Apple's Black Friday Sales Begin Launching Internationally with Gift Card Deals

[MacRumors]

Apple's online stores for several countries including Australia and New Zealand have launched their Black Friday one-day shopping events, also giving an idea of what promotions will be like as the event launches in a number of other countries over the coming hours.

As rumored, Apple is offering offering gift cards with purchases rather than direct discounts on most items. While many customers would prefer discounts over free gift cards, others may appreciate that the gift card offers typically represent better deals than seen with discounts in past years.

Gift cards are available with the purchase of the following items (prices from Australian store):

- iPad Air: A$ 75 gift card
- iPad mini: A$ 50 gift card on non-Retina models, no gift card on Retina models
- iPad 2: A$ 50 gift card
- iPod touch: A$ 50 gift card
- iPod nano: A$ 25 gift card
- MacBook Air: A$ 150 gift card
- MacBook Pro: A$ 150 gift card for both Retina and non-Retina models
- iMac: A$ 150 gift card
- Apple TV: A$ 25 gift card
- AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule: A$ 50 gift card
- Various accessories: Gift card amounts vary

Gift card amounts for customers in the U.S. and other countries should be similar and cover the same products. Sales in Apple's U.S. store should begin at midnight Pacific Time.

Some third-party retailers such as MacMall may be offering even better deals than Apple, particularly when sales tax difference and discounts vs. gift cards are taken into account, and we've put together several overviews of deals for Macs and iPads. Additional deals are summarized in our Black Friday roundup.

Article Link: Apple's Black Friday Sales Begin Launching Internationally with Gift Card Deals

 

[JayCee842]

I'd rather go to Target and use their 20% discount coupon with a purchase of $75 or more, save $20 on the iPad Air's regular price, along with a $100 gift card that I can cash out, and use my red card (5% off) on top of that.

 

[streetkid]

Wow! That's not very inspiring. Here in the UK there have been some good discounts on all iPads, including the Retina Mini which I got for £289 a £30 saving.

 

[Jeaz]

So, if I buy say an iMac, I get a gift card I can't use right away, but rather have to spend at Apple at a second occasion?

Quite crappy offer if you ask me. Sure, it's a bit more value than before, but would rather have had to discount up front.

 

[j.moreno271]

What?? No discount on the retina iPad mini?? Thats dumb.

 

[slyk]

I wonder if these deals will stack with employer discounts? For example, the federal employee or education discount.

 

[munakib]

Best. Best. Best! Black Friday deals at Apple Store is Best....no, not really.

 

[Laco]

Is there a student discount in addition to this? If that is the case then this is a pretty good deal.

 

[JonathanK81]

I bought a Retina MBP on the 11th, anybody know if they will somehow still give me the gift card? I know it's out of the 14 day window. Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[SusanK]

So, if I buy say an iMac, I get a gift card I can't use right away, but rather have to spend at Apple at a second occasion?

Quite crappy offer if you ask me. Sure, it's a bit more value than before, but would rather have had to discount up front.

Agree. One less stop to make tomorrow.

 

[Rogifan]

What?? No discount on the retina iPad mini?? Thats dumb.

Are no other retailers offering a discount?

 

[Vladislav]

Is there a student discount in addition to this? If that is the case then this is a pretty good deal.

is anyone here knows for sure that those gift cards dont have an expiration dates? I mean for example i want to use mine gift card on iphone 6 next year, will it be possible?

 

[Northgrove]

Bah. I found the earlier deals much more tempting, seeing all those prices change on the official site. The prices that almost never change. So it was quite "special". Gift cards to spend on something else than what you purchase? hmm

 

[TraceyS/FL]

I'd rather go to Target and use their 20% discount coupon with a purchase of $75 or more, save $20 on the iPad Air's regular price, along with a $100 gift card that I can cash out, and use my red card (5% off) on top of that.

But they might not have Airs tomorrow when the 20% coupon is available, even if it is a better deal (unless you live in a state that they aren't open tonight).

I'd rather have the 20% off coupon on what i'm hoping to buy tonight - but I can't risk not getting it for the discount tonight. Especially since I have a couple of others I might be able to stack with it....

Oh but wait, isn't the coupon good starting next week and not tomorrow anyway?

ETA: Yes, the 20% off is valid Dec 1-7

 

[KPOM]

What?? No discount on the retina iPad mini?? Thats dumb.

How so? They can't make them fast enough to sell right now.

 

[doboy]

I'd rather go to Target and use their 20% discount coupon with a purchase of $75 or more, save $20 on the iPad Air's regular price, along with a $100 gift card that I can cash out, and use my red card (5% off) on top of that.

