Mac Mini and Shuffle at Best Buy

[MacRumors]

MacObserver reports that Best Buy retail stores will begin selling Mac Minis and iPod Shuffles in the next 30 days.

Highly reliable sources at a number companies that manufacture third-party add-ons for the Macintosh have confirmed to The Mac Observer that Best Buy will be displaying and stocking the Mac mini at all of its retail stores, and not just a selected few.

Best Buy and Apple have recently held a limited trial period of selling Mac products (again) at select Best Buy stores. This pilot program was only available for a limited period of time.

Apple's Mac Mini has also briefly appeared on the online Target.com store... but no official word on availability of the low-end Mac at retail Target locations.

 

[Mechcozmo]

Looks like Apple is really pushing these two low-end things... getting them into Walmart, Best Buy, etc.

 

[Dr. Dastardly]

I hope it doesnt turn out to be a giant flop like last time they tried to sell Macs there. Most stupid Best Buy goons don't know anything about Macs or OSX.

But since they have them now at Target and Best Buy, anyone think we might start seeing Mac Mini commericals?

 

[dotdotdot]

I hope it doesnt turn out to be a giant flop like last time they tried to sell Macs there. Most stupid Best Buy goons don't know anything about Macs or OSX.

Or Windows PCs

 

[narco]

I think selling the mini at Best Buy is a good thing. I've heard good and bad things about Best Buy's protection plans, so I'm not sure if it's a good thing to buy from them if you have the chance to get it at an Apple store.

I wonder how many people will see the mini next to the huge towers and just figure that it's an external hard drive or something. I wonder what kind of display it'll be hooked up to.

Fishes,
narco.

 

[jared_kipe]

I hope it doesnt turn out to be a giant flop like last time they tried to sell Macs there. Most stupid Best Buy goons don't know anything about Macs or OSX.

But since they have them now at Target and Best Buy, anyone think we might start seeing Mac Mini commericals?

Much of that might be due to the fact that Best Buy's Computer sales staff are not only stupid, but stupid PC users. I went in there and I was looking at the hard drives, and a guy comes up to me and goes, "Is there anything I can help you with." and I go "yeah which of these hard drives are compatible with Macs?" He goes "umm.. umm none of these are mac compatible,.. or at least.. none of them say they are mac compatible (as he picks one up)." Wow, very "helpful" Mr. Bestbuy.

 

[jared_kipe]

I think selling the mini at Best Buy is a good thing. I've heard good and bad things about Best Buy's protection plans, so I'm not sure if it's a good thing to buy from them if you have the chance to get it at an Apple store.

I wonder how many people will see the mini next to the huge towers and just figure that it's an external hard drive or something. I wonder what kind of display it'll be hooked up to.

Fishes,
narco.

Mmm, a 23" Cinema display?

 

[yoda13]

Well, I don't know if it will be anymore successful than previous stints in Best Buy, but I have to admit, I like the products in their stores better than in Wal-Mart, but that is just me I guess.

 

[VicMacs]

alright, lets talk dirty about best buy, this is GOOD

 

[LimeiBook86]

"Wonderful!!" C-3PO

All they need is an Apple Sales Rep guarding the Mac Minis to scold the Best Buy idiots who don't know the difference from a Celeron and a Pentium 4.

Or I can work there...

 

[SAukland]

W00t.

Finally... those Best Buy gift cards will be worth something again.
Been waiting patiently. Didn't Circuit City offer A Mac Lineup for a while also?

A little off topic, but relating to the mac mini... are they offering a different color case or something? On Yahoo! News, there is a picture of a mini in an apple store, and it appears to have a lighter colored case.

Here is the article

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[clayj]

A little off topic, but relating to the mac mini... are they offering a different color case or something? On Yahoo! News, there is a picture of a mini in an apple store, and it appears to have a lighter colored case.

Here is the article

Anyone have any ideas?

Looks to me like a combination of bright lighting and the wood of the countertop is resulting in the silver case picking up some of that wood color.

 

[Xtremehkr]

Good, this is much better than Wal Fart. Best Buy is better than CompUSA and Wal Mart combined. I bought my G3 iMac from CompUSA, I'll never make that mistake again.

 

[Rod Rod]

Best Buy story:

I overheard a middle-aged couple's conversation with a Best Buy blue shirt.

Woman: We need a computer to help run our business.

Man: I heard Apples were good. Can you get Microsoft Office for them?

Blue Shirt: No, I don't think it's compatible.

Man and Woman: Oh.

I think the blue shirt proceeded to sell the couple on a PC laptop. I didn't feel like butting in on their conversation (after all I was pretty much eavesdropping already, which is probably bad enough), but maybe I should have.

edit: I should add that the same store had PowerBooks and iBooks on display, as well as Power Macs (G4 and G5) and as iMacs. They had MS Office on display just a few steps away from where the blue shirt was misleading the couple.

 

[sjpetry]

Apple is really expanding and I like it.

