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Best Buy to Match Back to School Promo with $100 Store Gift Card
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There's been mixed reports about it, but people have been able to get edu pricing from Best Buy. If you're on the fence, best to ask your local one I suppose.
arn
Yeah, for sure. Most people I'm sure would prefer the BB card since they offer so many more things, but you have to take the total cost into account. You could still buy a $100 BB card after getting your mac from apple, and get apples b2s benefits as well.
Also, a lot of people complain about $100 app store card, but since it just adds the balance to your iTunes account, you could use that money in iTunes to buy music or movies or tv shows, the iBookstore, Mac App Store, and App Store... I'm sure everyone could easily use the $100 to buy content that they would enjoy, but it seems most people still pirate apps/media and that's why an iTunes gift card doesn't seem all that appealing.
Dunno if this has been mentioned in the thread, but will Best Buy give you education pricing? So $100 off an iMac?
Best Buy open and honest?! *cough*cough*cough.*
No, I don't say this as a pro Apple person. I say this as a Best Buy pissed me off 9 years ago enough that I still won't give them a dime of my money. And it is mainly over lieing their asses off to me and thinking I was stupid enough to believe them (amongst other things, that was just what made me decide to outright boycott them).
Never had good service with them and they treat their customers like crap once you've given them your money (actually, never really had them treat me that well before I gave them my money either but before the lieing to me thing I would buy stuff if it was a good deal so would look over the crappy service).
I'd shop at Walmart way before I ever shopped at Best Buy (and honestly I see Walmart as more open and honest than Best Buy). I personally like Fry's myself for electronic stores (They have an Apple section too).
And you don't get the discount off the computer at Best Buy, just that gift card. Personally I'd rather have the cheaper computer than the best buy gift certificate even if I couldn't use the itunes gift card. I can use that savings wherever, not just on whatever Best Buy sells. Then I can use the apple gift card for software for my mac.
Oh, and pray tell, how was Apple ever dishonest about this promotion that you're now accusing them of being lieing scumbags that Best Buy looks like angels compared to them?
1) Just sharing some facts. Best Buy does give the education discount. Basic math reveals it's the better deal.
2) If your sales person denies it, it's just like the Apple Store, not everyone is perfectly trained. Ask the manager and you'll get it.
3) Your imagination is quite Vivid, assuming I work at Best Buy is your failure.
I'll ignore your emotional outburst of name calling
Even if Best Buy offers the education discount, there is no free printer, and no software discounts, and no discount on Apple Care.
Basic math reveals that it is, in fact, NOT the better deal. (unless you would prefer $100 to best buy and nothing else I suppose)
The two matchings aren't mutually exclusive.
The last time I went to BB (earlier this year), the associate told me that if you show your college ID, they would match the .edu price. As for the gift card match: Companies in the business of matching won't half-@$s match if they want your money--as they wouldn't be MATCHING. haha. In other words, if you can get the MBP for $1099 online PLUS $100 Mac Gift Card on Apple.com, it's in their best interest that they give you the MBP for $1099 w/ a $100 BB Gift Card. (Don't tell them you prefer the BB Gift Card to the Mac GC, you might lose the upper hand, "genius"!)
Wrong, how do you know how much best buy or some other companies pays for a particular product. If BB is paying say, $1150 for the base 13", it's not really in their best interest to sell it to you for less unless they can make up the loss by selling you some accessories or services for your purchase.
There are times when retailers will not match prices, particularily if they can't match that deal and still get a profit off of the product, or if you are trying to match with an online retailer since they usually offer much lower prices than brick and mortar stores. (of course, it always depends on the situation, product, and people involved, but companies certainly HALF-ASS price matching... ask many people, like those who have had to argue microcenter pricing and didn't get it.)
"Pretty sure" ???
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2011/06/06lion.html
*** Important ***
Best Buy is not an authorized Apple reseller for Macs.
Keep this in mind if you're expecting to be able to get Mac OS X 10.7 Lion for free. If you buy a Mac from Best Buy before 10.7 is pre-installed by Apple, you will not qualify for the free upgrade to 10.7.
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If I had the money to get my macbook pro right now i would just get the apple gift card since through apple you get the edu discount. I am saving my money for a macbook pro and won't quite make it for this back to school offer, or probably even this generation, so I guess I have to deal with my PC for my first year of college.
Don't say, Wrong! Of course, companies WILL half-ass "match." I said they won't IF THEY WANT YOUR MONEY. Put another way, if they want the money of a well-informed customer who knows his/her options, THEY WILL full-@s$ price match!! If they don't, they don't get your money and you go home!
Why would they want your money if it's costing them money? That's the point....
Companies typically won't price match to the point that it is costing them money unless they are using that product as a loss-leader to get you to buy other products, accessories, or services, like I said.
You can buy AppleCare separately from apple for the EDU price. Software discounts from Apple.com are a paltry 10% (which you could also buy separately.) It's usually better to go through your university bookstore. iWork at mine costs $39.
First of all, who said it was costing them money on that one unit? You? Oh.. okay.
And even if they were losing money on that one unit--which they're likely not, but if they were on that one unit--they would still come out on top overall. Companies take small so-called hits all the time, but they always take those setbacks (which it's not that major to be considered really a setback) because the average customer does not come in demanding TWO price matches. Uhh, that's why the original MacRumors article states that BB WON'T BE ADVERTISING THAT THEY WILL MATCH APPLE! why............. UMMM, BECAUSE THEY WANT THESE INFORMED THRIFTY SHOPPERS TO BE IN THE MINORITY...... so they come out ON TOP overall.
BB is an Apple Authorized Reseller ( just to keep the info honest and accurate). In fact, my local BB has an aapl corporate guy (aapl, not BB, employee) stationed in the store.
Yeah, I understand. And don't mistake me, I never was arguing an absolute. I said if they wanted your money they would fully match. That's to say, you should not have bought it because you could have got the student discount online at Apple w/ free shipping AND $100 Mac gift card. So, you did yourself a disservice, as any gift card is better than no gift card.
Does anyone have proof the special is actually real? I know this is "MacRumors" but would love to have this confirmed before heading in.
It is good deal if BB price match Apple Edu pricing
and then you can use the $100 to buy the iPod touch = $209-$100 = $109
and then you can use the $100 to buy the iPod touch = $209-$100 = $109
Best Buy had a sale on the 1799 MBP and it came out to 1705.
Almost an EDU discount.