Best Buy Says iPhone X Costs $100 Extra at Full Price Because Flexibility Sometimes 'Has a Cost'

[MacRumors]

Best Buy began accepting iPhone X pre-orders alongside Apple at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time today, but several customers quickly realized that the electronics retailer is charging an extra $100 for the smartphone at full price.

Apple charges $999 or $1,149 for the iPhone X with 64GB or 256GB of storage in the United States. Best Buy charges $1,099 or $1,249 online and in stores for the equivalent models on a Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint account.

In a statement issued to MacRumors, Best Buy said its prices reflect a customer's ability to "get a phone the way they want."

"Our prices reflect the fact that no matter a customer's desired plan or carrier, or whether a customer is on a business or personal plan, they are able to get a phone the way they want at Best Buy. Our customers have told us they want this flexibility and sometimes that has a cost," a Best Buy spokesperson told MacRumors.

A customer ordering an iPhone X through Apple also has the flexibility of choosing their desired carrier and plan, so Best Buy's statement doesn't really justify why the device costs $100 more at its stores.

Best Buy representatives in stores, on the phone, and on Twitter have provided mixed answers about its price matching policy for the iPhone X. A company spokesperson simply linked us to Best Buy's price matching policy in general.

Best Buy also charges $100 more for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus at full retail price in the United States.

Article Link: Best Buy Says iPhone X Costs $100 Extra at Full Price Because Flexibility Sometimes 'Has a Cost'

 

[sputnikv]

price gouging

 

[Andres Cantu]

People willl just get it elsewhere, then.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

People still shop there?

 

[Rayban]

"Best" Buy

 

[YoitsTmac]

business or personal plan, they are able to get a phone the way they want at Best Buy.

Lol, or they could have just gotten it at apple for the same price. Am I right in saying nobody "wants" to shop at Best Buy?

 

[filmantopia]

That’s some capitalist logic for you.

 

[1369281]

Ironically, Best Buy does price matching...

 

[jfreak623]

apple needs to shut them down for gouging. I hate buying from them anymore anyway. Everything I have bought lately has restocking fees. They even tried to charge me $150 to return a product that didn't work out of the box.

 

[peglegjack]

Haha....no.

Just no.

 

[WWPD]

Best Buy thinks they can get away with this? Not too long ago they were in financial trouble, then they started price matching and turning it around. Stupid move BB.

 

[bliggs]

Nothing new here. They do this with every iPhone launch.

Glad that Mac Rumors called them out on it this time though

 

[joshwenke]

They have the flexibility to decrease the prices of Apple products (as they buy them in bulk), like they do with gift cards and their occasional special promotions. They also have the ability to increase prices.

 

[YoungLay]

This is very interesting, I would like to see the idiots that actually purchased from them!!

 

[mi7chy]

This is nothing new. Best Buy price has always been higher around release day unless you're smart enough to price match.

 

[nfl46]

I almost purchased one from there to get the Nov 3rd date, then change my mind. Really can't wait until they shut BB down! That is ridiculous that they are defending the extra $100.

 

[FrozenDarkness]

ironically, my flexibility in not shopping at bestbuy results in LOWER costs

 

[BB8]

I really hope Best Buy gets Blockbuster'd one of these days.

 

[edk99]

I have a Best buy a mile away from me and haven't been in the store in years. Who still goes to best buy? Everything in that store can be had elsewhere or online for cheaper.

 

[BondFancy]

Ironically, Best Buy does price matching...

This. So dumb. Price match it to Apple, lol.

 

[Ds6778]

No. It’s called they want a “kickback” from carriers for adding new lines and upgrades. Buying at full price from them does nothing so they charge more to deter it.

 

[AppleFan91]

Why don’t they just call it like it is? They are trying to make money off of it. The carriers pay them when a customer purchases a device on a device payment plan. If a customer buys it outright, Best Buy doesn’t make any money and that’s a phone they won’t get paid on by the carrier. To offset that, they charge $100 more.

When I worked there it was $50 though. But yeah Best Buy, go ahead and say it’s for “flexibility”. People would respect it more if you just said it’s because you don’t get paid otherwise.

 

[stopthenonsense]

If people will pay it, then BB can charge it.

 

[jschu22]

Because all the time, Best Buy "sucks".

 

[morcutt11]

LOL - You're paying for the convenience of buying from Best Buy, which really isn't a best-buy. A surcharge for privilege - nice.