Apple Launches 2022 Back to School Offer: Up to $150 Gift Card With Mac or iPad

[izzy0242mr]

That effectively makes the “old” M1 Air $749. Great deal and plenty of computer for the average student.

Nope, it's still $899 unless you 100% for sure were already going to buy some other Apple accessories or apps that are worth $150~. For me, who wouldn't want to buy anything else, I'd rather have $150 off the price of the Mac. But since you can't use the gift card for the Mac purchase or applecare+ for it, it's not actually a discount. It's just "buy this, get discount on something else, assuming you had already planned to get something else"

Students would largely be better off (like most people, but especially when budgets are tight) buying a used laptop that's a few years old but in very good condition. I've done that for years and never had any issues with any of my Macs. And saved quite frankly thousands of dollars over the years.

 

[CJF93]

Picking up the MBA2. Guess I'll add the iPad Mini 6 with this gift card 😅

 

[EugW]

I wish the Mac Studio was included in the list. That's what I was hoping for 🥲

Yeah, colour me surprised. I guess demand is high enough for that already.

 

[noone]

remembering fondly when you got a free iPod

They also used to give rebates for free printers with the purchase of a mac, but I think that was available to everyone, not back to school customers.

 

[Bremse]

$150 isn’t bad. I thought they were gonna cut it down to $100.

But AirPods are $180. BTS promo slowly gets worse and worse.

You can get AirPods at significant discounts outside of the Apple Store. Costco, Best Buy, Amazon, etc frequently have them on sale. If you want AirPods just buy them there. I’d spring for the Pro‘s. They were $175 recently. If you get a Mac eligible for the $150 GC you get a better deal than last year. Of course, that assumes you have a use for the GC (apps, subscriptions, accessories not often discounted elsewhere, etc). For me this year is much better since the family already has AirPods and we subscribe to several Apple services so can use the GC there. Selling AirPods usually doesnt give a good return since there are so many fake ones and many discounts available from legitimate 3rd party merchants.

 

[EugW]

Nope, it's still $899 unless you 100% for sure were already going to buy some other Apple accessories or apps that are worth $150~. For me, who wouldn't want to buy anything else, I'd rather have $150 off the price of the Mac. But since you can't use the gift card for the Mac purchase or applecare+ for it, it's not actually a discount. It's just "buy this, get discount on something else, assuming you had already planned to get something else"

I wonder if you can sell these gift cards. For most mainstream physical gift cards and gift card codes, you can sell them through online gift card stores, which IIRC typically offer about 80% of the gift card value or sometimes more.

This is a lot easier than trying to sell AirPods.

 

[OneSon]

What is the expiring time on these gift cards usually? I can't find it in the T+Cs

 

[DMND-Supplier12]

You can't. Gift card balances or gift cards can't be used for purchasing Apple Care after the original order. They ask for a credit card number even if you have a sufficient balance.

I know this from experience.

This is only true if you are doing monthly payments for AC. If you pay in full you can use the gift card immediately after you the purchase the machine. Monthly is a recurring charge and needs a billable source, which would not work a gift card.

 

[izzy0242mr]

I wonder if you can sell these gift cards. For most mainstream physical gift cards and gift card codes, you can sell the through online gift card stores, which IIRC typically offer about 80% of the gift card value or sometimes more.

If you can then that would be awesome. It would actually help students save money if they weren't already going to buy it anyways. (and if you're already planning to spend $130+ on wireless earbuds...you're not the person who would benefit the most from a discount in the first place).

 

[BeatCrazy]

Nope, it's still $899 unless you 100% for sure were already going to buy some other Apple accessories or apps that are worth $150~. For me, who wouldn't want to buy anything else, I'd rather have $150 off the price of the Mac. But since you can't use the gift card for the Mac purchase or applecare+ for it, it's not actually a discount. It's just "buy this, get discount on something else, assuming you had already planned to get something else"

Students would largely be better off (like most people, but especially when budgets are tight) buying a used laptop that's a few years old but in very good condition. I've done that for years and never had any issues with any of my Macs. And saved quite frankly thousands of dollars over the years.

Assuming you have >$150 in Apple Store/iTunes credit in your account, then it is an instant discount. Just use $150 of your balance to put towards your Mac, then "refill" or apply the Gift Card balance to your same account when you get it.

 

[Return Zero]

Nope, it's still $899 unless you 100% for sure were already going to buy some other Apple accessories or apps that are worth $150~. For me, who wouldn't want to buy anything else, I'd rather have $150 off the price of the Mac. But since you can't use the gift card for the Mac purchase or applecare+ for it, it's not actually a discount. It's just "buy this, get discount on something else, assuming you had already planned to get something else"

Students would largely be better off (like most people, but especially when budgets are tight) buying a used laptop that's a few years old but in very good condition. I've done that for years and never had any issues with any of my Macs. And saved quite frankly thousands of dollars over the years.

