all Best Buy locations should have iPhones on hand to sell to customers. Lavish video displays, like those erected in Apple retail store windows ahead of the phone's launch, may also turn up at the electronics stores.

Apple and Best Buy have been expanding their retail cooperation with each other. AppleInsider notes that Best Buy will be expanding their Apple pilot program to 300 stores by the end of the year.

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[Grimace]

well, a sale is a sale. I guess I'd feel differently if they were sold at Walmart.

[kbrain2929]

Personally, I think this could mean 2 diffrent things...

1) Apple is expanding their sales to make up for those iPhones that they first believed would sale... it ended up they didn't. I believed they expected somewhere like 400,000? Not sure, but I think this is close. And Apple / AT&T only got like 300,000 (last time I checked) sold. Maybe Apple is just trying to make up for those.

2) They may be trying to make the iPhone more accessable, which would bring back #1, and therefore selling more units. Perhaps Apple is just trying to get the "iPhone Frenzy" out there for those who don't follow it craz-ily like many of us on Mac Rumors do...

That's just my two cents

Originally Posted by Grimace

well, a sale is a sale. I guess I'd feel differently if they were sold at Walmart.

I agree completely!!! A sale IS a sale. The more... the better!

[KindredMAC]

makes sense doesn't it????
Every week in the Best Buy adverts, they are pushing cellphones for AT&T and Verizon anyways.... Why NOT sell the hottest cellphone out there??!?!?!?!?!?

[JPyre]

Free bluetooth headset after rebate, mark my words. Apples are never on sale at BB, well maybe iPods are 5 bucks off but usually its a free charger or carrying case. I think this is a very good move, it'll cut into the iPod sales, but I think that's the point. I'd be willing to bet that BB is in the top 3 of iPod retailers, if not No. 1.

[Hopstretch]

Well, I guess if the AT&T store reps won't show iPhones to customers maybe the Best Buy salesfolk will. There's going to be some HARD sell on the extended warranties.

[plumbingandtech]

This is one thing that even a best buy person can sell well..

(AFAIK Best Buy people are not commissioned.)

The ATT store lumps on logs are prob. going to be less enthused.

[noway]

I'm guessing its only in BestBuy around US...
Nothing for Canada yet

[dfnj123]

I saw the apple display at my local bets buy and it looks like a mini apple store. I found ti weird that their were no iPod or iPhones at all.

[MacJediDude]

as long as all of the anti-apple best buy GEEKS pull their head out of their butts long enough to give it a honest shot. the sad part is many of the salesmen at BB are uberDORK PC ONLY apple haters.

[plumbingandtech]

Originally Posted by MacJediDude

as long as all of the anti-apple best buy GEEKS pull their head out of their butts long enough to give it a honest shot. the sad part is many of the salesmen at BB are uberDORK PC ONLY apple haters.

True. But remember that these will be in the "phone" section which is at least at my store in the very front and away from the PC hardware and software.

[pdpfilms]

Originally Posted by noway

I'm guessing its only in BestBuy around US...
Nothing for Canada yet

And I can 100% guarantee that they won't be showing up at BestBuys here in VT or MT. Or any of the other AT&Tless states. If they did, they'd end up selling none or selling a very small number to a group of people who would end up very angry.

[EagerDragon]

Originally Posted by MacJediDude

as long as all of the anti-apple best buy GEEKS pull their head out of their butts long enough to give it a honest shot. the sad part is many of the salesmen at BB are uberDORK PC ONLY apple haters.

If Management at BB is serious, they would monitor the mini-Apple store for jerks like that and recycle them out quickly. It is about money, if the area does not sell then there is a reason like: Their customers are not interested, Product not properly demostrated, Salesman need training, and the #1 reason ..... Salesman needs attitude adjustment.

Umm, where I left those electrodes??????

[imwoblin]

I think Apple is going to try to maximize the iPhone's exposure, and Best Buy would certainly help. On a side note, I counted 39 Iphone commercials on different channels during the weekend (had the flu). Thats a hell of a lot of commercials for the iPhone!

