Apple Store Event on November 28th, 2003

[MacRumors]

As previously hinted, Apple is planning a Special in-Store Event on Friday, November 28th.

The Music oriented in-Store event is aimed to take advantage of the post-Thanksgiving shopping season and will offer significant deals and iPod giveaways to customers.

Special Items to be offered to customers during the event include iTunes Software CDs, as well as the sale of physical iTunes Gift Certificates. Of particular interest, Apple has previously offered 10% discounts at their previous Panther events, and will be repeating this offer on the sale of iPods at the event.

[Macmaniac]

They should slash iPod prices to sell more during the holidays, the iPods are still just slightly to expensive for the normal holiday shopper like $250 or $225 would be a nice base price.

[pkradd]

iPods are selling very well at the current prices so why slash them. If the market showed that sales were slowing, then of course Apple would come out with new ones and the old models would be discounted. But it ain't happening. Next subject.

[Sabenth]

The day i see a $200au iPod is the day i buy one .. til that day comes no iPod

and thats australian dollars

[1macker1]

If the iPods goes down to 200 bucks, i'll get 2,one for me and one for my brother.

[the_mole1314]

I think we'll see some new stuff too, I really like the idea of physical iTunes Certificates.

[ITR 81]

Physical gift certificates for iTunes..is something all Apple Stores have been asking for. I hope Apple continues to sell them through the store not just for this event only.

Also what is on the iTunes software CD? Is this some sort of add on because it seems odd to over the software in CD for when it can be DL for free. Or could this be the new iTunes 5??

[Icekey]

Originally posted by Sabenth
The day i see a $200au iPod is the day i buy one .. til that day comes no iPod

and thats australian dollars

At the current rate you might see one :P

[the_mole1314]

Originally posted by ITR 81
Physical gift certificates for iTunes..is something all Apple Stores have been asking for. I hope Apple continues to sell them through the store not just for this event only.

Also what is on the iTunes software CD? Is this some sort of add on because it seems odd to over the software in CD for when it can be DL for free. Or could this be the new iTunes 5??

No, probably people will install software if given a CD at a store, rather than be told 'download at home then install' at the store! Plus, mabey some free songs will be on there, who knows?

[gwuMACaddict]

i'm telling you, cheaper ipod for the holidays to compete with dell and everyone else

[jayscheuerle]

Mac Friday?

[KLFloyd]

Originally posted by ITR 81
Also what is on the iTunes software CD? Is this some sort of add on because it seems odd to over the software in CD for when it can be DL for free. Or could this be the new iTunes 5??

Apple already has individual CD's made with iTunes and the music store. I just found one in an eMac box I opened and setup a week or two ago. Kinda surprised me.

I think free physical CD's are a great idea. If you have a slower connection you may not want to download the file. And, a lot of people are just more comfortable installing a CD. It's a lot less hassle than going to a website, waiting for something to Download, then install it on your computer. I think it makes perfect sense, if you're going to give someone an iTMS gift card and you know they don't have iTunes, then give them the CD as well saves a lot of time and hassle on the part of the recipient.

Also, I think physical iTMS gift cards are a MUST. They need to be available not only from apple stores but also online (with free USPS standard shipping, come on Apple it's only $0.37) and available for purchase at stores that sell the iPod such as Target and BestBuy. Get those physical gift certificates out there in mass quantities bundled with a iTMS CD and they'll sell. Heck, I've got 3 people on my list right now I'd buy them for.

[Foxer]

Does anyone know if the 10% in store discount can be combined with the edu discount?

[ITR 81]

Probably not..but I'm sure someone will know before the end of this week is up.

[mainstreetmark]

Wow - I'll be in Chicago that day and already in possession of my new iPod that was supposed to ship last friday.. I'll probably win one.

[blueBomber]

I understand Apple is currently selling alot of ipods at the highest price the market will bare. But the magic price point they should be shooting for is $199.99, look what it did for sales of console systems. Now it would be nice if they pulled a Nintendo and surprised everyone by lowering the price to $99, but that's not going to happen.

[trrosen]

hmm a large price drop would dramaticly increase sales...possibly why the manufacturer announced they were going to DOUBLE the production of the 1.8 inch drive in the iPod...very interesting

I think there's more though an instore event just for a price drop doesn't seem right.

[Photorun]

Agreed with poster above this post (or two above), disagree with poster way up thread with wrong logic. Sure they may be selling well but cut prices and they'll sell even BETTER! In all likelihood more than making up for the price cut into the already enormous profit margin (regardless of Job's comment, a lie, they're making a mind on them). It's better also to proliferate the market sometimes, get the word out there in the form of units sold.

[jcshas]

I think it will be free ITMS song giveaways or ITMS gift certificates with the purchase of an iPod.

[GrannySmith_G5]

I hope they serve corn chowder at the stores.

[gwangung]

Agreed with poster above this post (or two above), disagree with poster way up thread with wrong logic. Sure they may be selling well but cut prices and they'll sell even BETTER!

More business geniuses. Now is NOT the time to do this. Wait until there's a little softness in the demand side...otherwise you leave money on the table, since you're selling all that you make [key point that last one]

[KLFloyd]

I've been thinking about this off and on all day. Though I too believe that Apple would benefit overall from a price drop. If they could at least get the price of a basic model iPod down to $199 (or heck what about a 5gb model for $149) then they will move a lot of iPods this holiday season.

New portable music players are coming out all the time and while he iPod is still the most popular out there they need to gobble up all the market share they can. The more iPods there are on the market the more potential iTMS users there will be and the more potential switchers we'll have out there.

Bottom line, if Apple can cut their profit margin slightly (I'm by no means saying sell the iPod for a loss) and dramatically increase the number of iPods out there in the hands of consumers in the long run it will be a plus for the company.

[Foxer]

I agree that cutting the prices of a product that is currently a fast seller would be a very poor business decision. I also agree that there is an "entry-level" market out of which Apple currently has priced themselves. I think, therefore, that rather than cutting prices on current line, bring back the 5GB at a deep discount price, maybe as low as $99. That wouldn't affect sales of the current line, and get a number of "new" consumers into the prodcut line and who can be "handed-up" the chain in a year or two when they outgrow the device.

Get people assocaited with the brand, that is the bottom line.

[Java]

Originally posted by GrannySmith_G5
I hope they serve corn chowder at the stores.

If it was up to Steve, we'd see some Naked fruit drinks.

This will be sweet. I'll be close to the UTC Apple Store in California. I wonder how early I should get there?

[scat999999]

1,000 songs are plenty for me.

Originally posted by 1macker1
If the iPods goes down to 200 bucks, i'll get 2,one for me and one for my brother.