Are Mac Minis in Apple Stores? (to see, not buy)

[Floop]

Hi,

I was wondering - I know the Mac mini hasn't shipped yet, but are they on display at Apple Stores yet?

If so I might swing by the Apple Store later today!

Anybody got any ideas on this - btw especially UK based people, as I would be going to the Regents Street Apple Store in London.

thanks

Floop

 

[Solafaa]

Well i think they must have them in the stores i mean whats the point of releasing them without having them avilible for people see them?

Give them a call and see for your self before doing anything.

 

[Floop]

They *announced* them, but they aren't shipping for another week.

Companies pre-announce products to generate hype and to let people know what is coming soon.

Whether they are in the stores so people can drool over them is an entirely different matter though.

I cannot phone them as I have no phone right now, thats why I posted here.

 

[Applespider]

Mini's are released in the UK on Jan 29 so I guess the store will be unlikely to have any much before that.

Although yes, you can drool over them - retail stores are for the most part about instant gratification. So they may not put them out until they have at least some stock - otherwise they just have to put up with customers demanding they sell them the display model

 

[Fredstar]

Nothing has changed at the Regent Street store since MWSF so i guess they are waiting till they actually have some in stock and in the store to begin with new advertising and product displays.
I just ordered my 512mb Shuffle from the UK store and there is a 2-3 week delay!

 

[Floop]

Okay... live reporting from the Apple Store Regents Street London...


Currently there are NO Mac Minis or iPod Shuffles here


The store employees are telling me they will arrive by 'month end'


Floop

 

[xyian]

No Mini Mac yet, only Big Macs

I have been by two different Apple stores now and they still don't have them. I don't want to buy one, I just want to see it! It looks so amazing a concept.

 

[JeffTL]

Do the Apple stores ever sell their floor models, perhaps at discount when they are no longer representative of products?

 

[thrillz3]

What about iLife '05 and iWork? Were they on the computers to play with yet?

 

[iPegboy]

i was just at the somerset store in Michigan and no mini macs were found. also, i could not find iWork or an updated version of iLife on the G5 iMac i was playing on.

however, two employees had the iPod Shuffle hanging around their necks. "next week," i was told about the arrival of the products.

 

[baby duck monge]

Do the Apple stores ever sell their floor models, perhaps at discount when they are no longer representative of products?

yes, though this does not happen very often. at the apple stores i have been to, any floor models that are up for sale (as well as returned open-box items) can be found on or around a table in the back of the store. selection and availability change often, so it's good to check frequently if you're looking for something in particular.

 

[hacer54321]

I used to work for Apple and these are their policies:

JeffTL
Do the Apple stores ever sell their floor models, perhaps at discount when they are no longer representative of products?

Apple only sell their floor models once they are told my 'corporate' to remove items from the floor. They will never just pull something to sell right away. Usually they don't sell floor models until there is something newer to replace what was on display.
As far as pricing goes, there are 2 kinds of discounted pricing: Demo (items that were featured on the floor of the store) & Refreshed (items that are open box, but were returned within 14 days and are still at full operating capacity). Demo tends to be a little cheaper than Refresh, however with some of the 'demo' equipment (for example, over the summer when the new iPod click wheel was introduced, we removed all of the old 3G iPod's and sold them as demo) they tend to be beat up a little more from the wear and tear of life in the store.

Solafaa
Well i think they must have them in the stores i mean whats the point of releasing them without having them avilible for people see them?

Give them a call and see for your self before doing anything.

Floop is right. Apple often announces products, but rarely has them readily available for purchase. The only real exceptions to this have been with the 4G iPod (click wheel) and the new iPod Shuffle. The setup, artwork, and advertising in the store will never change until they actually receive both the 'demo' products and the 'for sale' products.