Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Best Buy Selling iPhone X on Installment Plan Only After Criticism Over $100 Premium

People losing their minds over this are the ones that have lost their way lol. Best Buy loses money selling full priced iPhones. They’re also the only store with Apple specialists in the payroll.

Some of you folks seriously need a dose of reality. Instead of pissing and moaning about this you all could have just gotten a price match. Instead the company says “screw it. Contracts only”.

I’ll see you all at Christmas and back to school time lining up for discounted macs and iPads. As well as for the couple hundred dollar gift card with iPhone installment plan agreements. Get over yourselves.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Syk and jntdroid
MacRumors said:



Best Buy is no longer selling full priced iPhone X and iPhone 8/8 Plus models following criticism of the $100 premium it was charging over Apple's retail prices, reports Bloomberg.

When pre-orders kicked off for the iPhone X on Friday, Best Buy was selling the full-priced 64GB model for $1,099 and the 256GB model for $1,249, $100 more than Apple asks for the two devices. Similar price increases were applied to iPhone 8 and 8 Plus orders.

bestbuyiphonepurchaseoptions-800x549.jpg

Best Buy only offers the iPhone X via carrier payment plan now​
Best Buy confusingly said it was charging a premium because flexibility sometimes has a cost, and that by offering full-price iPhones, customers can "get a phone the way they want." The statement made little sense as the same full-priced commitment-free iPhones are available from Apple and other retailers.

Rather than dropping its prices, Best Buy has decided it will no longer offer iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus models at full price, instead only selling them via carrier installment plans from Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. The payment plans feature no extra charge, with the monthly device payments going directly to carriers.When a customer purchases an iPhone via a carrier installment plan, Best Buy receives a payment from the carrier in question, but that payment is not received for iPhones at full price, which seems to be why Best Buy was charging an additional $100. No other retailer charges an additional $100 for the iPhone, though.

While Best Buy has stopped offering the latest iPhone models at full price, it is continuing to sell older models and charging a $50 premium on those devices when purchased without a carrier payment plan. The iPhone 7, for example, is priced at $599, $50 more than Apple charges.

Article Link: Best Buy Stops Selling Full Price iPhone X After Criticism Over $100 Premium
Click to expand...
It is only a matter of time before best buy lands along side of circuit city, pacific stereo, eastern airlines, pan am, braniff, and other failures
 
sw1tcher said:
Unfortunately, it happens. It wouldn't be happening if people didn't pay the inflated prices.
Click to expand...

This! I’ve been saying it for years. If people would stop spending hundreds or more over retail just to get a product during release week or month, these things wouldn’t happen. Unfortunately, the need to have it right now overtakes way too many. I’m willing to bet some of the people that complained about Best Buy will end up looking on eBay for iPhones that are marked up way more than $100.
 
eswank said:
So what happens to those that did buy it at launch with the $100 premium? Is there a automatic refund?
Click to expand...

Depends on the laws in your area. I think in Canada if the purchase was made within a 2 week period, you can ask for a price correction, but I don't think they have to give it in cash.
 
Why did this become a big deal in the news? I posted this question on Best Buys website when iPhone 8 was announced and check out the answers I got. They were doing the same to iPhone 8 and 8 Plus as well and now full price option is gone as well from those models as well.
 

Attachments

  • Capture.PNG
    Capture.PNG
    29.7 KB · Views: 166
dmylrea said:
Because the new trend is to make mountains out of mole hills it seems. Everyone here that is whining about it and how bad BB is, isn't even buying one from them, but feel they have to make a big deal about it.

There are SO MANY other scenarios in retail where the business is selling something for more than retail and people can't hand over their credit card fast enough. Ever buy wine in a fine restaurant? Twice the retail price, but to people swear and bad-mouth the restaurant and promise never to go back?

People here make no sense.
Click to expand...

Selling over the MSRP in a retail store is not something you see often. Buying food in a restaurant is not the same, can't even believe you're making that analogy. And if it were accurate, then Best Buy would be the worst restaurant around.
 
  • Like
Reactions: compuguy1088
ActionableMango said:
After Best Buy's long slide down to the bottom at 2013, most people including myself thought that online sales had doomed Best Buy.

But actually, unlike Sears, they've been quite the turnaround story. They've tripled the stock price in 4 years.

View attachment 729681
Click to expand...

People only remember headlines that fit their narrative. Your words fall on mostly deaf ears.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Syk, compuguy1088 and jntdroid
richhh said:
Did they give any pushback?
Click to expand...

840quadra said:
If true, Great to see that.

