How to force Apple to lower (r)MBPs price?

[vash420]

I think the rMBP is incredibly expensive, it's what stopped me from buying the first version. I understand the tradeoff, my Macs have lasted years and OSX is superb, but these are the first pro laptops (and I've had various ones of theirs since the G4 Powerbook) that have stopped me in my tracks financially.

I am buying one of the Haswell models are soon as they're available, but it's a daunting prospect. I'm not badly off, but if it wasn't for the educational discount they would be beyond a rational purchase. Having said that, I couldn't go back to Windows PC's. I work with them every day and they drive me insane.

Getting the rMBP to £1500 for the base model would see a lot of sales, and wouldn't dent their commercial perception of being a high-value product.

 

[Dambuster43]

I get why you think this could work.

But it's not going to. This would require an almost total boycott. That's just not going to happen.

Me personally, I don't find their products to be expensive, especially since they have always lasted me for years.

So I would not boycott Apple based on price. I don't think any Apple buyer would boycott Apple because they know Apples prices and they're willing to pay it.

I'm sorry but if you can't afford Apples prices, or if you don't like their prices, then you have 2 options.

1) Buy used
2) Don't buy

I don't mean to sound rude but that's just the reality. A boycott isn't going to happen and their prices will remain where they are.

I purchased a PowerPc G5 in 2005, it still in use, albeit limited to stuff that does mot need the updates since Apple dropped it. Since 2005, I have also had three Win Xp machines and one Win 7 plus a WinXP laptop and a Win Vista lap top
All the XPs are cluttering up my garage and the Win 7 is so slow I use it only to check websites I make. I bought an iMac last October and use it full time.

Windows may cost less at point of purchase...but are not as cost effective as Apple stuff.
When they upgrade the iMac, I will have one and dump the last PC.

 

[Apple Mac Daz]

I think the rMBP is incredibly expensive, it's what stopped me from buying the first version. I understand the tradeoff, my Macs have lasted years and OSX is superb, but these are the first pro laptops (and I've had various ones of theirs since the G4 Powerbook) that have stopped me in my tracks financially.

I am buying one of the Haswell models are soon as they're available, but it's a daunting prospect. I'm not badly off, but if it wasn't for the educational discount they would be beyond a rational purchase. Having said that, I couldn't go back to Windows PC's. I work with them every day and they drive me insane.

Getting the rMBP to £1500 for the base model would see a lot of sales, and wouldn't dent their commercial perception of being a high-value product.

But if you look round you can actually get a current base for roughly £1500.

I have just bought a 2.7/16/512 for £1900 which is a fantastic price IMO
and Amazon are selling it slightly cheaper too now

Plus if the Haswell do ditch the dGPU I can see the price dropping abit

 

[maflynn]

I'd like to force other companies to lower their price too. Lets all complain that BMWs are too pricey

Seriously, look what happened to Dell when they decided to play the price game and lower the prices to attract more customers. While I agree they're expensive, I think you get what you pay for, and for the MBP you get an awesome computer.

btw, there's really one way of forcing a company to lower their prices - stop buying what they're selling. That isn't happening to apple, so there's no way to make them change the price

 

[bobcan]

Hmmmm.. Well..

To be honest, I am only interested in Mac OS X operating system because it leverages my productivity and allows me to spend more extra time with family and/or do things different than "working for bloodsuckers..."

Since rMBP has been introduced, I am not sure we can say the prices customers are paying are for "Fine Quality Apple Products"...

Well, accordingly I can then only wonder WHY you would want to purchase one, at any price, if you Do Not deem it worthy..?? Why not but what you Want that IS the 'best bang for the buck'..?? If the product does What you Want it to, only you can decide if it is 'worth it' to you, and as far as Apple is concerned, lucky for them MANY people have decided their products are 'what they want/need' and they pay for those products.. if consumers did not 'consume' them at a rate that made Apple bean-counters happy, then there would be a reasonable chance of price reductions.. Seems to NEVER be the case from what I have seen and the Waiting Lists often spoken of..

As stated, I really have had Very Little Troubles with my 4x MBPs I have had since Gen.1 in Apr-06.. and any issues were promptly and very effectively fixed.. my iMac is 2yrs old and perfect so far too.. iPods have all served me well, and they ALL integrate well to Do My Bidding.. I cannot say those things about very many other lines of products that I have used in my 'consumer life'..

