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

[beq]

I believe they do.

I just asked about buying an unlocked iPhone from them a couple of weeks ago and the answer was that they sell "universal" iPhone, which means that you can buy the phone and later activate with any carrier. But once activated, the phone then locks to that carrier and has to be carrier unlocked in the future.

Hope this helps!

Thank you! What's funny is that if we do activate with Verizon, it should not be carrier locked as IIRC VZW is mandated to avoid carrier locking altogether.

If we activate with ATT or TMO I'm *hoping* we can request immediate carrier unlocking since we're buying the phone full price (BYOD).

 

[beq]

Is it dumb for an AT&T customer who wants an unlocked *Verizon model* (because it’s the better model with the better modem that works on all carriers) to pay 100 for this privilege?

The stupid Apple Store checkout doesn’t permit this scenario - forcing you to go through carrier confirmation UI that blocks the user from doing this.

Just went through with it.

Arrival is November 10 for 64/silver. I don't want to deal with the hassle signing up for a carrier and canceling a month later. Nearly same cost.

I rarely use my credit cards but will need to bring out for this situation. Total cost will reach $1,200. But I can cancel at anytime which is good. I need an exit without losing money.

I also just pre-ordered online. Applied for a BBY store card on the spot ($8K credit limit) to get the 5% or 10% rewards (?).

Just to confirm, BBY won't charge the pre-order until shipping?

And how does the 2-phone order limit work?

I always try to get 5 phones for all the members in our 5-line family plan (no I don't flip phones, I've never even re-sold older phones, we just gave them away or kept for spares).

Last year I waited for the SIM-free 7+ (with Qualcomm modem) and bought 5.

Anyways, I tried ordering 3 of the X 256GB Gray and BB informed me there's a 2 phone limit per customer. But then it let me order 2 of the 256 Gray and another 2 of the 256 Silver, on the same order. Should I be concerned this order will get cancelled?

I still need to get a 5th phone, will BB let me order it separately?

 

[cmaier]

I worked next door to them in Richfield for a year I spent in MN ... really sad to see what they've become. They built that campus to be a huge build they could grow into. I think when they moved in they occupied one full building of the two, and I don't think they ever ended up moving into the second. And it's purpose-built as a corporate campus so it's not like they could lease out the other half. I kinda feel like that's what's going to happen with Apple Park if Apple doesn't get their stuff together and grow. But yeah, that Minneapolis campus is sad, and I would talk to many of the employees at lunch and they were just miserable. And this was 10 years ago when the company was just off their huge growth spurt. I can't even imagine how bad the morale is now that they've closed hundreds of stores, had massive layoffs, and the outlook for the company is not good.

Apple doesn’t even fit into the new hq. they are keeping groups in other buildings all over the Cupertino/sunnyvale/Mountain View Area. They don’t need to “grow into” the new campus.
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Hmm. I disagree. Admittedly, I don't live in Minnesota, but I buy most of my electronics and appliances at Best Buy. Over the past few years, Best Buy has really stepped up to compete with Amazon and other online retailers. In fact, in many cases, Amazon simply matches the prices that Best Buy sets on electronics, TVs, movies, etc. The new layout of the stores -- at least the ones around me -- is excellent: a tech lover's paradise.

I've never quite understood why some people refer to Best Buy as "the showroom for Amazon." If the item you want happens to be cheaper on Amazon, but you happen to be in your local Best Buy, why not simply request a price match? It's super easy and I've never had an issue getting a price match. For me, it's also easier to return an item to Best Buy rather than deal with the hassle of shipping it back to Amazon.

Also, if you spend a certain amount of money per year at Best Buy, you'll qualify for their Elite status, which extends your return and price adjustment period up to 45 days. I can't tell you how much trouble and money this alone has saved me.

Here's a good article showing the strides they've made over the past 5 years:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/18/business/best-buy-amazon.html

Regarding their iPhone X pricing: I agree, the $100 increase is just bad business -- I'll be the first to admit that.

Returning item: Best Buy - drive it back to Best Buy. Amazon: printout ups label and drop it off at mailroom at work.

Plus you don’t have to deal with the sales guys trying to up sell you on product protection, unneeded cables, etc.

 

[beq]

If we buy AppleCare+ and the iPhone together at BB, will it automatically be registered (just like when we buy directly from Apple)?

