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ymelnyk

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 4, 2009
4
0
Brooklyn, NY
Would like to bring to your attention the following:
Best Buy has a promotion going on right now when purchasing MacBook Pro/Air you get a $150 gift card from Best Buy! Great Deal! Got my new Mac Air today along with a gift card. I was asked to show my school ID.
 

malman89

macrumors 68000
May 29, 2011
1,651
6
Michigan
Sounds great. Their $100 deal last year was already better than the useless (for most students) App/iTunes store gift card, but now offering more than Apple? Total waste buying from Apple over BB.
 

JediSkipdogg

macrumors member
Feb 13, 2009
48
0
Did they give you any money off the computer as well or just the gift card? Is this advertised anywhere? I'm thinking of trying it in the morning and see what I can get out of it.
 

ymelnyk

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 4, 2009
4
0
Brooklyn, NY
Did they give you any money off the computer as well or just the gift card? Is this advertised anywhere? I'm thinking of trying it in the morning and see what I can get out of it.


I got a BB gift card. It was not advertised anywhere, I just asked if they had promotions for students.
 

KylePowers

macrumors 68000
Mar 5, 2011
1,688
197
Did they give you any money off the computer as well or just the gift card? Is this advertised anywhere? I'm thinking of trying it in the morning and see what I can get out of it.
Last year they discounted the laptops by $50 or so, and gave you a $100 giftcard. Looks like they're not discounting it at all and just giving you a $150 giftcard. Almost the same thing, but you're essentially giving Best Buy back $150 now instead of $100.
 

smallnshort247

macrumors 6502a
Oct 23, 2010
531
8
I know on top of the $100 gift card Apple gives students, they also give students discounts on the Macs themselves. So up to 200ish off a Mac plus a $100 gift card sounds like a good deal to me.
 

ymelnyk

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 4, 2009
4
0
Brooklyn, NY
Last year they discounted the laptops by $50 or so, and gave you a $100 giftcard. Looks like they're not discounting it at all and just giving you a $150 giftcard. Almost the same thing, but you're essentially giving Best Buy back $150 now instead of $100.

Agree, but you now have a $150 to spend other things that you might need. That is why you might consider buying it directly from apple and getting only $50 dollar discount for MBA. Different purchasing options are available pick one that fits you best.
 

RUGERMAN

macrumors regular
Jun 12, 2010
242
26
Agree, but you now have a $150 to spend other things that you might need. That is why you might consider buying it directly from apple and getting only $50 dollar discount for MBA. Different purchasing options are available pick one that fits you best.

Apple student discount is $50 on the MBA and $100 on the MBP so you are at least breaking even or could be $50 ahead by buying at the apple store. Do your home work on the model you want.
 

palpatine

macrumors 68040
May 3, 2011
3,130
45
Apple student discount is $50 on the MBA and $100 on the MBP so you are at least breaking even or could be $50 ahead by buying at the apple store. Do your home work on the model you want.

Actually, BB sells the MBA at full price, gives you 150 as a BB gift card, and you can then use that BB gift card to buy 175 in iTunes cards. In other words, you get 175 dollars back. In addition, you accumulate reward points at BB, which can then be used to purchase more iTunes cards. I think you earn something like 5 for every 250 you spend, so an MBA will earn you an extra 20 in BB gift cards. This can then be turned around to purchase more iTunes cards, and you are up over 200.

I usually prefer to buy at Apple, because I feel much more comfortable there about returns and exchanges (great experiences in the past), but this year I think BB has made me an offer I cannot refuse :)
 

DrTwoFish

macrumors member
Nov 25, 2008
64
26
I picked up a base MPBR last night (first one in the store!), and they gave me both the $1999 student/faculty price *as well as* a $150 gift card. Used part of that to score a portable external TB drive to make up for this puny SSD :)
 

Horvo

macrumors newbie
Jun 12, 2012
4
0
Is really up to each individual BB store? Some will do it and some won't? Or is there some store policy that is online? Thanks
 

malman89

macrumors 68000
May 29, 2011
1,651
6
Michigan
Is really up to each individual BB store? Some will do it and some won't? Or is there some store policy that is online? Thanks

What I've seen from forum responses is it's mostly just due to specific salespersons not being aware of the policy. BB should match Apple edu pricing on anything (if not beat it in some occasions) and give a gift card as well.
 

ymelnyk

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 4, 2009
4
0
Brooklyn, NY
What I've seen from forum responses is it's mostly just due to specific salespersons not being aware of the policy. BB should match Apple edu pricing on anything (if not beat it in some occasions) and give a gift card as well.