Actually, I saw the fine print on that 20% coupon on slickdeals.net and it excludes Apple, Bose, etc.

 

[KPOM]

is anyone here knows for sure that those gift cards dont have an expiration dates? I mean for example i want to use mine gift card on iphone 6 next year, will it be possible?

I believe in many states gift cards can't expire anymore. Here is what it says on the website:

Apple Store Gift Cards are issued and managed by Apple Value Services, LLC (“Issuer”) and can be applied only to purchases from an Apple Retail Store, the Apple Online Store, or Apple Telesales (1-800-MY-APPLE) in the United States. Apple Store Gift Cards may not be redeemed at the iTunes Store, through any Apple resellers or any AT&T retail or online stores, or any Verizon retail or online stores, or any Sprint retail or online store, or at any Apple Online Store, Apple Telesales or Apple Retail Store outside the United States. Apple Store Gift Cards are not redeemable for cash (except as required by law), cannot be applied as payment to any account, and cannot be used to purchase additional Apple Store Gift Cards, mobile phone contracts or service plans, and cannot be used for purchases for shipment outside the United States or for any other products or services as determined by Apple and Issuer in their sole discretion. Apple’s Sales and Refund Policy governs all purchases made with an Apple Store Gift Card. Neither Issuer nor Apple is responsible for any loss or damage resulting from lost or stolen gift cards or use without your permission. For your card’s balance or claims, call Issuer at 888-320-3301. For additional Apple Store Gift Card information and to see exclusions and limitations, visit www.apple.com/legal/sales_policies/retail_us.html and www.apple.com/iphone/gift. Not for resale. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Use of this Apple Store Gift Card is governed by the laws of the State of Virginia. Receipt of an Apple Store Gift Card does not guarantee purchase of any item. Apple Store Gift Card terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. TM and © 2009 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.

I don't know about Virginia law, but the laws of your state would also apply if bought in the store. The policy doesn't say anything about balances expiring so my educated, non-lawyer guess is that they don't, otherwise someone or some regulator would go after them if they did and it wasn't disclosed.

 

[Tony78228]

I know never to expect much when it comes to apple on black friday

 

[FloatingBones]

So, if I buy say an iMac, I get a gift card I can't use right away, but rather have to spend at Apple at a second occasion?

Quite crappy offer if you ask me. Sure, it's a bit more value than before, but would rather have had to discount up front.

If you had to physically go to the store to use the card, I might agree. Since you can use on the online store (including app stores), I don't understand why the restriction is a huge deal.

Can you explain why you think it's a problem?

 

[KPOM]

I know never to expect much when it comes to apple on black friday

Most retail "discounts" are fabricated, anyway. True, Apple is a high margin company, but even their authorized resellers don't and can't discount by much. But the Macy's and Kohl's of the world just inflate their "regular" prices a few days a year so that they can have "40% discounts" all year round.

Anyway, one small casualty of the new approach is that it doesn't appear there will be discounted accessories. I never bought a "big ticket" item from Apple on Black Friday but have bought some slightly discounted accessories.

 

[dannyyankou]

I'd rather go to Target and use their 20% discount coupon with a purchase of $75 or more, save $20 on the iPad Air's regular price, along with a $100 gift card that I can cash out, and use my red card (5% off) on top of that.

And if you work at Target, you can save an additional 15% with your employee discount like me

 

[BJMRamage]

bah humbug.

now, Apple never did have Great Black Friday deals but these deals seriously SUCK!

I totally understand though, why discount when you can just have them buy more from you later. gets you coming back. I HATE these "deals"

oh well

 

[Mahler12x]

MacMall's deals are looking quite nice actually. Considering what you're saving just in tax it's a better deal by far.

 

[KPOM]

If you had to physically go to the store to use the card, I might agree. Since you can use on the online store (including app stores), I don't understand why the restriction is a huge deal.

Can you explain why you think it's a problem?

It basically means that you need to buy two things to benefit from the "discount." Black Friday was the one day a year that you could officially buy something from an Apple Store at less than MSRP. Now you can, but only if you make a second stop.

Anyway, next year will be the first year that Angela Ahrendts will be making th decision on what to offer (or not) on Black Friday. I don't think Burberry offers Black Friday discounts (someone buying a $150 umbrella or $400 blouse isn't looking for 10% off) but she may have new ideas for a more mass market store like Apple Retail.

 

[Laco]

is anyone here knows for sure that those gift cards dont have an expiration dates? I mean for example i want to use mine gift card on iphone 6 next year, will it be possible?

I do not think that you can use those gift cards to purchase an iphone 6. They are usually just for app and itunes stores. Also I do not think they expire. I have been using the same 100 dollar gift card for about a year and half and it still has money on it.