Accordingly, I DO consider them to be at least somewhat 'worth what I must pay' for them, and I will continue to Consume until that is NOT the case ~ but of course I'd like them to be cheaper, sure, Who Wouldn't..?? However, I see it quite Unlikely that any Social Media Campaign will affect that, but I shall watch.. and wonder.. and Be Amazed if so.. Good Luck, I really am cheering for you to be able to do it, I am 'due' to replace my 2011 MBP sometime.. Maybe soon.. Who Knows!!

 

[leimin]

I think the better solution would be for apple to just keep the price as is for as long as possible. Let's just hope that inflation and all the what-not do their job

 

[sofianito]

I'd like to force other companies to lower their price too. Lets all complain that BMWs are too pricey

Yes. This is the idea. It is not just against Apple but all companies we like their products but we find them too expensive... Compared to Apple, I don't think BMW has such high profit margins. They can't do so because there are other German competitors such as Audi, Mercedes, Volkswagen. Not to mention there are good and very good Korean and Japanese cars competing in this market too...

 

[thekev]

What about using social networks to "conscious people" and initiate a boycott campaign???

A boycott campaign is pointless. Noting your complaints below, buy something else. Just lowering the price won't compensate for a long list of perceived issues. A boycott over pricing is extremely silly, as it's already enacted at a passive level. If you think something is too expensive, you don't buy it whether or not you actually describe it as a boycott. Aside from that I am of the opinion that the cMBP won't go away without the rMBP adopting similar pricing. In the broader notebook market, 14-15" tends to be the most popular. They aren't going to have those models start above $2000.

What about the issues and Foxconn poor manufacturing quality you get with the specs? IR, lag, overheating, expensive battery replacement... Now with Haswell release, it seems they will likely ditch the dGPU... Retina will likely become a standard in the next few months...

Apple prices would probably be fine if the machines were perfect...but in my opinion they are not. We can't just focus on design and aesthetics...

You call it a Foxconn problem due to misunderstanding. Apple is aware of whatever manufacturing tolerance levels can be accomplished by their supply chain. If they design something that doesn't work well when scaled up to the required volume, where do you think the problem lies? I haven't experienced the lag issue. IR problems suggest bad design somewhere, but this isn't the first time they have come up. Once again someone had to validate and approve the use of those parts. Thermal performance has never been a strong point on these notebooks. They have a lot of random vents in weird places. Some models have ventilation at the bottom of the screen, which can cause uniformity issues when the machine is hot enough.

 

[sjinsjca]

If it were not for the shareholders, Apple could easily lower prices.

Ah yes, because HP, Dell, Samsung and the rest don't have shareholders.

Rank idiocy.

 

[Astroboy907]

Apple is like a Porsche in a way, it's pricey but perfect to drive and can last a lifetime if the maintenance is maintain. ok, technology will change the "use" of an Apple product but it will still be usable for certain tasks for years to come

Well let me know who the Honda of computers is, because those last a lifetime too, and drive great. They are just slower!

To OP, I honestly don't think apple will lower prices until they get a competitor that runs their OS. Then apple will cringe.

 

[sjinsjca]

Individualism is a disease...

And collectivism has such a grand record.


EDIT: I've done some thinking about this thread, and the OP's use of the word "force" together with the invective against individualism combine to form a disquieting set of bookends.

The market is the most effective force... but that's not enough for some people.

 

[old-wiz]

In an Apple Store? I suppose you could drop your knickers and threaten to crap all over the place. Might work.

YMMV.

Your idea just stinks!

 

[Timmy D]

Well let me know who the Honda of computers is, because those last a lifetime too, and drive great. They are just slower!

To OP, I honestly don't think apple will lower prices until they get a competitor that runs their OS. Then apple will cringe.

Haha I drive a Honda! Drove the last one for ten years and driving my new one for last five which still feels brand new. So you are right it is like a Honda as well. I was just talking about the price point of an Apple. Many want one but seem to think they're too pricey, as in a Porsche, yet for the quality they can last for years with no issues (as you've added, like a Honda).

 

[alphaod]

You'll have as much luck trying to boycott Ferrari or Lamborghini, hoping they'll lower their prices.