Too bad BB online only sells AC+ as a monthly plan. To buy for $199 full price you have to go to a BB store in person. If that's the case, I might as well just buy the AC+ from the Apple Store. Though I'd still have to get the phone checked out as part of the manual registration, extra hassle...

 

[jdawgnoonan]

This makes me feel good about the fact that I buy nothing at Best Buy and haven’t for probably two years or more. Hopefully they go the way of Comp USA (which was a better store).

 

[mikefla]

Buncha thiefs that's why they are still in business.

-Mike
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This makes me feel good about the fact that I buy nothing at Best Buy and haven’t for probably two years or more. Hopefully they go the way of Comp USA (which was a better store).

You know I was just thinking the same CompUSA lol

-Mike

 

[pika2000]

Not sure what’s the big deal. Just buy from Apple. Bestbuy does this all the time, even in the past when they sold unlocked feature phones. They are targeting the tourist scalpers who might not know any better nor have time to buy from an Apple store. For the rest of us, we know better.

And there’s nothing wrong with this. Bestbuy has the right to sell their inventory at prices they want. Not sure why people are moaning and whining. Plenty of scalpers selling iPhones for more at eBay as well. Same concept. Supply demand. Just don’t be the demand.

 

[370zulu]

If we buy AppleCare+ and the iPhone together at BB, will it automatically be registered (just like when we buy directly from Apple)?

Too bad BB online only sells AC+ as a monthly plan. To buy for $199 full price you have to go to a BB store in person. If that's the case, I might as well just buy the AC+ from the Apple Store. Though I'd still have to get the phone checked out as part of the manual registration, extra hassle...

Best Buy added AppleCare+ to my ATV4 during my order. It showed up on my ATV4 when I checked the support site for how much warranty I had left.

 

[Mark Booth]

Recent Best Buy story... Decided it was time to upgrade to a 4K HDR TV. Did research online and then went to Best Buy's Magnolia store to have a look at prospective models. Decided I wanted a 75" Sony XBR model and told the Magnolia salesman I was willing to pay $3,899 for it (shelf price was $4,499). He said he couldn't do that. I said fine and gave him my mobile number and told him to call me when the price dropped to $3,899. But I also told him I was heading to Fry's next. So, I get to Fry's and made the same offer. The Fry's sales guy was MORE than happy to sell it for $3,899 and we did the deal. While driving home I get a call from the Magnolia guy and he's come up with some convoluted way for me to get a $450 discount off the TV (use Best Buy financing for a 10% discount and pay it off as soon as I get the payment book). I explained that I already pulled the trigger at Fry's. I think he was literally close to tears on the other end of the phone. He begged me to get a refund from Fry's and buy the set from Best Buy because now he'd match the price.

I didn't change a thing. Love the new TV too!

Mark

 

[mac_terry]

The folks that bought from BestBuy are the ones that "were not prepared" to wait haha

 

[sbuntin]

The only thing I absolutely hated about Best Buy before is the way they treat customers on their way out of the store. They assume you are stealing from them. One day I kind of said that to the guy. He said it was to make sure the product that I paid for is the right one because of so many different models and they wanted to make sure I was good to go... I must have looked at him like he was crazy and I said, wow... that's how they want you to explain that, huh?

It's pure intimidation. They have no legal basis [at least in the US] to stop anyone on the way out to check receipts. Walmart is doing the same thing, Costco has done it for years.

I say "No" and walk past them.

Costco and Sams club do have some small recourse - if they can identify you, they can revoke your membership, as the receipt-check is part of their terms of membership. Any other store? No bag check, no receipt check.
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Recent Best Buy story... Decided it was time to upgrade to a 4K HDR TV. Did research online and then went to Best Buy's Magnolia store to have a look at prospective models. Decided I wanted a 75" Sony XBR model and told the Magnolia salesman I was willing to pay $3,899 for it (shelf price was $4,499). He said he couldn't do that. I said fine and gave him my mobile number and told him to call me when the price dropped to $3,899. But I also told him I was heading to Fry's next. So, I get to Fry's and made the same offer. The Fry's sales guy was MORE than happy to sell it for $3,899 and we did the deal. While driving home I get a call from the Magnolia guy and he's come up with some convoluted way for me to get a $450 discount off the TV (use Best Buy financing for a 10% discount and pay it off as soon as I get the payment book). I explained that I already pulled the trigger at Fry's. I think he was literally close to tears on the other end of the phone. He begged me to get a refund from Fry's and buy the set from Best Buy because now he'd match the price.

