Extremely low prices for rMBP by official Mac resellers -- what does it mean?

[stagmeister]

I've started paying attention to AppleInsider's price guide, which shows what different Apple resellers are selling Apple products for, including MacMall. I've noticed something interesting.

2.9GHz 13" MBP (8GB,256GB) -- Apple: $2200, MacMall: $1552 (Discount: ~$650 = 29%)
2.5GHz 13" MBP (8GB,512GB) -- Apple: $2500, MacMall: $1649 (Discount: ~$850 = 34%)
2.9GHz 13" MBP (8GB,512GB) -- Apple: $2700, MacMall: $1745 (Discount: ~$950 = 35%)

2.6GHz 15" MBP (8GB, 512GB) -- Apple: $2800, B&H: $2200 (Discount: $600 = 21%)

There's a trend here. The resellers clearly think that the rMPB will be refreshed soon and are trying to dump their stock. Especially since some of the resellers (i.e. MacMall) don't charge sales tax if you are shipping and don't live in CA or NY (maybe a few other states too) it adds up to a really significant discount, on new (not refurbished!) machines.

These look like really sweet deals, perhaps too good to pass up. I know I'm tempted, because it's a lot of cash to save.

But what does it say about the Haswell refresh and when it's going to happen? I doubt that the resellers have any information that we don't, but it seems that they're afraid that a refresh could happen any time and that their stock would then be very difficult to sell except at an even steeper discount.

Thoughts?

 

[Stetrain]

Those are 2012 models, which were replaced with slightly newer models in February. That probably explains the discount, but what's interesting is why there are still new 2012 models in stock so long after the 2013 models started shipping.

Also your "Apple" prices for the 13" rMBP are incorrect. Those are the prices for the 15" rMBP

 

[InfinitiG]

those models all have upgrades

upgrades are vastly over priced, hence the room to discount