Completely agree with you. That is why I not a huge fan of huge retail stores, employees have no idea of what is going on with promotions (very often). Best Buy needs to do a better job with delivering correct information to the employees.
 

OSXjamel

macrumors newbie
Jan 1, 2012
24
0
Man in all I would be getting $663 (including previous GFs) off a MacBook 11.6 . I wanna jump on this so bad
 

malman89

macrumors 68000
May 29, 2011
1,651
6
Michigan
Anyone know when this deal expires? Is this available in store only or online as well?

Probably along the same time as the Apple edu offering, or I could be mistaken if it's open ended/year round, someone more informed could chime in.

Also think it's limited to in-store, but could be wrong. Closest one is about 2 miles away, so I never order anything from BB online if I get anything from them.
 

JediSkipdogg

macrumors member
Feb 13, 2009
48
0
I just received the deal today after reading about it in this thread....

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1387242/

I was told I may be the last "easy" one receiving it. Supposedly the stores just got their email this morning officially about the promotion. I did not ask for the end date but supposedly you will have to sign up on BestBuy.com using an .Edu email address to have the coupon sent to there. You bring the coupon in the store and then you will be able to get the gift card. If I find out anymore I'll pass it along.
 

drewyboy

macrumors 65816
Jan 27, 2005
1,385
1,467
so clarification needs to be had on this... does best buy give you the edu pricing + 150 or full price + 150? If the latter, apple is better (100 off plus 100 mac app store card)
 

JediSkipdogg

macrumors member
Feb 13, 2009
48
0
so clarification needs to be had on this... does best buy give you the edu pricing + 150 or full price + 150? If the latter, apple is better (100 off plus 100 mac app store card)

I think technically it is suppose to be ONLY the $150. The guys (about 10 of them that helped me today) all said it was their equivalent of the Apple Education discount. Those getting both are having managers not follow Best Buy policy and are getting lucky. They told me since obviously they were not aware of the double Apple promotion when they came up with theirs, they would make mine equal to theirs ($50 off laptop and $150 gift card.)

The only thing I hated is I had to buy mine at a Best Buy while on vacation and the sales tax added another $44 to the cost, however, with Best Buy rewards, it comes out to only $14 more. I just have lots of gift cards to use now, lol.
 

habe

macrumors member
Sep 1, 2011
32
0
I bought a 13" MBP for my son yesterday at BB and supposedly, as of Sunday the 18th, the BB offer has been reduced to a $100 (which was applied directly to the purchase price).
 

nevets007

macrumors newbie
Dec 21, 2008
7
0
I think you can get a better deal at the Apple store. I'm in the market for a new computer and you get a minimum of $150 off including discount and $100 gift card.

For example if you purchase the iMac 27 regular price at $1699 you get $100 off the purchase with student discount and the $100 gift card. Also if your purchasing AppleCare for your computer Apple gives a big discount for students.

If you know what you want, shop around. B&H Photo sometimes gives a good deal.

:apple:
 

GodWhomIsMike

macrumors 6502a
Sep 24, 2007
580
2
Best Buy is going one or the other.

Pay FULL PRICE on the Mac and get a $150 gift card

or

Just get it at the academic price without the Back to School stuff



Tuesday night they told me they would do both. I pay off the CC, and go today.

Today they tell me one or the other. I tell them that it's online, and they told me the other night they would do it. Nothing. They told me "then go buy it from Apple."
 

emaja

macrumors 68000
May 3, 2005
1,706
11
Chicago, IL
Best Buy is going one or the other.

There is obviously confusion on BB's part where some stores are not honoring the stated policy and making the mistake of doing both.

It's nice in some ways to have the $150 from BB though since it can be used for more than just iTunes. You can still buy $50 or so in ITMS cards and use the rest for whatever you want.
 
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