I didn't change a thing. Love the new TV too!

Mark

I'd consider it, if he offered to drop another $500. That's my $200 convenience fee for wasting the first trip to Best Buy, and my $250 convenience free for dealing with the returns process at Fry's, and $50 for walking past and refusing the receipt checkers at Fry's twice.

 

[dannyyankou]

I was almost certain it was a mistake on their website. I can’t believe they’re trying to justify it.

 

[pilsener]

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'

[doublepost=1509157562][/doublepost]SHAMEFUL, and DESPICABLE that they would do this to their customers. Nothing BEST about this BUY! #WORSTBUY.

Smart move going from PRICE MATCHING to PRICE GOUGING as a way to scare away potential customers and infuriate your current ones....

As a long time Best Buy customer, I feel cheated, deceived, and taken advantage of. Best Buy would do well to remember how that worked our for Blockbuster with the ridiculous late fees they used to milk their customers for.

Yea sure, Best Buy may have milked an extra $100 off of me with for the iPhone X's I pre-ordered, but lost tens of thousands in future purchases from me. As of today, I will be taking my business elsewhere. Hope it was worth it!

 

[subjonas]

By your logic, when RSH, CCY, CUSA went away, prices went up. Did that happen? Nope. Prices are driven down by online competition, not brick and mortar. Listen to any Target, Best Buy, DSW, sporting goods stores earnings calls and you'll never hear them talking about brick and mortar competition... it's always the same... Amazon, Walmart.com, and the bazillion other online retailers eroding their business.

I’m too lazy to fact check you and try to prove you are making logical leaps. You win.

 

[jonathan1683]

I like best buy I try to buy my stuff from there whenever I can because I would hate see see another store go under and lose all those jobs. I heard an iphone only has a 6% margin because apple is too stingy with the profit margins and this is probably why they do it. The cost of returns theft and damages is probably too high for an electronics store to deal with. I can see why they would do it. No one has to buy it anyways if they don't want. Which most people won't and they probably don't even want to carry it they just have to for customer convenience.

 

[obamtl]

Isn't this the same Best Buy that was selling water for $43 during Hurricane Harvey? No surprises here.

 

[B2k1977]

The only thing I will miss about best buy when they are gone is at least for me, they are the only place I can go to touch electronics and see them in person before I go home and buy them on Amazon for less money.

 

[Howyalikdemapls]

Call the bestbuy online price matching number. I just did and they are refunding me the difference.

They’re giving me the runaround saying they won’t price match unless I pay with monthly installments =/

 

[chriscrowlee]

The only thing I will miss about best buy when they are gone is at least for me, they are the only place I can go to touch electronics and see them in person before I go home and buy them on Amazon for less money.

Most the stuff Best Buy sells now target sells as well.

 

[ryanmcv]

Returning item: Best Buy - drive it back to Best Buy. Amazon: printout ups label and drop it off at mailroom at work.

Plus you don’t have to deal with the sales guys trying to up sell you on product protection, unneeded cables, etc.

Returning items:

Amazon: Print shipping label. Deduct cost of return shipping from your refund. Pack and tape box. If no mailroom nearby, drive to UPS or post office. Once mailed, hope that it arrives safely.

Best Buy: Drive 10 minutes to store (or go during my weekly grocery runs since it’s right next to my grocery store). Return complete. What’s more, if I buy something on BestBuy.com (which I frequently do as I get free 2-day shipping via Elite status), I can return it at any store and not have to deal with return shipping.

To each their own, I guess.

 

[iMi]

[doublepost=1509157562][/doublepost]SHAMEFUL, and DESPICABLE that they would do this to their customers. Nothing BEST about this BUY! #WORSTBUY.

Smart move going from PRICE MATCHING to PRICE GOUGING as a way to scare away potential customers and infuriate your current ones....

As a long time Best Buy customer, I feel cheated, deceived, and taken advantage of. Best Buy would do well to remember how that worked our for Blockbuster with the ridiculous late fees they used to milk their customers for.

