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Costco Begins Selling Select Macs on Web at $50 to $200 Discount

Slickdeals (lurker, non-member) has a link for new members only that they've been running for a bit - each "certificate" that include a $20 Costco Cash Card + $25 off $250 Costco.com Coupon. One $60 certificate gets the Gold status, two certificates gets Executive status (the latter stacks an additional 2% return, I'm always getting at least $400 back each year so the extra $60 is worth it to me...).

And the Costco discounts on SquareTrade warranties might be worth it for some.
 
Don't have Costco where I live but now I'll be paying my grandparents to get me a new iMac!

Wait, what is this 8GB of RAM and Core i5 garbage? Never mind…
 
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Peperino said:
Apple do not need to be in Costco to generate more sales. They just need to create better products at not overpriced values and customers will line up at the Apple store to buy them.
But ALL the latest Macbooks, Pro and Air that have RAM and internal SSD soldered and not upgradable, are a big NO-NO.
They overpriced and non upgradable for what they are.
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Almost no one cares if RAM is soldered or even knows what solder is.

People already line up to buy Apple products. You see their last quarter numbers? Will be great again when they report the Xmas quarter.
 
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Expensive loss leaders. As long as you cover your costs it’s not a problem. Costco will now be getting customers who wouldn’t normally shop there looking at macs. And those people may buy some other stuff that actually has a higher margin.

Ultimately it’s all ad spend. You can either take out an ad on google or a newspaper saying “come to Costco” and that costs x amount a campaign.

Or you can factor in the loss in margin from discounted macs vs the exposure you get in the press and extra footfall in the shop. It’s probably a better way to spend those ad dollars when you think about it.
 
jonjames505 said:
Great deal for anyone that's a member! I always wonder how Costco is able to absorb the cost.. I assume they aren't getting any discounts from Apple.
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Hotdogs!
[doublepost=1544655522][/doublepost]With Costco 90 day return, no questions, it makes the decision easier. The vendor absorbs the losses on returns. Too bad they didn’t have a few higher end units. Other deals might come along now that they are carrying more Apple products. Wonder if Costco will get the MAC Mini?
 
Why buy a Mac computer bundled with Applecare from Costco? If you're a Costco member the second year of warranty is added and chances are good you already have their Citi credit card which doubles the warranty to 4 years total.
 
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Oh man. I've been eyeing a 2018 MacBook Air 16GB 512GB, but now I'm wondering if I'd be fine just getting a lighter spec $999 8GB 128GB. I really question if that's enough SSD space.
 
$50 off the 27" iMac, or $70 in total if bundled with AppleCare. Better than nothing, I guess. Wish they had the mid/high standard configs as well.
 
Costco spends virtually nothing on advertising, so there's that.

threesixty360 said:
Expensive loss leaders. As long as you cover your costs it’s not a problem. Costco will now be getting customers who wouldn’t normally shop there looking at macs. And those people may buy some other stuff that actually has a higher margin.

Ultimately it’s all ad spend. You can either take out an ad on google or a newspaper saying “come to Costco” and that costs x amount a campaign.

Or you can factor in the loss in margin from discounted macs vs the exposure you get in the press and extra footfall in the shop. It’s probably a better way to spend those ad dollars when you think about it.
Click to expand...
 
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I love Costco and have been a member for 30 years but this gives you an idea of how desperate apple is for computer sales and how sad they have become as an innovative company.
 
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Great Job Timmy Cook! Kindof reminds me of the 90's when I could buy a Mac at Sears!

For your next act can you start opening up your hardware....maybe licensing it to clone companies????
Then you can get out of the hardware business altogether, like you want...and become the service company of your dreams!
 
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Baymowe335 said:
Almost no one cares if RAM is soldered or even knows what solder is.

People already line up to buy Apple products. You see their last quarter numbers? Will be great again when they report the Xmas quarter.
Click to expand...

This: "Almost no one cares if RAM is soldered or even knows what solder is."

Exactly. Most people who buy a computer don't know what RAM is, they don't know how quickly they will fill up 128GB of hard drive space, they don't know what USB-C is.... and more.