[blindzero]

If I'm not mistaken they hire specifically for the Apple sections. I went to one in Delaware and I think they had special badges for the one working the Apple Booth (not sure if it said genius or just something else).

My store in MD has yet to get anything and they were positive we will get one soon.

Only IMACS and Laptops were on display in the Apple section. IPods were in the digital music player section.

Originally Posted by EagerDragon

If Management at BB is serious, they would monitor the mini-Apple store for jerks like that and recycle them out quickly. It is about money, if the area does not sell then there is a reason like: Their customers are not interested, Product not properly demostrated, Salesman need training, and the #1 reason ..... Salesman needs attitude adjustment.

Umm, where I left those electrodes??????

[Luke J]

best buys customer service isn't up to par

[33scottie33]

Ahhh, I can see it now, mini Apple stores inside of BBs with Mac Geniuses on site!!! Coming in 2040!

[MarkMS]

Originally Posted by 33scottie33

Ahhh, I can see it now, mini Apple stores inside of BBs with Mac Geniuses on site!!! Coming in 2040!

I wish!! The nearest Apple Store is 300 miles away for me. Luckily we have a few Apple repair providers locally.

[dfnj123]

Originally Posted by 33scottie33

Ahhh, I can see it now, mini Apple stores inside of BBs with Mac Geniuses on site!!! Coming in 2040!

they have that NOW at my local Best buy (minus the mac geniuses)

[mainomega]

I HATE Bestbuy. But I like Apple.

So I guess this is a good thing... if it bring Apple to the masses... grrr Bestbuy can die.

[yotaguy]

If best buy brings apples into Best Buy they will do it like they did at CompUSA

Apple people selling apple products. not Best Buy people. The store would probably get a % of revenue from the Apple stuff and keep all the $$ on the accesories.

I worked at Best buy for 2 years and out of 8 or so computer salesmen 5\10 of them had macs at home..haha

I was geek squad and 4\8 of us were die hard mac fans since we had to fix PC's all day.

[somberlaine]

Originally Posted by yotaguy

If best buy brings apples into Best Buy they will do it like they did at CompUSA

Apple people selling apple products. not Best Buy people. The store would probably get a % of revenue from the Apple stuff and keep all the $$ on the accesories.

I worked at Best buy for 2 years and out of 8 or so computer salesmen 5\10 of them had macs at home..haha

I was geek squad and 4\8 of us were die hard mac fans since we had to fix PC's all day.

That's what they are doing at the best buy near me (Bailey's Crossroad store for DC area folks). They have this chick in a black apples shirt in the apple area of BB. I am not sure if she is an employee of Apple or BB though.

[trevogre]

Originally Posted by EagerDragon

If Management at BB is serious, they would monitor the mini-Apple store for jerks like that and recycle them out quickly. It is about money, if the area does not sell then there is a reason like: Their customers are not interested, Product not properly demostrated, Salesman need training, and the #1 reason ..... Salesman needs attitude adjustment.

Umm, where I left those electrodes??????

Despite the possibility that Best Buy actually has a knowledgeable salesperson somewhere in one of their stores, I only shop there when it’s the only convenient place to get a product. Never for advice on what to buy. Most of their employees are just out of diapers and if they know anything at all about technology they are usually bias and ill-informed. More often than not they don't know anything more than the customer can read off the product packaging, and they will waste your time trying to read a box or a shelf sticker that they don’t understand (as if you couldn't read). So if they can’t sell apple products I wouldn't be surprised. They typically can't sell an informed consumer anything that they weren’t already going to buy. As for the uninformed accidentally getting pushed into a pc over a mac, at least they end up with more software options, cause lets face it, without the dual boot option, the Mac is just not hacking it in flexibility and interoperability despite the innovation and usability.

[steamboat26]

I wouldn't trust Best Buy to sell these, unless they had Apple or Cingular employees in store. BB would probably over-promise on the potential of the iPhones potential, and create a lot of unhappy customers.

[IMcD23]

I was at BB a few weeks ago and one of the reps was saying to me how much he hated the iphone...