Deals: Amazon Introduces First Discount on 14-Inch MacBook Pro, Get 8-Core M1 Pro 512GB Model for $1,949.99 ($50 Off) [Updated]

[sw1tcher]

At least with Apple you can return it if you don’t like it within two weeks.

Costco 90 day return policy > Apple 14 day return policy

 

[SantaFeNM]

Do they check for verification that you are a student or teacher?

From my experience, having purchased my M1 MacBook Air while I was taking a class, they do not verify at any point. I had read once that someone was asked for verification when they picked up their order at an Apple Store. I have no way of knowing if that is true. My experience was just the same as ordering through Apple's normal, online store, but with the nice discount.

 

[Jetscreamer]

From my experience, having purchased my M1 MacBook Air while I was taking a class, they do not verify at any point. I had read once that someone was asked for verification when they picked up their order at an Apple Store. I have no way of knowing if that is true. My experience was just the same as ordering through Apple's normal, online store, but with the nice discount.

Thanks for the info.

 

[tivoboy]

Amazon gives you 30 days for returns. Much longer during this, the holiday season.

(Or as I call it, the Tryshitout season.)

Doesn’t Apple only offer 14 days?

Apple has a holiday return period as well, but I don’t think it begins till November sometime, usually by around the 10th.. runs usually till begin of the 2nd week of January.

 

[tivoboy]

At least with Apple you can return it if you don’t like it within two weeks.

It’s really about a month, you only have to REQUEST the return within 14 days, then return usually by about 12 days later. So, there is less urgency that 14 days would imply.

 

[Beau10]

Amazon gives you 30 days for returns. Much longer during this, the holiday season.

(Or as I call it, the Tryshitout season.)

Doesn’t Apple only offer 14 days?

I'd advise caution for large ticket purchases like this unless this is a once in a blue moon situation. Amazon has been known to invoke lifetime bans

Too Many Returns on Amazon? When Will Amazon Ban your Account?

Many Amazon accounts have been banned when users request refunds excessively. So, what is the return limit and how to avoid being banned by Amazon?

www.techwalls.com

 

[iRun26.2]

Costco 90 day return policy > Apple 14 day return policy

Ye

It’s really about a month, you only have to REQUEST the return within 14 days, then return usually by about 12 days later. So, there is less urgency that 14 days would imply.

its one if things that I like about buying it at Apple. Buying it from Amazon means you are stuck with it if you open it (not worth the sale price in my opinion).

 

[Paul Anderegg]

Put the extra $50 towards a nice case! Wait...do they even make cases for the new Macbooks yet?

Paul

 

[pavvel]

Wrong. Apple has the shortest return window of any retailer (two weeks vs. four) no loyalty program like Best Buy and always the highest prices as they never put their products on sale directly, only occasionally offer gift cards or add ons like headphones etc.
Furthermore, whether you purchase through Apple directly or an authorized third party, Apple will still offer the same protection, warranty and inhouse tech support, so given the above there is no incentive whatsoever to buy directly from Apple.
I purchased my M1 MBA through Costco, who automatically extends the OEM warranty by a second year inhouse. I paid for it with my Citibank Costco Visa, which gave me another two years. Yeah those three extra years are through Costco and not Apple, but given it didn't cost me a dime, I can live with that. It was also 150 dollars less than MSRP. Other 3rd party retailers offer similar protections, especially when you use their credit cards to purchase, but Costco's is the best as far as I'm concerned.

No, I’m not “wrong”, that was my opinion.

 

[Codpeace]

I'd advise caution for large ticket purchases like this unless this is a once in a blue moon situation. Amazon has been known to invoke lifetime bans

Too Many Returns on Amazon? When Will Amazon Ban your Account?

Many Amazon accounts have been banned when users request refunds excessively. So, what is the return limit and how to avoid being banned by Amazon?

www.techwalls.com

Costco most definitely has quite a reputation for this, too.

 

[Codpeace]

Ye

its one if things that I like about buying it at Apple. Buying it from Amazon means you are stuck with it if you open it (not worth the sale price in my opinion).

I'll say, though, that it's pretty unlikely that I "won't like" a new Macbook Pro...

 

[theorist9]

I don't think there's any need to buy from Apple specifically. I bought a MacBook Pro, for instance, from the computer store at my university. However, I don't think I'd be comfortable buying a high-ticket item like an MBP from Amazon. I've heard too many reports of counterfiet and gray-market items, or used products being sold as new. Here's a quote from a 2020 article on the New York Times' Wirecutter blog (https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/amazon-counterfeit-fake-products/):

A major Wall Street Journal investigation recently revealed that Amazon has listed “thousands of banned, unsafe, or mislabeled products,” from dangerous children’s products to electronics with fake certifications. The Verge reported that even Amazon’s listings for its own line of goods are “getting hijacked by impostor sellers.” CNBC found that Amazon has shipped expired foods—including baby formula—to customers, pointing to an inability to monitor something as basic as an expiration date. Because of the proliferation of counterfeits and what Birkenstock describes as Amazon’s unwillingness to help it fight them, Birkenstock won’t sell on Amazon anymore. Nike announced that it is also pulling out of Amazon. “Many consumers are … unaware of the significant probabilities they face of being defrauded by counterfeiters when they shop on e-commerce platforms,” reads a January 2020 Department of Homeland Security report (PDF) recommending measures that would force e-retailers to take counterfeits even more seriously. “These probabilities are unacceptably high and appear to be rising.”