 

[ronjon10]

What if you change your reasoning to something more positive like: If enough people stop buying, Apple would have no other choice than to innovate, improve manufacturing process and quality, and reduce its profit margins. Customers will be happy and will buy more than before...

I appreciate your optimism. However, if they really reduced prices, they'd more likely be required to buy cheaper components and take shortcuts in the manufacturing process.

This is exactly what Lenovo did to the ThinkPad line and it went from being the best laptop available to a Dell wannabe. I was very loyal to ThinkPad back in the day, and wouldn't even consider one after my last one let me down after a year.

There are a few PC manufacturers making high quality machines that are equivalent to the mbp line, and no surprise, they cost the same.

Having said that, there may be a market for a cheaper laptop. The macbook line used to serve that market. Given that Apple has gone away from that market, I don't think they think there is much of a market.

Who knows though, looks like they are coming out with a cheaper iphone line, maybe they'll call they're high end line the iPhone Pro, with a plastic case and who knows what other differences. It's always a possibility they could bring back the macbook line and when retina screen prices fall enough, it could be added.

 

[logantyler]

Definitely not possible. It´s a premium product with premium prices.

 

[sofianito]

You'll have as much luck trying to boycott Ferrari or Lamborghini, hoping they'll lower their prices.

Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati,... are perfect luxury cars targeted to a wealthy minority. In fact, even if you are wealthy you can't buy a Ferrari unless someone else who owns it recommends you...

Job's dream was to marry engineering and beautiful design. Actually we are getting anorexic notebooks with less power and components at a premium price...

 

[Mr. Dee]

Don't do it!

They will only raise the prices and I haven't bought mine yet.

I remember emailing Tim Cook in early 2012 about how expensive the iMacs are and if he could lower the prices. Later in 2012, the price of the base model iMac increased by $100, while dropping features over aesthetic improvements.

When you plan boycotts, it is only suggesting to Apple there is a high demand for their products and they should only increase the prices even more which will make shareholders happy.

 

[sofianito]

And collectivism has such a grand record.

A collectivism that serves the purpose and interests of a minority is as bad as individualism. If Apple lowers its prices it would benefit everyone, even the classists...

The market is the most effective force... but that's not enough for some people.

The market is dynamic and is subject to the law of demand and supply.

I recall the price of crude oil went down in several occasions, mainly because of embargoes and wars... Here we are talking about pacific boycotts... I think we are approaching a new era where internet, social networks, consciousness, and joined actions could knee corporations and governments. Example, the corruption scandals that is facing the current Spanish prime minister and government formed by conservative party will likely lead the prime minister to resign... Social networks are playing a big role in this.

 

[thundersteele]

I don't understand this thread. It goes against any kind of normal behavior or everyday experience.

Most of us live in a free market economy. In such an economy, it might make sense to control the prices of certain essential products, like e.g. electricity, medication or housing & food prices. On the other hand non-essential and/or luxury products certainly don't need to be controlled.

If the majority of rMBP buyers would consider it being too expensive, they would not buy it. Even for someone whose work requires the use of OSX, there are cheaper alternatives like the MBA or used/refurbished machines.

Every day, we make decisions about what to buy. Usually if we consider something too expensive we look for alternatives, whether it is a restaurant or a TV or the rent in an apartment. Instead if we want a specific product, sometimes one can wait to lower the price, e.g. for a sale or for a better priced used product. Or you can try to haggle.
Finally, if all else fails, one has to reevaluate the needs and demands. An expensive neighborhood might just not be affordable, so one has to move elsewhere.
Nowhere in this everyday behavior appears the idea that we could force the vendor of the product to lower the price. This is just not how our economy works!


OK, two more things:

1. There are economies without a free market, where e.g. the government dictates what everything costs. In the past, such economies have fallen behind in technology, because there is little incentive for companies to invest in research and development of new products. The up side would be that you can buy your Apple II much cheaper.

2. One counter-example, where public pressure has managed to lower prices, is the music industry. However copying that strategy seems difficult, since it essentially would mean that you have to start robbing Apple stores of their products until they drop the prices.

 

[applepie555]

Buy it on Black Friday?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[mtneer]

Didn't Apple already reduce prices on the rMBP in February - that too by a couple of hundred dollars?? I can't recall when Apple reduced prices on current "premium" hardware by that much. So, market forces are already very much in action without the need to organize boycotts and threats.

