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Advantage to buying at a retail store?

V

vegasj76

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 23, 2009
30
0
I'm considering buying my first Mac online from either Amazon or Macmall. I'm leaning toward online purchase to avoid the sales tax, even though there is a retail store 2 mi away from me. After paying for overnight shipping, I'm looking at a saving of about $110 if I buy online.

So other than having it quicker, are there any good reasons to buy it at the retail store? I.e., retail offers incentives to negate the sales tax, or you can't bring the mac into the store for warranty repairs unless you bought it in the store, etc... I'm not a student/educator, so the back to school special doesn't help me.

Also, if anyone can recommend some other good reputable sites to purchase a mac from, that would be great!

Thanks in advance.
 
I think the biggest reason would be that you could exercise the return policy. Things happen, so if somethings in your life happens soon and you have to return it then you're better of in retail.

That's really the only thing I see; peace of mind. That and you get it right away, which is great for people like me who has money burning a whole in their pocket.
 
You dont have to purchase a Mac at an apple store to bring it in for repairs though applecare.

I bought my mac at the apple store because I couldnt stand to wait for my mac to ship to me though the system. I also work for UPS and know what kind of shape boxes go through and i would rather put the box on my lap nice and safe for the ride home.

State Sales Tax < Shipping Fees


The experience at an Apple Store of buying an Apple Computer is worth buying it there.
 
realestatesteve said:
I think the biggest reason would be that you could exercise the return policy. Things happen, so if somethings in your life happens soon and you have to return it then you're better of in retail.

That's really the only thing I see; peace of mind. That and you get it right away, which is great for people like me who has money burning a whole in their pocket.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the "have it tonight" part makes it really tempting, but when $100+ savings is involved, I have at least think about it ;)
 
creon said:
I also work for UPS and know what kind of shape boxes go through and i would rather put the box on my lap nice and safe for the ride home.
Click to expand...

I used to think the same thing, but you can't really get around shipping can you? If you get it shipped to your house, great. If you get it from the Apple store, wasn't it shipped there too in the first place?
 
creon said:
You dont have to purchase a Mac at an apple store to bring it in for repairs though applecare.

I bought my mac at the apple store because I couldnt stand to wait for my mac to ship to me though the system. I also work for UPS and know what kind of shape boxes go through and i would rather put the box on my lap nice and safe for the ride home.

State Sales Tax < Shipping Fees


The experience at an Apple Store of buying an Apple Computer is worth buying it there.
Click to expand...

I have to pay 7.75 sales tax. For the system I want, that's about $155. Amazon is free ground shipping, or something like +$30 for 2-day.
 
realestatesteve said:
I used to think the same thing, but you can't really get around shipping can you? If you get it shipped to your house, great. If you get it from the Apple store, wasn't it shipped there too in the first place?
Click to expand...

True, but thats one less trip it could have taken. I know some people cannot go and pick it up; but if you can do it.

Shipping to the apple store is usually done in bulk with pallets. Pallets are a lot more safer in shipping than a box that has to go through chutes, slides and conveyers.
 
creon said:
True, but thats one less trip it could have taken. I know some people cannot go and pick it up; but if you can do it.

Shipping to the apple store is usually done in bulk with pallets. Pallets are a lot more safer in shipping than a box that has to go through chutes, slides and conveyers.
Click to expand...

Hmm yeah I would probably have to kill something if my after a 2 day wait, my new mac showed up smashed from poor shipping.
 
realestatesteve said:
Good call; didn't think about that.
Click to expand...

After seeing an iMac box 15 feet from a chute at UPS I made a personal choice not to ship any future Apple Computers.

*I know that FedEx Ships Apple, but in the world of shipping across the United States & the World its all the same.*
 
vegasj76 said:
I meant 7.75% sales tax, making the $1999.00 system I want about $155 in taxes.
Click to expand...

Yea, I see your point. I guess it boils down to what you want. I couldn't wait the couple days for it and liked the idea of buying it and taking it out of the box and inspecting dead pixels and all those other new machine flaws with a Genius.

If you are patient go ahead and order it but make sure you have read the literature very clearly of their return policy. If you are informed then you should be in the clear.
 
creon said:
Yea, I see your point. I guess it boils down to what you want. I couldn't wait the couple days for it and liked the idea of buying it and taking it out of the box and inspecting dead pixels and all those other new machine flaws with a Genius.

If you are patient go ahead and order it but make sure you have read the literature very clearly of their return policy. If you are informed then you should be in the clear.
Click to expand...

The "iMac being dropped 15 feet down a chute" is lingering in my head. I might just have to spend the extra $ so I don't have those kinds of nightmares for the next 2 days lol.
 
vegasj76 said:
The "iMac being dropped 15 feet down a chute" is lingering in my head. I might just have to spend the extra $ so I don't have those kinds of nightmares for the next 2 days lol.
Click to expand...

Same here, lol. I'm about to buy a MBP, and decided to go to the store. Just an FYI, with the education discount the prices between Amazon vs. Apple Store are much easier to manage. Even better, it counts towards their peripherals too. Once I snapped to this, my decision was made to go to the retail Apple store tomorrow morning.
 
realestatesteve said:
Same here, lol. I'm about to buy a MBP, and decided to go to the store. Just an FYI, with the education discount the prices between Amazon vs. Apple Store are much easier to manage. Even better, it counts towards their peripherals too. Once I snapped to this, my decision was made to go to the retail Apple store tomorrow morning.
Click to expand...

Yeah, unfortunately I don't fall into that category. The closest I can get is my girlfriend is a cosmetologist instructor at a beauty school, but that school doesn't show up on Apple's site :(
 
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