Their price match policy is great, but I have had multiple times where they wouldn’t flex on their store fees. Back when we tried to purchase multiple iPhone 6 devices for a client, their “convenience fee” was a separate line item that was not removed.

Do you have the below “details” that you can share?

Please omit any personal information, but curious to see how they applied the credit, and what it was classified as.



That’s fine, but it also assumes that Apple charges Best Buy full retail for every phone that Best Buy acquires to resell. Fully possible, but I doubt that.


My issue is more with how they handled the situation, and what they said in the first press release, and now what they are doing in response. Target (for instance) does not sell unlocked phones, they only sell phones tied to carrier agreements (At least in the case of the 8, and likely the X). They avoided all of this PR disaster by not openly taxing their customers.

Again, I like Best Buy, I just shake my head at their leadership decisions from time to time. I do the same with things Apple does from time to time ;) .
Click to expand...

terrywfoster said:
Did they credit that to your purchasing credit card or only give you store credit?
Click to expand...

I actually didn't realize that I overpaid until I saw a post on this site a few days ago. I simply called the online number provided on their site and gave them my order information. I got a little pushback from the operator telling me that Best Buy usually doesn't price match Apple, but I told the person that other retailers like Target and Walmart were selling at the same price as Apple and that was it. She told me that my original purchase credit card would be credited in 3-5 business days. I will say that the original charge is still pending on my CC and probably won't "post" until after the phone ships and I also haven't seen the credit appear on my card (probably because of the pending charge). I received a confirmation email of the credit minutes after the phone conversation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: compuguy1088, richhh and lordofthereef
ActionableMango said:
After Best Buy's long slide down to the bottom at 2013, most people including myself thought that online sales had doomed Best Buy.

But actually, unlike Sears, they've been quite the turnaround story. They've tripled the stock price in 4 years.

View attachment 729681
Click to expand...

Stock price isn't the real indicator here. The fact is that their revenue has been flat since 2012.
 
  • Like
Reactions: compuguy1088
“That's why we decided a few days ago to only sell the phone the traditional way, by not ripping the consumer off”.

Stay classy Best Buy.
 
Yes, Best Buy has ruined my life. They have so much hate and I hate them. When I drive by their store, I want to cry.

I didn't know the unlocked iPhone was the reason for $100 extra to buy it outright. I don't understand the backlash, just purchase the phone from another location if it bothers you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Syk and lordofthereef
CerebralX said:
If this isn't the definition of American greediness, I don't know what is.
Click to expand...
That seems to be the general tenor of the response. I wonder if there might actually be a hidden expense in there, and everybody else is just eating that expense. It doesn't make a lot of sense otherwise, that they'd simply stop selling that version entirely.
 
euvnairb said:
I actually didn't realize that I overpaid until I saw a post on this site a few days ago. I simply called the online number provided on their site and gave them my order information. I got a little pushback from the operator telling me that Best Buy usually doesn't price match Apple, but I told the person that other retailers like Target and Walmart were selling at the same price as Apple and that was it. She told me that my original purchase credit card would be credited in 3-5 business days. I will say that the original charge is still pending on my CC and probably won't "post" until after the phone ships and I also haven't seen the credit appear on my card (probably because of the pending charge). I received a confirmation email of the credit minutes after the phone conversation.
Click to expand...
Good to know. I appreciate that additional info!
 
  • Like
Reactions: euvnairb
Meh. Why on earth would you buy an Apple product from Best Buy. You prefer the experience? lol
 
Last edited:
Riddlin said:
Go buy one from Apple and wait six weeks possibly. Or go to best buy pay an extra $100 and get it this week. Supply and Demand. I bet Best Buy still sold out. Fanbois don't care about $100. Should be more upset your paying $1199 for an iphone from Apple.
Click to expand...

Can I pay $200 extra an pick it up today?
 
  • Like
Reactions: richhh
Swazaloo said:
Meh. Why on earth you buy the phone an Apple product from Best Buy. You prefer the experience? lol
Click to expand...
They frequently (exit: I guess frequently is overstating. But at least twice a year) have sales on Apple products. It’s about the only place I’d consider buying a Mac. Apple sure doesn’t throw me any bones, ever.

Also, this phone is Particular is pretty limited stock at this point. I imagine people trying Best Buy full price have exhausted other avenues.
 
Not making as much revenue is nowhere the same as "costing more money". They missed out on the carrier kickback, but ultimately the phone would have cost the same wholesale price. In fact, I venture to say without requiring their paid staff to take the time to register and upgrade the phone on the customer's carrier account, selling the unlocked phone would take less time and consequently cost the company less.

Just be honest and admit you want the revenue and refuse to give customers a choice that keeps you from getting a kickback.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back