iPod Retail Expansion

What an odd choice of stores. I didn't even know Hecht's sold electronics.

EDIT: But now that I go to their site, I guess they do. Still, weird.

Originally posted by moosecat
What an odd choice of stores. I didn't even know Hecht's sold electronics.

EDIT: But now that I go to their site, I guess they do. Still, weird.

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It seemed strange to me at first too but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Apple wants to be plastered across every mall in the country come Christmas season.

iPodlounge has rumors of iPods ready to be sold at Strawbridges Department Stores as well.

Originally posted by moosecat
What an odd choice of stores. I didn't even know Hecht's sold electronics.

EDIT: But now that I go to their site, I guess they do. Still, weird.

Click to expand...

It's not that weird. Culturally, the iPod has become a symbol of status as much as an electronic tool. Selling it in department stores and upscale clothiers helps Apple reach the "trend-watching" segment.

Originally posted by m,tz206
It's not that weird. Culturally, the iPod has become a symbol of status as much as an electronic tool. Selling it in department stores and upscale clothiers helps Apple reach the "trend-watching" segment.

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Yuppers. Makes a lot of sense to me, as I don't think those upscale retailers take as much of a chunk out of the margins as other sellers.

Originally posted by azdude
iPodlounge has rumors of iPods ready to be sold at Strawbridges Department Stores as well.

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This is true - I was in the Strawbridges at Christiana Mall (Delaware) two weekends ago, and there was a partially constructed display advertising the iPod and other types of consumer electronics that they're going to start selling soon (at least my impression is they're going to start selling them soon).

If Apple is going after places like Target they NEED cheaper devices. $300 as a baseline system is too much. Drop a 10GB drive in a $200 system and watch them fly off the shelf at Target.

$300 will give more then a few people pause for thought as then glance over at the $150 $199 devices on the shelf next to it.

Where is the logic in dropping specs and prices to attract more custom? It is already the best selling tootie on the block right now and the future is in more functions for the same high price. IMO that is what I would do.

Originally posted by billyboy
Where is the logic in dropping specs and prices to attract more custom? It is already the best selling tootie on the block right now and the future is in more functions for the same high price. IMO that is what I would do.

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I would point you to the Palm Zire as an indication that not everyone cares about high end devices. The Zire is flying off the shelf simply because it does the basics of the PDA and is $99.

Now look at the iPod. As a individual unit iPod is the top selling device on the market, but as I pointed out in the past it only encompasses about 27% of the market. Who do you think owns the other 73% Cheaper devices. I know that Apple could draw a larger audience if they had a cheaper device. Most of the people I know, and I've asked them about this, aren't interested in keeping their entire collection with them but enough to keep them going through the day something a 5GB or 10GB drive would easily do.
Apple can keep marketing its devices as high end systems but guess what? Not every kid or college student has $300 to blow on an iPod. Like it or not there IS a market for low end devices something Apple doesn't cater to and will lose valuable potential sales because of.