UNTIL they are at work and trying to download important files and find out the flash drive handed to them won't work with their MacBook Pro. UNTIL they attend an important meeting and want to transfer a large video file, and find out their drive on a 3 month old computer is full. UNTIL they realize that their photo and video software needs more RAM....

THIS is the problem. Apple is pushing hardware to people who are are largely ignorant of their current and future needs. They walk out of the Apple store thinking that their $2,000, $3,000 computers will suit their computing necessities only to find out six weeks or six months later that Apple's focus on appearance over functionality doesn't help them in the real world.
 
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Williesleg said:
Great Job Timmy Cook! Kindof reminds me of the 90's when I could buy a Mac at Sears!

For your next act can you start opening up your hardware....maybe licensing it to clone companies????
Then you can get out of the hardware business altogether, like you want...and become the service company of your dreams!
Click to expand...
Are there any other moves of desperation apple can duplicate from the playbook right before the re-arrival of Steve Jobs in '97 :)
 
Mark Holmes said:
This: "Almost no one cares if RAM is soldered or even knows what solder is."

Exactly. Most people who buy a computer don't know what RAM is, they don't know how quickly they will fill up 128GB of hard drive space, they don't know what USB-C is.... and more.

UNTIL they are at work and trying to download important files and find out the flash drive handed to them won't work with their MacBook Pro. UNTIL they attend an important meeting and want to transfer a large video file, and find out their drive on a 3 month old computer is full. UNTIL they realize that their photo and video software needs more RAM....

THIS is the problem. Apple is pushing hardware to people who are are largely ignorant of their current and future needs. They walk out of the Apple store thinking that their $2,000, $3,000 computers will suit their computing necessities only to find out six weeks or six months later that Apple's focus on appearance over functionality doesn't help them in the real world.
Click to expand...

Your straw man argument is weak.

If they are spending $2,000 to $3,000, they upgraded the drive.

By the way, you don't use a flash drive to "download important files."

I could go on, but it's obvious you're not really serious.
 
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Apple is clearly pulling out all the retail plays they can to boost sales. Their decision to go HiSo is not working out so much. People are voting with their wallets and the results will be believable during next quarter reporting.
They became a trillion dollar market cap company and lost that. Greed

By the way, costco makes the bulk of their money selling memberships.
 
joueboy said:
No surprise here all these crazy deals that even Apple themselves wants to participate. I guess the lackluster launch of iPhones and probably struggling sales during Thanksgiving weeks. Apple is really desperate to rake more dollars from the people they like screwing before the year is over. Good luck Apple hope you’ll hit harder your head with the brick and wake-up from reality.
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Peperino said:
Apple do not need to be in Costco to generate more sales. They just need to create better products at not overpriced values and customers will line up at the Apple store to buy them.
But ALL the latest Macbooks, Pro and Air that have RAM and internal SSD soldered and not upgradable, are a big NO-NO.
They overpriced and non upgradable for what they are.
Click to expand...

Neepman said:
I love Costco and have been a member for 30 years but this gives you an idea of how desperate apple is for computer sales and how sad they have become as an innovative company.
Click to expand...


Thank you. I was worried someone wouldnt find a way to spin this as negative and complain, but true to form, someone found a way in these forums! Well done! :)
 
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DotCom2 said:
OMG!! I am ecstatic! Between my earned Costco Bucks and Citi/Costco Card points I'll be in heaven!
Love Costco!
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Oh yeah. The citi reward is coming up soon. Ours from this year is going to be quite the shopping spree.

I’d have bought either a new MacBook Air or Mini if the base storage was 256, or if the Mini had a 2.5” drive slot I’d still have bought one with 128GB.
 
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The decision to bring Apple computers back to its stores is Costco's alone - they were still selling all "non-computer" Apple products - iPads to HomePods.

It was not Apple's decision to stop selling its computers at Costco - that was done by Costco after customer abuse of Costco's computer return policy. Wonder if they changed the return date policy now - it was a policy that applied to all brands of computers at Costco. The warranty is exceptional.

Nothing to do with the rise or fall of iPhone sales - they were always available at Costco - decision by Costco again.

Costco does operate on a thin profit margin - maximum of 14%, last I heard.
 
I wouldn't buy one, but it would be nice to see the laptops on Costco in Canada sometime.
 
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