Wouldn’t be the first to predict Apple’s downfall. Out of the 8 billion people in the world, only 200+ Million in a year have to buy iPhones (a mixture of people new to Apple, folks with several years old phones and a few that buy phones every year). So, even if 2 billion think that the stock is over priced and 3 billion think that the iPhone costs too much, there’s still more than enough folks left to enable Apple to cross that line several times over.
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Apple Extends 2026 Back to School Promotion Until September 24
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zeus423
macrumors member
Instead of buying new, I bought a 2017 iMac at an auction on the cheap. I loaded all my old software and games that won't run past Mojave, and I updated my current iMac to Sequoia (as far as it'll go). I'll just wait until I absolutely have to buy new. Maybe by then there will be decent deals.
mlamb64150
macrumors member
Judging by the number of excluded items, it sounds like you can pretty much only buy a Macbook (as long as its not a Neo).
I remember when I bought my 1st Mac (MB Pro 17') in 2009, I got a significant discount and a free iPod in the promotion. That was a real deal-maker of a promo. These are just box-ticking exercises, that surely do not move the needle in a meaningful way whatsoever.
I remember when I bought my 1st Mac (MB Pro 17') in 2009, I got a significant discount and a free iPod in the promotion. That was a real deal-maker of a promo. These are just box-ticking exercises, that surely do not move the needle in a meaningful way whatsoever.
It’s almost like having a school sale and having the school focused devices like the Neo, iPad, and mini not included while raising those prices wasn’t a great idea.
They raised prices and enforced education verification now. So of course the sales will be down from years past. Many configs don’t even qualify for the back to school sales tax holiday in my state as they did in past years because of the higher prices. If you have to pay regular price for the device you want anyway then there is no need to rush to get it within a certain time period.
iMac The Knife
macrumors 65816
Sign of the times. My local grocery stores are starting to send out ads and coupon books in the mail, which they hadn't done in a number of years.
Grandma (and everyone) should be able to take advantage of the back to school sale. I can't think of another retailer where you have to PROVE you fit within a certain subset of education in order to take advantage of the back-to-school sales. It's so stupid.
Who doesn't love means testing, c'mon now. 😀
Bazza1
macrumors 65816
Prior to this announcement I was speaking to an Apple Store associate.
He felt that Apple was shooting itself in the foot repeatedly recently - first of all by spiking the prices to products (even in the Education side) before the new models release in mid-September; by removing the honor system for Education discount (before a new student may have the credentials to prove they're a student); and lastly, by shutting down the 'Back to Schools promotion early and before some students have received monies from grants or loans - when all the money they *might* have made in a summer job was already going towards tuition, accommodation and necessary textbooks.
This extension might help a bit, but when 'deals' may still not make up for the new price spikes, it's hard to see where Apple is going with this.
He felt that Apple was shooting itself in the foot repeatedly recently - first of all by spiking the prices to products (even in the Education side) before the new models release in mid-September; by removing the honor system for Education discount (before a new student may have the credentials to prove they're a student); and lastly, by shutting down the 'Back to Schools promotion early and before some students have received monies from grants or loans - when all the money they *might* have made in a summer job was already going towards tuition, accommodation and necessary textbooks.
This extension might help a bit, but when 'deals' may still not make up for the new price spikes, it's hard to see where Apple is going with this.
The Neo SHOULD have definitely had a promo for back to school. Even if it’s just a 50 dollar gift card. I mean this is THE device to market to students.
If what they’re saying is that “people with not-a-lot-of-money can’t afford Apple products”, that’s been the case for almost as long as they’ve been a company. I’d be willing to wager that Apple will still be in business for longer than that employee will be at Apple. Hopefully, when they’ve made that next rung up and don’t have to make any serious budget adjustments to buy their next Apple product, they’ll be thinking, “I get it now, they were marketing to the people in the demographic I’m in NOW, not the one I was in then.”
Bazza1
macrumors 65816
The associate wasn't concerned for themselves, but was reacting on what he was seeing on the sales floor and the comments he was getting from potential student purchasers. They are the demographic that they are NOW (and which Apple is pushing by this sale) and not the one they might - hopefully - be in later in life.
Not all have the benefit of couple of / several hundred extra dollars spent on a device (all to get a gift card worth less than the price spike - towards products they might not need or want), having spent the summer on a job (if they were lucky) all to cover tuition, books, accommodation and maybe, mandatory food plans. And not all have the benefit of 'The Bank of Mom and Dad', are independently wealthy, or have grants or bursaries to draw from. Or maybe for the last two, not yet. Apple's original end of the sale may have predated many of those financial resources coming in.
Its no good talking about aspirational goals based on their future lifestyle when all the student needs right now has just become out of reach.
Sure Apple will still be around regardless of whether that associate or that student buys from them. But why limit / create churn / have current users hold onto their devices longer than you want them to - all losing profit - simply because of poor timing?
turbineseaplane
macrumors Penryn
No Neo in the school sale has got to be one of the most upside down decisions I can think of.
"First time car buyer sale -- but only on sports cars and large premium SUVs"
"First time car buyer sale -- but only on sports cars and large premium SUVs"
While I’m sure a lack of supply plays into it, I question the August end date since Apple hasn’t ended their Back to School promotion before the middle of September in recent memory.