Hypothetically, even if you do successfully manage to organize a boycott - people will still need computers to accomplish their work or help manage their lives, and they will buy computers from other vendors - effectively raising prices over at Lenovo/ HP/ Dell or whoever else...

 

[laurihoefs]

Is the 15" rMBP considered expensive?

I made a choice between the Lenovo 5xxW-series, HP Elitebook 85xxW-series, and the 15" rMBP. With similar configurations (hi-res IPS screen, 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM) the rMBP was easily the cheapest of the bunch, although the price of AppleCare made the difference smaller. These are not "premium" laptops, they're powerful tools with great displays.

In it's class I considerer the rMBP to be, if not a bargain, at least a really good deal.


EDIT: It's been almost a year since I got the rMBP, and in the meantime the prices of the comparable Lenovo and HP models seem to have come down a bit. Right now an HP EliteBook 8570w with identical specs to a current rMBP base model would cost me ~2400€, so the rMBP at ~2200€ with AppleCare at~340€ would currently be ~140€ more expensive. Not that bad really, but still some 6% more expensive. Nothing really to start a boycott campaign about though...

I added the price of AppleCare to the comparison, because both of the competitors I was considering have a three year NBD Pick-Up-And-Return warranty included in the price.

 

[Queen6]

Is the 15" rMBP considered expensive?

I made a choice between the Lenovo 5xxW-series, HP Elitebook 85xxW-series, and the 15" rMBP. With similar configurations (hi-res IPS screen, 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM) the rMBP was easily the cheapest of the bunch, although the price of AppleCare made the difference smaller. These are not "premium" laptops, they're powerful tools with great displays.

In it's class I considerer the rMBP to be, if not a bargain, at least a really good deal.


EDIT: It's been almost a year since I got the rMBP, and in the meantime the prices of the comparable Lenovo and HP models seem to have come down a bit. Right now an HP EliteBook 8570w with identical specs to a current rMBP base model would cost me ~2400€, so the rMBP at ~2200€ with AppleCare at~340€ would currently be ~140€ more expensive. Not that bad really, but still some 6% more expensive. Nothing really to start a boycott campaign about though...

I added the price of AppleCare to the comparison, because both of the competitors I was considering have a three year NBD Pick-Up-And-Return warranty included in the price.

This is fair, really fair; I need more flexibility than the current consumer based MBP/MBPr can offer and the Lenovo, Dell and HP equivalents are all a little pricer for similar configurations, equally they offer far more flexibility and can be spec`d far higher than the current MBP, fully loaded these portable Workstation`s can more than easily cost twice the price of a MacBook Pro...

 

[Queen6]

Is the 15" rMBP considered expensive?

I made a choice between the Lenovo 5xxW-series, HP Elitebook 85xxW-series, and the 15" rMBP. With similar configurations (hi-res IPS screen, 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM) the rMBP was easily the cheapest of the bunch, although the price of AppleCare made the difference smaller. These are not "premium" laptops, they're powerful tools with great displays.

In it's class I considerer the rMBP to be, if not a bargain, at least a really good deal.


EDIT: It's been almost a year since I got the rMBP, and in the meantime the prices of the comparable Lenovo and HP models seem to have come down a bit. Right now an HP EliteBook 8570w with identical specs to a current rMBP base model would cost me ~2400€, so the rMBP at ~2200€ with AppleCare at~340€ would currently be ~140€ more expensive. Not that bad really, but still some 6% more expensive. Nothing really to start a boycott campaign about though...

I added the price of AppleCare to the comparison, because both of the competitors I was considering have a three year NBD Pick-Up-And-Return warranty included in the price.

This is fair, really fair; I need more flexibility than the current consumer based MBP/MBPr can offer and the Lenovo, Dell and HP equivalents are all a little pricer for similar configurations, equally they offer far more flexibility and can be spec`d far higher than the current MBP, fully loaded these portable Workstation`s can easily cost twice the price of a Mac portable.

The MBP has evolved into a premium consumer product, nothing more nothing less and a very different animal compared to a professional mobile Workstation which is purely driven by function over form, offering a myriad options at source, it`s not about upgrading, it`s about tuning the system to your needs, Apple no longer offers this in the mobile platform...