Buying at an Apple retail store...

[mrgreen4242]

I read that you can get the Education and/or Governmental discount shopping at an Apple retail location. This is correct right?

More importantly, am I correct in thinking that you can NOT have any sort of BTO options done at an Apple retail store? So you are stuck getting to basic/standard system if you want to buy from a retail location? (IE you can never get a Bluetooth module in you iBook?)

Thanks,

Rob

 

[jsw]

I am fairly certain you can get the discounts at the Apple Stores (sadly, I don't qualify).

I know for a fact that you cannot get BTO Macs there - they are all stock.

Good luck!

 

[jsw]

And best of luck on your deployment - I hope your tour is very short and very safe!

 

[papersushi]

It depends on, some of the retails stores will honor the educational discount if you can bring in the current student ID card, not majority of the retail stores will do that though. So you have to call the local stores itself to find out for sure.

Apple retial stores will only have standard configuration machines in stock, any CTO will be done on Apple's site. Staff at store may help you place the order, just like you place the order online. Then Apple build it, ship it to you.

Secondly, if you really need a CTO. Just do it yourself online, and if you have any questions, call 1-800-MY-APPLE. If you call in, and the sales rep spent their time answered you questions, helped you configure a computer. If decide to get it, go ahead place the order ON THE PHONE. These people are just working as hard as you and me, if they helped you, they deserve the credits too.

I have a friend works at Apple Direct sales. He told me there are alot of people call in for questions. After asking 1 zillion questions, then just hang up either order online or go to the store order the same CTO then have it shipped to them. If the sales rep is not helpful is onething, but if someone is willing to spend 20-45 minutes with you on the phone to asnwer all of your questions, if you think you are satisfied with the service, if you think you are treated well, as return, give them the credits they deserve.

To me, people like that just plain suck, no courtisey what's so ever.

 

[MacAficionado]

I know for a fact, Apple retail Stores will upgrade RAM and will do some installations for a charge. Thats about it.

 

[mrgreen4242]

And best of luck on your deployment - I hope your tour is very short and very safe!

Thanks Not gonna be a short one, sadly, looking at about 14 months away from home Hopefully I will have a new Mac to keep me company and in touch with all of my family and friends!

Secondly, if you really need a CTO. Just do it yourself online, and if you have any questions, call 1-800-MY-APPLE. If you call in, and the sales rep spent their time answered you questions, helped you configure a computer. If decide to get it, go ahead place the order ON THE PHONE. These people are just working as hard as you and me, if they helped you, they deserve the credits too.

Thanks for all the info on that. I will probably end up calling to place my order... do you happen to know how they verify discounts for educational or government orders over the phone? Do you have to mail/fax in a copy of your ID or something? Does it delay the shipping? I am tryng to be sure I recieve my new Mac before I leave home, as I will be bouncing around the world for the first 2 months after I leave, and then heading far away after that, so I don't want this thing trying to catch up to me for weeks and weeks.

I know for a fact, Apple retail Stores will upgrade RAM and will do some installations for a charge. Thats about it.

Seems like a silly business model. 'Come into our nice pretty stores (that costs thousands of dollars a month to keep open) and take look! Oh, you want to give us MORE money for some extra options? Great! Either you can order it online and have it delivered to you free, or we can do it here if you pay a service fee and come pick it up in 3 days when it's done...'

Not a very good way to make the Apple retail stores appeal to customers. They should ship all the systems to Apple stores without any DIMMS, HDs or (where applicable) video card, and then ship a pile of all the required parts seperately. Adding a HD/video card/memory module isn't very hard, and that would allow the Apple stores to customize orders without charging a fee or ending up with excess inventory. (Could do it with just RAM and HDs and satisfy most people).

Anyways, thanks for all your help everyone,

Rob

 

[papersushi]

The reason why Apple started retail store is not for selling most of their stuff in the store. Apple wants more and more people to have hands on Apple products, so retail stores is the best way to do it. Steve believes that Apple products sell themselves, Apple store is more like showroom other than a retail store in a traditional sense.

 

[papersushi]

If you have toured the G5 manufactory in Elk Grove, CA. You will why its not a good idea to have G5 CTO built at any retail stores. Quality Control, overhead cost anyone?

 

[papersushi]

If you call in, all they need is the name of school you go to, your student ID number. As far as I know, Apple doesn't require you to fax in the info and your order will not delayed. They do audit from time to time, may even request proof to show you are student or federal employee after the product is shipped. You are obligated to pay the difference back if you fail to provide such proofs. They are all on the terms and conditions on these custom stores.

 

[deriviative]

hey, papersushi --

If you call in, and the sales rep spent their time answered you questions, helped you configure a computer. If decide to get it, go ahead place the order ON THE PHONE. These people are just working as hard as you and me, if they helped you, they deserve the credits too.

this is true -- however, what i did, because i was not ready to buy one day at microwarehouse, was to take down the name of the person, and their phone extension. i also asked the rep if he got commissions on sales, and i was astonished to hear that no, they did not. still, if i had decided to go through with it, i would have called him, since he was so helpful.

 

[Foxer]

Every store I've been to takes the Educational discount. I haven't found one that offers the federal employee discount, though. At least not here in the Midwest. I've heard people on these boards in the DC area say that their stores DO offer the Fed discount. In short, call before you visit.