 

[BGPL]

Amazon isn't selling the 10-core 14" MBP, but BHPhoto is... however, no projected shipping date. The Apple 14" 10-core I ordered mid-week says it arrives in early November.

 

[Beau10]

Costco most definitely has quite a reputation for this, too.

Oh interesting... from what I recall they're very liberal about returns but eventually will just 'refuse' if it's excessive. They will enforce a ban? FWIW, Apple will do that after so many from what I recall - not ban you, just re accept a return for a larger purchase like a laptop.

For something like Amazon, where I do maybe 80% of my purchases, having an actual ban is like a waking nightmare for me. I can't imagine not having access to it as a resource.

 

[Beau10]

Amazon isn't selling the 10-core 14" MBP, but BHPhoto is... however, no projected shipping date. The Apple 14" 10-core I ordered mid-week says it arrives in early November.

They're selling the next level config 14" that includes the 10/16/1 gig though. Looks like the $50 discount is applied for everything now.

 

[raccoontail]

Amazon gives you 30 days for returns. Much longer during this, the holiday season.

(Or as I call it, the Tryshitout season.)

I find the best deals are all the open box / refurbs available a few weeks after Black Friday.

 

[TakeshimaIslands]

I'd advise caution for large ticket purchases like this unless this is a once in a blue moon situation. Amazon has been known to invoke lifetime bans

Too Many Returns on Amazon? When Will Amazon Ban your Account?

Many Amazon accounts have been banned when users request refunds excessively. So, what is the return limit and how to avoid being banned by Amazon?

www.techwalls.com

I assume Amazon are banning fraudulent returners;
bad faith:no intention to keep goods,
fraud: acquiring identical goods cheaper elsewhere and returning it to amazon to get full price refund
money laundering/tax fraud: amazon seller giving friends or family items for free to return

I doubt they are banning people randomly due to them having a higher than average return rate.

 

[Beau10]

I assume Amazon are banning fraudulent returners;
bad faith:no intention to keep goods,
fraud: acquiring identical goods cheaper elsewhere and returning it to amazon to get full price refund
money laundering/tax fraud: amazon seller giving friends or family items for free to return

I doubt they are banning people randomly due to them having a higher than average return rate.

Did you read the linked article? It's not fraudulent, the poster is just relating his relationship to Amazon purchases as if he was working w/ a brick and mortar and returning things that upon inspecting, did not decide he wanted to keep. For instance buying two of a similar item and keeping the one that is higher quality. There were reports and warnings about this all over places like slickdealz/fatwallet that didn't seem like anything resembling fraud.

I have a not too dissimilar relationship with Amazon, it's just on my end I typically only do this with smaller (ie. $20-50) purchases. I only purchase items > $100 that I'm absolutely sure to keep by doing more research.

The main thing to remember is a place like Amazon is profitable by way of thin margins and high volume. So if you do anything like this with a big ticket item that will have to be sold as open-box, beware, and do it super infrequently. I personally would not chance a purchase like this with Amazon more than once or twice and only if you rarely ever return anything.

With Apple I'm far less concerned, as a direct seller of what are essentially luxury good they're a much higher margin business and their open-boxes are still very profitable, but obviously the point of their policy is to sell more product with less hesitation, not to be a try-out-for-funsies model.

 

[Big_D]

Not sure what you are referring to. These alternate sellers still provide full benefits, e.g. MFG warranty and basic AppleCare. These aren't gray market outfits.

Exactly, and around here, buying from a local dealer, like Gravis (well, actually a chain) is about the only in-person option, the nearest Apple Store, to get support, is a day trip, or you have to send it away for 2 weeks.

That is one area, where Apple really falls behind. Our laptops at work have next day on site support, the Macs, 2 week turn around, when you send them in to Apple. Our Android smartphones are replaced next-day by the carrier, the iPhones have to go away for 2 weeks - or you can book AppleCare on top of the cost of the phone to obtain the same level of service that Android devices get for free.

Don‘t get me wrong, I am writing this on my iPad and I have just bought a pair of iPhone 13s and will be looking at getting an M1 Mac at the end of the year, but they still have lousy service, compared to other brands, at least here in Germany.

 

[coolbreeze2]

Simply Mac discounts:

14-inch MacBook Pro w/ Apple M1

The new MacBook Pro delivers game-changing performance for pro users. Choose the powerful M1 Pro or the even more powerful M1 Max to supercharge pro-level workflows while getting amazing battery life.1 And with an immersive 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display and an array of pro ports, you can do...

store.simplymac.com

16-inch MacBook Pro w/ Apple M1

The new MacBook Pro delivers game-changing performance for pro users. Choose the powerful M1 Pro or the even more powerful M1 Max to supercharge pro-level workflows while getting amazing battery life.1 And with an immersive 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display and an array of pro ports, you can do...

store.simplymac.com

I think I am the only one participating in this forum that bought the new MBP M1 Pro/Max from Simply Mac. I have asked is there anyone else and no one responds. I ordered on 10/24. They won’t give me a specific date of delivery but are saying they‘re thinking sometime early this week. I hope it is tomorrow!

 

[coolbreeze2]

Do they check for verification that you are a student or teacher?

I’ve heard that Apple doesn’t. I know that Simply Mac provides the same discount and only asks if you have an “.edu” email address. Once you have stated you have, they never ask again and keep applying educational discount to all applicable purchases.