Price Matching at Apple Retail Stores?

[MacRumors]

ifoAppleStore claims that Apple retail employees have the authority to match prices of other authorized retailers.

Apple has apparently fired the first shot in the holiday shopping battle, by announcing internally that retail store employees have the authority to match the prices of other authorized retailers.

Based on the site's comments, there is some debate about whether this is a new ability. Regardless, the issue is typically moot as retailers generally only offer Apple's products at the recommended retail price. The notable exception to this, however, has been sales surrounding Black Friday in which retailers offer instant discounts on Apple products.

BestBuy is already offering discounts up to $150 off on current Macs. If this policy is true, then similar discounts may be achievable at Apple's own retail stores.

iPhone app developers appear to be getting in on Black Friday discounts with numerous app sales tracked on AppShopper.com. Notable titles on sale include Spore Origins and Tetris, both 40% off.

Article Link: Price Matching at Apple Retail Stores?

[LillieDesigns]

I wish I was in the market for an Apple product. It's a weird feeling when you have 'everything.'

[samstod]

Microcenter currently has early 2008 2.4 ghz MBPs for 1399. Seems like a sweet deal to pricematch.

[theheadguy]

Only instant? No mail-in rebate matches?

Nah, that would be too good to be true.

[arn]

Originally Posted by samstod

Microcenter currently has early 2008 2.4 ghz MBPs for 1399. Seems like a sweet deal to pricematch.

well, I don't think Apple retail sells discontinued models, so I don't think you'll be able to price match on that.

arn

[rehingd]

Originally Posted by MacRumors

there is some debate about whether or not this is a new ability or not.

Pet peeve.

[stephengiem]

way to boost the economy

[portent]

Considering how closely Apple regulates its resellers' advertised pricing, (MAP) this is not really a story. Maybe you can get your Mac for $1295 instead of $1299.

[Tallest Skil]

Originally Posted by portent

Considering how closely Apple regulates its resellers' advertised pricing, (MAP) this is not really a story. Maybe you can get your Mac for $1295 instead of $1299.

I see you missed the part about "$150 off".

[schneb]

Apple Stores should have had this policy in place all the time. It promotes shelf circulation and activity. You want to promote the attitude among consumers to say to one another, "Just buy it at the Apple Store, you will get a better deal." rather than the opposite.

[Bentov]

Hmmm, and to think that I was just telling the gf that I was going to buy all of my xmas gifts before I bought anything for myself...

[portent]

Originally Posted by Tallest Skil

I see you missed the part about "$150 off".

I see you missed the part about "advertised price."

"Instant rebates" don't count.

[swissmann]

From personal experience this is not new. However it couldn't include rebates or bundles that Apple couldn't provide. For example bundling a free printer that Apple didn't have. Or free RAM because the RAM is generic instead of Apple branded. Or Costco prices because Costco has a membership fee and Apple doesn't. Or a mail in rebate because Apple didn't have the same mail in rebate. If a computer is selling straight up for $1,295 that would be matched.

[Mindflux]

Originally Posted by portent

I see you missed the part about "advertised price."

"Instant rebates" don't count.

You missed the part about how Best Buy's isn't an instant rebate.

[Tallest Skil]

Originally Posted by portent

I see you missed the part about "advertised price."

"Instant rebates" don't count.

Did you read the article? "...similar discounts should be achievable at Apple's own retail stores."

[currentinterest]

A discount often overlooked for buying online is sales tax. At around 9% in many places, its absence provides a built-in discount the Apple store will not match.

[portent]

Originally Posted by Mindflux

You missed the part about how Best Buy's isn't an instant rebate.

Apparently, so did Best Buy.

Originally Posted by Best Buy

Sometimes, manufacturers require that products be advertised at their suggested price. When we choose to sell these items for less, we display the sale price only in the cart.

Originally Posted by Tallest Skil

Did you read the article? "...similar discounts should be achievable at Apple's own retail stores."

I read it; it's speculation, and I am confident that it will turn out to be wrong. No way will Apple match unadvertised discounts. Nobody matches unadvertised pricing.

[Mindflux]

Originally Posted by portent

Apparently, so did Best Buy.

Nowhere in the article did it say it had to be the advertised price. It can be in the in cart price, the online price, the price is right, etc.

[midniteriver]

This is not a new program. It has been in place since at least 2005.

[portent]

Originally Posted by Mindflux

Nowhere in the article did it say it had to be the advertised price. It can be in the in cart price, the online price, the price is right, etc.

Hate to break it to you, but the article is not Gospel. It's speculation about a rumored policy. I think the rumor of price-matching is likely true, but no way will Apple be matching unadvertised prices.

It woud be quite a retail innovation for Apple to match unadvertised pricing. Retailers that do price matching won't match anything that's not on paper. As in, a newspaper or retail flyer, professionally printed.

Nobody matches internet prices; there are to many shady internet shops out there selling stripped/unboxed/ merchandise.

[DaveTheGrey]

Cro-Mag Ralley and Nanosaur 2 for 0,99$
wohoo thanks MacRumors

[twoodcc]

should be interesting to see this happen. i wonder if the economy is having an impact on this decision, or is apple just trying to get more macs out there? either way, i'm excited to see that apple marketshare go up

[arn]

Originally Posted by portent

It woud be quite a retail innovation for Apple to match unadvertised pricing. Retailers that do price matching won't match anything that's not on paper. As in, a newspaper or retail flyer, professionally printed.

Nobody matches internet prices; there are to many shady internet shops out there selling stripped/unboxed/ merchandise.

Portent may be right, there may be a lot of conditions to these policies... though the question is if this counts as specific enough advertising:



arn

[freeny]

Any one find a discount on a 20" cinema display?

[kimsharma]

I am not sure why this is news - I have price matched two items over the past 4 years in the Apple stores
1. iPod (60 GB iPod in Costco was cheaper, this was in 2004 )
2. MacbookPro - I think BB was cheaper by $100 or something.


They are quite OK with that from what I understand as long as it is a physical store + authorized dealer - you just need to ask. They will keep your printout though... happened on both occasions.

Hope this helps.