I mean, you're technically right, but for anyone with Apple Music/iCloud subscriptions, or with anything else they might have normally purchased (watch, iPad, accessories, etc.), it's essentially the same as a discount. Applecare+ to me is a huge rip off - I have never purchased it, nor needed it. However I do have the premier Apple One plan, so this will pay off in 5 months or whatever.

 

[reallynotnick]

Picking up the MBA2. Guess I'll add the iPad Mini 6 with this gift card 😅

Just keep in mind the iPad Air comes with a $100 GC and the iPad Mini does not (and yes you can get both a Mac and an iPad deal, just not more than one of each)

 

[izzy0242mr]

Assuming you have >$150 in Apple Store/iTunes credit in your account, then it is an instant discount. Just use $150 of your balance to put towards your Mac, then "refill" or apply the Gift Card balance to your same account when you get it.

Sure, but I don't think most students have $150 in Apple credit sitting around already. And that still assumes they're going to be spending that somewhere as it is.

My point is that this discount isn't the most beneficial for students who are on a tight budget and need to save money. But I guess they wouldn't be buying brand new computers if so, either, so maybe it's a moot point.

 

[izzy0242mr]

I mean, you're technically right, but for anyone with Apple Music/iCloud subscriptions, or with anything else they might have normally purchased (watch, iPad, accessories, etc.), it's essentially the same as a discount. Applecare+ to me is a huge rip off - I have never purchased it, nor needed it. However I do have the premier Apple One plan, so this will pay off in 5 months or whatever.

That's fair. I didn't think about subscriptions. I don't have any Apple subscriptions at all so that wouldn't be much use to me; I'd rather just have an additional $150 off my purchase price. But that is a good point.

 

[Bremse]

This is only true if you are doing monthly payments for AC. If you pay in full you can use the gift card immediately after you the purchase the machine. Monthly is a recurring charge and needs a billable source, which would not work a gift card.

You can use your Apple ID balance for recurring charges. You just load the GC to your Apple ID. Been doing that for iCloud and other services, including month-to-month apple care on wife’s iPhone.

 

[sw1tcher]

Has anyone had any luck getting Best Buy to match the free gift card? I seem to recall people getting BB to match the free AirPods, in the past.

Um, promo just started today. I don't think any Best Buy stores were open the minute the promo launched or when this story was posted at 5:08 AM

 

[CJF93]

Just keep in mind the iPad Air comes with a $100 GC and the iPad Mini does not (and yes you can get both a Mac and an iPad deal, just not more than one of each)

Completely forgot about the Air. Just might, since it has the M1 Chip.

 

[jcampa70]

What about orders placed at the education store in June and expected for delivery in late July-august, they are elegible for the promotion?

 

[BeatCrazy]

Um, promo just started today. I don't think any Best Buy stores were open the minute the promo launched or when this story was posted at 5:08 AM

Not today, I'm talking about when Apple gave gift cards in the past.

Apple's Back-To-School Promotion Is Back

Now's the time to get that new laptop for college.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[Return Zero]

That effectively makes the “old” M1 Air $749. Great deal and plenty of computer for the average student.

That's a nice price indeed. I think the best deal here is actually the base iPad Air, especially with the new software changes coming. Proper external display support and better multitasking--this is easily the cheapest way to get an M1 device (essentially $450 after discount and gift card taken into account). Now, if only it could run macOS...

 

[kltmom]

$150 isn’t bad. I thought they were gonna cut it down to $100.

But AirPods are $180. BTS promo slowly gets worse and worse.

That's assuming Apple would have been giving out 3rd generation AirPods, and not 2nd gens. Knowing Apple, they would have given out the 2nd gens if they went the "free AirPods" route. And these days more often than not, you can find 2nd gens on sale for $99. I bought my 3rd gens for $139 at Costco just a few months ago, and I routinely still find them on sale for $150-160 not just at Costco but Best Buy, Target, etc. I would much rather have the $150 gift card. And not just because I already have the 3rd gens, but simply because the gift card gives us the choice to get what we want. Some may want the 3rd or even 2nd gens instead, perhaps to sell them for cash and therefore really get whatever they want without being limited to buying something at Apple, but by the time you factor in all the fees and all the extra hassle, it's really not worth it, at least to me, especially when the market gets flooded with everyone trying to sell off their free AirPods, plus the fact that they are discounted frequently, etc.

 

[jlc1978]

What about orders placed at the education store in June and expected for delivery in late July-august, they are elegible for the promotion?

I doubt it. May have to cancel and reorder.

 

[sbagg89]

Really disappointed that Mac mini isn’t included in this… what gives??

 

[BeatCrazy]

What about orders placed at the education store in June and expected for delivery in late July-august, they are elegible for the promotion?

You'll need to cancel and re-order as the gift card is 'triggered' when you have it on the original invoice. No way to add it to an existing order number, unless you want to try calling Apple (potentially a huge waste of time + frustration).

 

[CJF93]

What about orders placed at the education store in June and expected for delivery in late July-august, they are elegible for the promotion?

You may have to call and see if they are willing to work with ya - otherwise, you may have to cancel.