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Best Buy Says iPhone X Costs $100 Extra at Full Price Because Flexibility Sometimes 'Has a Cost'
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I'm not a BB fan, but I bet this move is reactionary to Apple’s wholesale pricing to retailers. I don’t know the specific numbers, but the margins on iPhones are so low for BestBuy without carrier kickbacks.
Apple can sell every X they make in the US without BestBuy. They want to sell direct to consumers and cutout retailers and keep their profit margin. Why would they wholesale out the phone to BestBuy so they can make the profit. They don’t. They sell it to them high. So BB doesn’t make much, if anything on non-carrier sales.
They are a business and need to make a profit. If Apple doesn’t let them, they will find away. Of course we are all entitled to take our business elsewhere. But that’s the real reason for the $100 fee.
Apple can sell every X they make in the US without BestBuy. They want to sell direct to consumers and cutout retailers and keep their profit margin. Why would they wholesale out the phone to BestBuy so they can make the profit. They don’t. They sell it to them high. So BB doesn’t make much, if anything on non-carrier sales.
They are a business and need to make a profit. If Apple doesn’t let them, they will find away. Of course we are all entitled to take our business elsewhere. But that’s the real reason for the $100 fee.
You are right but they are providing an alternate source. I bought my Apple Pencil from Best Buy because at the time Apple was months away from replenishing their own stock. So I am glad they are around even though I haven't set foot in a Best Buy in a decade.
I agree... but $100 extra at BestBuy is better and safer than $1000 via eBay or CraigsList. #justSaying
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And in the anti capitalist logic, instead of lines for iPhones, you have lines for toilet paper.
I wouldn't be surprised if they got a substantial commission from the carriers for selling an iPhone with an agreement. I guess this is just another way to compensate?
Either that or they really like to gouge their customers...
Either that or they really like to gouge their customers...
And while everyone here bitches about BB trying to make a buck on reselling an iPhone that Apple (the GREEDIEST of companies) is giving them no margin on, no one even thinks twice when they buy Apple products, realizing they are being RIPPED OFF with ridiculous prices and profits by Apple. But, BB can't make $100 on an iPhone. Some logic...
I hate that, too... but it's not as offensive and invasive as the "door monitor" at Fry's Electronics. I actually told one of them as I whizzed past him to "call a cop if you think I'm stealing from you... I'll be waiting in my car" ... after standing in the checkout line for 15 minutes in plain view of said "door monitor".
Funny, because outside of this Apple Fan club forum, people are saying the same thing about people that are spending $1300 for an iPhone X!
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Never had a problem leaving the store at our Best Buy. They rarely check because they can see us leaving the registers. Maybe our neighborhood is nicer than yours? But then again, no one complains that places like Costco check EVERYONE, EVERYTIME when you leave Costco but they bitch about BB doing it.
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Not really... more like "free enterprise". Econ 101... supply and demand... if you want it, and they have it, you pay their price (you can always do a price match)... but it's why the iPhoneX is $2K on eBay... Not everyone will pay that, but SOME will, just to get it in their hand.
The more I think about this the more I am surprised that Apple is okay with this. I switched my order from Apple to Best Buy to get a faster ship date, but now that I realize they’re trying to charge an extra $100 per phone I’m starting to think I should just wait until next year for a new phone. Now more than ever I’m considering not getting the iPhone X simply because I switched my order from Apple to Beat Buy.
Doesn't that mean that the prices ARE set too low? This is economics. There is no supply/demand equilibrium here and when demand way outstretches supply, you will see prices shift just like on eBay.
Call the bestbuy online price matching number. I just did and they are refunding me the difference.
It usually only happens when I order something online for in-store pickup... because the pickup desk is in a different part of the store, and not near the checkout lines... When I am actually buying in the store, I don't remember ever being stopped for a receipt.
I also really like Gamer's Club. A pre-ordered new game costs $37 if you include the $10 certificate when applicable. That's a sweet deal.
Reading some of the comments it seems like people want Best Buy to die tomorrow because they charge extra for the iPhone. I don't agree with it either but like you said, we have choices. It's especially upsetting I think because of Apple's role in helping them turn the business around back in 2015 when they were on the verge of bankruptcy... that's what rubs me the wrong way. Best Buy won't get my iPhone business but they will get my iPad business, especially when they put them on sale. Like right now. It's almost hard to resist.
5% back with their rewards program. That's why I shop there, plus they often have products in stock when no one else does, especially big ticket items.
But 10%>5%, so this was an easy decision. Almost ordered my wife's iPhone 8 Plus from them until I noticed the price was wrong. Definitely reduced my respect for them and will make me less likely to shop there in the future.
But 10%>5%, so this was an easy decision. Almost ordered my wife's iPhone 8 Plus from them until I noticed the price was wrong. Definitely reduced my respect for them and will make me less likely to shop there in the future.
I admit I accidentally purchased a stolen 9from a company), used iPhone and was able to activate it on a non-business verizon account (it is still going months later even though the company that owned it said they would pay it off and remove the tracking.) I’ve learned to buy new directly from Apple. They shipped to my house in 2 days. No fuss, no muss. It isn’t worth saving $50 on craigslist.
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Sometimes people will pay 2x because you are willing to ship to another country (Africa).
You're absolutely right.
Although Best Buy does price match Amazon. When Sears announced Kenmore will now be sold on Amazon, everyone I know said it's the last nail in the coffin. I don't think so. Sears has awesome showrooms for appliances. I'm sure some people go there then look for products online. Sears.com is pretty solid, but Amazon is a powerhouse.
About 15 years ago I bought bought a new stereo for my car and a replacement plan if anything were to go wrong. Well about 3 months later it wouldn’t eject cd’s so I took it back. They didn’t want to honor their replacement plan since that model been discontinued. I honestly thought I was going to be arrested for how I acted that day. Eventually the Store Manager offered the updated model, which is what they should’ve done in the first place. I haven’t been to a Best Buy since.
When buying the iPhone X at full price, does Best Buy allow you to choose any carrier version without having to already have an existing account with that carrier? And will that phone be fully unlocked and able to be activated on another carrier immediately without having to first activate on the original carrier?
I'd like to get the universal CDMA/GSM model that's only sold for Verizon/Sprint, but use it with AT&T or T-Mobile instead.
I don't have an existing VZW/Sprint account so Apple Store won't let me buy those carrier versions. And if I buy the ATT/TMo version I'll get the GSM-only model.
Can I buy the Verizon X full price at Best Buy, and use it immediately with my own carrier without first having to activate it on a Verizon plan?
I'd like to get the universal CDMA/GSM model that's only sold for Verizon/Sprint, but use it with AT&T or T-Mobile instead.
I don't have an existing VZW/Sprint account so Apple Store won't let me buy those carrier versions. And if I buy the ATT/TMo version I'll get the GSM-only model.
Can I buy the Verizon X full price at Best Buy, and use it immediately with my own carrier without first having to activate it on a Verizon plan?
Nope, that doesn't work either. Unless you open a new account. If you have a business or government account you can't buy straight from Verizon or apple. You can buy from Best Buy though.