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Buying a macbook at Best Buy vs Apple Store

yOyOYoo

yOyOYoo

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 13, 2005
715
114
CA
Is there any downside to buying a Macbook at a Best Buy versus at the Apple store?

At bestbuy.com I can get $150 off of the new Macbook aluminum 2.4Ghz vs at the apple store I can get only $100 off with an education discount.

If I have a problem with the laptop, can I take it to the apple store without any issues? Am I better off buying this laptop from the apple store?
 
yes, you can take it to the apple store if you have problems. just make sure you buy the apple care protection plan, and do *not* absolutely NOT buy bestbuy warranty or insurance for you macbook.
 
I hate best buy. They do however have a better return policy. 30 days vs 14 days for Apple. Just don't get any warranty from best buy. For a Apple product. Just buy the Apple care from Apple.
 
rpaloalto said:
I hate best buy. They do however have a better return policy. 30 days vs 14 days for Apple. Just don't get any warranty from best buy. For a Apple product. Just buy the Apple care from Apple.
Click to expand...

Best Buy's return policy is actually 15 days (for computers) with a 15% restocking fee. The Apple store is 14 with a 10% fee so in this case buying from Apple is better.
 
DO NOT get fooled into the "geek squad setup" for your mac. The charge an arm and a leg for it whereas the Apple store geniuses will do the same for FREE...
 
Unless you plan to return it, which I'm sure you don't, just buy it from BestBuy. Sure you'll have to put up with them trying to sell you everything under the sun, but you'll have to get the same spiel from Apple. Buying from Apple doesn't exactly bring on the rush that some [fanboys] describe, unless you consider being asked to buy their crap fun. Even if the sales talk at BestBuy lasts twenty minutes longer, you're still saving fifty bucks, which in my mind is worth it.

[edit] I now see that you're mentioning the best buy website. There are no salesmen there to make you buy all of their crap, so that's a pretty good deal. As long as you've got the patience to wait for shipping, I wouldn't even suggest considering a B&M apple store. Save the time, gas, $50, et al.
 
Whats so bad about Best Buys warranty? 1 thing I do like about the Best Buys warranty is you have accidental protection where Apple Care you don't.
I'm going to get the Apple Care just because it makes send to take a product where it was made to get it fixed.
 
I always prefer to buy from the Apple Store. That's half of the experience. Also returns and service is so much easier if you go into the store you bought it from. They tend to remember you and give you some better service. I told them about a better discount I would get through the NEX and they matched the price. :apple:
 
andyblila said:
I always prefer to buy from the Apple Store. That's half of the experience. Also returns and service is so much easier if you go into the store you bought it from. They tend to remember you and give you some better service. I told them about a better discount I would get through the NEX and they matched the price. :apple:
Click to expand...

Going to the Apple store was a great experience :D (I think I drove my wife nuts though :p )
 
I bought mine at bestbuy...told them no thanks on the warranty but also told apple care no thanks! I bought squaretrade warranty bc i have had better results with them over others and they will cover me for longer than the apple care will and also will cover if i throw it out my window (haha no seriously)
 
I tell you what, 3 years of Applecare is the sh*t. I "accidentally" screwed up our startup disk when I first switched over to Mac. Applecare was awesome. My wife had problems when I was on deployment and she had absolutely no problems. Applecare took care of her no questions asked. I highly recommend it. I took a computer endorsement out with my renters insurance (USAA), and it covers everything from spillage to dropping it down the stairs (accidentally of course!).
 
I usually buy from apple but when the aluminum macbook released I decided to take up the 18 months no interest special. Payed it off in two months and will purchase the applecare warranty right before my phone support expires. I would never purchase a best buy warranty on a mac but i know for a fact their warranty works great on pc's as i had one that messed up 3 times and they fixed it and gave me a new notebook on top of it. i sold the repaired laptop and kept the new one.
 
Any chance the apple store will pricematch?

I really doubt it...although Best Buy is a major retailer.
 
Update: I just called 1-800-MY-APPLE, spoke with a super nice rep. I explained that best buy was having a sale on the macbook I wanted for $150 off and I could only get $100 off with my education discount.

She said "well, I can match that price over the phone. I can also give you the $100 printer discount"

I said "I'll take it!"

So I just got the new Macbook Aluminum 13" 2.5Ghz for $150 off and the Canon SELPHY CP760 dye sublimation photo printer for free (after $100 rebate).

I LOVE APPLE!!!!
 
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