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Apr 12, 2001
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Readers who are disappointed with Apple's new Back to School promotion may be interested to hear that electronics retailer Best Buy is offering to match Apple's promotion with their own.

Apple recently launched their 2011 Back to School promotion. Instead of the typical iPod giveaway, Apple is now offering a $100 iTunes/App Store gift card instead. We've been told that Best Buy will be matching this promotion with a $100 Best Buy gift card for the same qualifying customers. This is an unadvertised promotion, so customers will have to ask for it specifically.

Apple's Back to School promotion is open to college students, students accepted to college, parents buying for college students or faculty/staff at any grade level. Qualifying computers include the MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, and Mac Pro.

Article Link: Best Buy to Match Back to School Promo with $100 Store Gift Card
 

campingsk8er

macrumors 6502a
Feb 4, 2011
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Elizabethtown, PA
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I think I'd rather have the apple gift card
 

mattwolfmatt

macrumors 65816
Jun 7, 2008
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I think I'd rather have the apple gift card

You can use the Best buy gift card to buy the apple card. Also, if you're a reward zone member, you get 3-5% back of your purchase back, I think.

All else being equal, the Best Buy one is a better deal.
 

ten-oak-druid

macrumors 68000
Jan 11, 2010
1,980
0
Do you get an educational discount on a computer at Best Buy though?

The Apple store on-line or on campus gives $100 or more off the computer plus the $100 for buying apps or media (music, books or movies).

The benefit of the Best buy card is you can get DVD or CD and rip it instead of just the download.
 

darknite38

macrumors regular
Nov 18, 2010
224
62
You can use the Best buy gift card to buy the apple card. Also, if you're a reward zone member, you get 3-5% back of your purchase back, I think.

All else being equal, the Best Buy one is a better deal.

You can't use gift cards to buy gift cards.
 

xdbuix

macrumors 6502
Oct 8, 2008
307
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Virginia
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I think I'd rather have the apple gift card

btw the apple gift card is good for " Mac App Store, the App Store, the iTunes Store, and the iBookstore," which isnt as good as the best buy because it doesn't say you can buy at the apple store itself. My guess is they're tryign to push for online purchases esp with Lion coming up.
 

bigp9998

macrumors regular
Dec 21, 2007
144
0
Agree that the big question here is whether or not they will match the EDU price of Apple as well. The MacBook Airs have traditionally only gotten $50 off for education, so even if BB doesn't match them, it would still be a better deal for me. I'm also really hoping now that the new 13" Air comes with 4GB RAM standard, since you can't upgrade through BB, from what I understand.
 

ratzzo

macrumors 6502a
Apr 20, 2011
829
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Madrid
Agree that the big question here is whether or not they will match the EDU price of Apple as well. The MacBook Airs have traditionally only gotten $50 off for education, so even if BB doesn't match them, it would still be a better deal for me.

When I purchased my MBP from Best Buy I asked if they had edu pricing and they said they didn't.. mm :(
 

DTphonehome

macrumors 68000
Apr 4, 2003
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So it's not open to parents of grade school children? I thought that it was. Kids are using computers at younger and younger ages now for school work.
 

robertcoogan

macrumors 6502a
Apr 5, 2008
833
1,225
Joshua Tree, California
Best Buy...???

Wow. Of course the Best Buy card will come pre-installed with a "protection" software package provided by the Geek Squad. And when you go to get one, they won't have any in stock and will offer to sell you an upgraded card for a little extra. You will ask that the card not have the extra software installed on it, and they will at first say that they can't uninstall it, then a manager will come out and say that he or she will take care of it. You'll wait 45 min to an hour and a half (your boss will be pissed, of course), but you'll eventually walk away with your upgraded card which will of course not work when you get home.

Thanks, Best Buy!
 

ratzzo

macrumors 6502a
Apr 20, 2011
829
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Madrid
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So it's not open to parents of grade school children? I thought that it was. Kids are using computers at younger and younger ages now for school work.

I guess you could just have your children buy it for you ;)
 

redshovel

macrumors 6502a
Nov 19, 2007
516
111
Yes very good but do you get the 14% off the purchase price of a MBP at Best Buy too?
 

randomrazr

macrumors 65816
Jan 1, 2011
1,209
1
best buy card is the better deal. with 100$, u can buy more than just crap off the mac app store like a sleeve for ur macbook or put it towards apple care. actually, get best buy to match the education discount on apple care which i think knocks 100 off it, than use the best buy 100 card on it too, so u get apple care cheap for macbook pro XD
 

wordoflife

macrumors 604
Jul 6, 2009
7,564
37
Yes very good but do you get the 14% off the purchase price of a MBP at Best Buy too?

Wait a second! Good point.
Is BestBuy knocking the price of the computer down and providing this card -or- just giving the card with standard prices?
 

Wayfarer

macrumors 65816
Jun 15, 2007
1,225
601
I love Best Buy but no education discount = no sale.

Win, epic fail sauce or stalemate? You decide.

lol.gif
 
Unless Best Buy is matching the $100 off the MBP for edu pricing then going with BB would be a silly idea. While some may not like the $100 iTunes card at least ur getting $100 off the computer as well. Oh and don't forget $66 off AppleCare on the 13 and $110 off AppleCare on the 15 when u buy through Apple! Oh and the $99 printer rebate as well, so check first or you could miss out on $300 worth of discounts and offers through Apple.
 
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