How common are employer discounts?

[lunker]

Howdy, all. I'm a PC guy biding his time, waiting for the right time to Switch with a capital S. Don't worry, this isn't an "iBook or Powerbook?!" thread because I've already searched, read and wracked my brain over the matter.

Here's my predicament: at my current job I get a minor (8 percent) Apple discount. I'm in the middle of looking for a new job, have one interview lined up so far, but I'm not sure if my new job will have such a discount. Do a lot of employers have deals with Apple for discounts?

Since I'm looking to pick up a 15" Powerbook with Superdrive, it's a sizable chunk o' change I could save. ... any suggestions?

 

[emw]

My company has one, as do both of my brothers'. I think it's fairly common for large employers, especially those that do any sort of significant business with Apple.

8% is good, however, and slightly better than my average discount, which is closer to 6 or 7%.

In my case, I can get the discount, theoretically, even if I were to leave the company, since they don't change the information on the online store, and I can set my preferences to e-mail me at home with info, as well as ship it there.

 

[wiseguy27]

Except for the states that don't have sales tax, is it really worth buying a Mac directly from Apple? The discount might just compensate for the tax. On the other hand, buying from an out-of-state store might help in saving on the tax (but no employer discounts).