Yea sure, Best Buy may have milked an extra $100 off of me with for the iPhone X's I pre-ordered, but lost tens of thousands in future purchases from me. As of today, I will be taking my business elsewhere. Hope it was worth it!

I hear there are some good deals on eBay. Just kidding. Talk about gauging... Best Buy looks like a charity operation by comparison, but I agree with you about Best Buy’s policy being short sighted.

They compete with other retailers and of course with Apple directly. Doesn’t seem like a good way to compete. Pricing is only one way to differentiate, but it doesn’t make sense here since you can request a price match. That actually makes it worse. It makes it seem like they are taking advantage of customers who are uninformed. I would expect that from a used car dealer but not from a leading retailer.

On the other hand, they have the right to set whatever price they want. No one complains when they sell iPads for hundreds less than Apple or other retailers. Thousand of items are priced differently at different retailers. Apple, for example, markups accessories by a wide magin when you can buy them at Amazon for a lot less. No one complains. They either pay Apple and enjoy the experience or if they are price sensitive they buy elsewhere.

So, I can see it from both sides. Still, it’s a bad policy in my opinion. We can vote with our wallets. That’s all we can do.
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The only thing I will miss about best buy when they are gone is at least for me, they are the only place I can go to touch electronics and see them in person before I go home and buy them on Amazon for less money.

One question. Do you think Amazon will keep prices low once their key competitors are gone? Do you care about the way Amazon workers are treated? Do you think about the way they treat vendors? Or that they enjoy unfair competitive advantage because of archaic tax laws?

Not everything is about money.

 

[Defthand]

price gouging

Technically, yes. But is it immoral or unethical in this case? No. The phone isn’t a need like a case of bottled water would be after a hurricane. It’s a desire. Best Buy is responding in textbook fashion to an irrational mob.

 

[macmyworld]

Apple does the same thing on Macs and MacBooks. Best Buy, B&H, MacMall and others usually have them on sale. Apple never does and will not price match. Never understood the retail pricing on those.

Apple also charges obscene prices for “genuine” cables that are a fraction of the cost at Amazon and Monoprice (I actually like the knock offs more)

Lesson - be a smart shopper.

 

[outie2k]

People still shop there?

Why not? They are currently selling the latest 2017 iPad Pro 12.9" 64GB for $650 ($799 @ apple.com) with a FREE Apple Pencil valued at $99 that you can return, so $550 for a 799 iPad Pro 12.9? It's a steal.

 

[lordofthereef]

Boy look at the comments. Meanwhile this has been the standard for iphones bought outright at Best Buy for years. Why it hasn’t made the MR news page before is beyond me. Or rather why it’s making the news this time around is beyond me.

I don’t understand the outrage. A person in the know will just get it price matched. Buying this at retail (Apple retail) from a retailer is at a loss to them. They want your contract. Without your contract that $100 is making up their loss and they’re hoping you don’t find it elsewhere cheaper. It’s that simple.

As far as restocking fees, that’s a direct result of people shopping the store to rent something. Unfortunately that’s the way the world works. People abuse a system and we all lose in the long run. Blame it on people who keep buying phones and returning them. They tried taking IDs for rertuns but too many states don’t allow this. This is the only legitimate step they can take.

If you need another real world example have a look at the rising costs of Apple care and deductibles. “Dang my phone scratched. I’ll just have Apple give me a new screen, and if they refuse it, I’ll smash it and then they’ll do it no question”. There are threads about this here lol.

I was bummed to pay $35 to return my Nike plus watch but I knew about the return policy and I decided I loved this years watch enough to just buy the stainless version since I can finally keep the thing a few years. It is what it is.
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Why not? They are currently selling the latest 2017 iPad Pro 12.9" 64GB for $650 ($799 @ apple.com) with a FREE Apple Pencil valued at $99 that you can return, so $550 for a 799 iPad Pro 12.9? It's a steal.

People just trying to be edgy with th theirn comments lol.
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Thank you! What's funny is that if we do activate with Verizon, it should not be carrier locked as IIRC VZW is mandated to avoid carrier locking altogether.

If we activate with ATT or TMO I'm *hoping* we can request immediate carrier unlocking since we're buying the phone full price (BYOD).

T-Mobile will. I can confirm that with my wife’s iPhone 7 she bought last year.