imac education discount

[creepy crab]

Hi all, sorry to bring yet another discussion about education discounts... kind of inevitable at this time of year though...

So i rang my local Apple store (Manchester Trafford Centre) to check i can get the discount instore, and was told that i could. However it turns out that regardless of which imac i buy, i only get a 6% discount, whereas if i were to buy a macbook Pro, i would be entitled to 15% off!

I realise this may be a UK specific thing, but could anyone
A) tell me how long ago the imac discount plummeted, and
B) Think of a reason to punish desktop users?

Thanks alot

 

[iStudentUK]

Are you at university or college? The uni discount is still 15% (ish, it varies between products, normally the iMac is about 13% I think).

Many Apple employees have no idea about education discounts and tell you rubbish.

If you buy online you get a free 3 year warranty, but not in store. See link in my sig.

 

[psxguru]

iMacs are 12% (actually they range from 11.95 to 12.02%), probably best to order over the phone if your local store won't give you more than 6%

 

[Igantius]

Firstly, what type of education discount are you talking about - the standard one or the HE Store? If you're eligible for the latter, deal with the HE Store direct. Although physical stores may offer a discount that's greater than the normal education store, it's discretionary and this might explain the difference between the discounts. Also, 6% sounds roughly like the standard education discount on at least some of the iMac range - the HE store would offer more.

I don't think that the discounts have changed substantially - discounts vary across product lines and I wouldn't say desktop users are being 'punished'. For example, I got something like a 17% discount when I bought a Mac Pro through my HE Store, and today, I believe I would get bigger discounts on any Mac Pro model, compared to those on the MacBook Pros - and considerably more than those on the iMacs.

 

[FrankHahn]

Order online so that you can get all the benefits you deserve!

 

[Igantius]

iMacs are 12% (actually they range from 11.95 to 12.02%), probably best to order over the phone if your local store won't give you more than 6%

Not through the standard education discount - e.g. the entry-level iMac is £939.60, as opposed to the normal price of £999; this is a 6% discount, so it sounds like the OP was just offered the normal education price, not the HE one.

Even if they had given a bigger discount, iStudentUK made a very point about the warranty and why it's best to deal direct with the HE Store.

Order online so that you can get all the benefits you deserve!

Quite so - although it's also okay to order via the dedicated phoneline for the HE Store.

 

[creepy crab]

Are you at university or college?.

I hold an unconditional offer for King's College London, but don't start till september, so i can't access the education store through my university yet.

Thanks iStudent, i have read your post in detail, but was concerned that the discount may have changed this year, as it seems strange my local store would offer me such a larger discount on the macbook pro...

It is reassuring to hear that i can still get a substantial discount, so if needed i will order online, there's just something about buying my imac and having it straight away (i will be in a position to buy on saturday). She did also say on the phone she'd give me the applecare discount.

Thanks

 

[iStudentUK]

I hold an unconditional offer for King's College London, but don't start till september, so i can't access the education store through my university yet.

Thanks iStudent, i have read your post in detail, but was concerned that the discount may have changed this year, as it seems strange my local store would offer me such a larger discount on the macbook pro...

Well that's tricky then. In store it's up to Apple what discount they give you, although I would phone another store (or talk to someone else) as it sounds like a mistake. Apple staff are pretty rubbish about understanding the education discounts. There's no logic to the 6% on iMacs but 15% on MBPs.

However, online/phone Apple MUST offer you the 12% off. They do NOT have a choice due to the contracts they signed (which are due to expire 30th September this year, but may be renewed). If you phone Apple to order you may get a better response and get the free warranty as you have an unconditional offer, but I'm not sure.