 

[SiliconAddict]

Or Windows PCs

I was going to say the same thing. Most Best Buy guys are there to sell computers and really don't go over the features of the software. Or at least all the ones I've ever seen. Why is it that people think you need some rep to convince people to buy a Mac and OS X. If Apple would simply provide a running screen saver like they do on some systems in retail locations and a box of flyers explaining why OS X rocks and its virtues it should be good enough.
You don't need some computer equivalent of a smooth talking car salesman to talk someone into getting a Mac.

 

[SiliconAddict]

Much of that might be due to the fact that Best Buy's Computer sales staff are not only stupid, but stupid PC users. I went in there and I was looking at the hard drives, and a guy comes up to me and goes, "Is there anything I can help you with." and I go "yeah which of these hard drives are compatible with Macs?" He goes "umm.. umm none of these are mac compatible,.. or at least.. none of them say they are mac compatible (as he picks one up)." Wow, very "helpful" Mr. Bestbuy.

Ummm Macs account for what % of the market. I don't blame anyone for not being up on whether or not a hard drive is compatible with a Mac. Does or does not the current PowerMac only ship with a SATA interface. (Seriously I don't know.) How is a salesperson who's only experience being PCs expected to know this.

 

[SAukland]

You don't need some computer equivalent of a smooth talking car salesman to talk someone into getting a Mac.

No, but at some point you will need to compete with those slick talking PC blue-shirts...

I can't remember the last time I walked into Best Buy and wasn't flocked upon by at least 7 of them... and to a person that doesn't know the basics, there will be no contest.

 

[billystlyes]

I hope Best buy does a better job this time.

Best Buy has never done Apple right. At least on the computer side. Maybe this time because of the Mini's price they can attract more hype and sales.

 

[SiliconAddict]

No, but at some point you will need to compete with those slick talking PC blue-shirts...

I can't remember the last time I walked into Best Buy and wasn't flocked upon by at least 7 of them... and to a person that doesn't know the basics, there will be no contest.

The thing is that most of these guys aren't out to screw over Apple. Hell I was in there the other day looking to upgrade my GPU. I was talking to one of the guys and they were honestly interested in the Mac Mini. Just because these guys are trained to deal with PC (to a limited extent.) Doesn't mean they have been indoctrinated into some PC cult that has an Intel logo branded on their butt and where their oath swears that they will hack on Apple and OS X at all times.

 

[SiliconAddict]

I think the blue shirt proceeded to sell the couple on a PC laptop. I didn't feel like butting in on their conversation (after all I was pretty much eavesdropping already, which is probably bad enough), but maybe I should have.

edit: I should add that the same store had PowerBooks and iBooks on display, as well as Power Macs (G4 and G5) and as iMacs. They had MS Office on display just a few steps away from where the blue shirt was misleading the couple.

Misleading or simply didn't know any better. Honestly if Apple rolls out these devices nation wide you can bet there will be some basic training. As for your evidence whatever store you were in was a pilot program. If this hits stores nation wide I expect some basic training just as Microsoft has done with Windows. Yes there have been official training classes for Widows and Best Buy. With videos headed by none other then Billy Boy Gates. How someone could get through a video with that mans voice is beyond me though.

 

[iPegboy]

crazy, i was at best buy today with a fist full of gift cards from christmas and i asked a dude in the mp3 section if they were getting the iPod Shuffle.

"We are estimating Feb. 13," he said. (he was a manager).

I put those gift cards back in my pocket and i'll head back up there next month.

 

[Rod Rod]

Misleading or simply didn't know any better. Honestly if Apple rolls out these devices nation wide you can bet there will be some basic training. As for your evidence whatever store you were in was a pilot program. If this hits stores nation wide I expect some basic training just as Microsoft has done with Windows. Yes there have been official training classes for Widows and Best Buy. With videos headed by none other then Billy Boy Gates. How someone could get through a video with that mans voice is beyond me though.

Simply not knowing any better doesn't adequately explain what happened. It's not that hard to walk a few steps over and read what's on the shelves. The MS Office boxes are clearly labeled.

You're pretty optimistic about training. One would think that the Apple / Best Buy pilot program would have included training, at least for the computer department employees.

Best Buy has an institutional bias against Apple already. They have incentives to push Rhapsody. The management has Rhapsody goals to reach and they push salespeople to comply.

 

[mac n cheese]

Good news on service plan

The good news is, you can get Best Buy's service plan instead of Apple Care, and it might actually serve you. It covers accidental damage, which is the number one reason I would even consider any service plan.

If you need Apple Care's tech support to run your Shuffle, then stick to a Sony Walkman(yes the tape player kind). Other than that, skip Apple Care and get a coverage plan that actually covers you. I think its great.

As far as the sales staff not being knowledgable about Macs... it can't be any worse than the Apple store. "Apple Pro's" my a$$. If you've ever asked one a tougher question than "how much memory does this have?", then you know what I'm talking about

 

[24C]

Misleading or simply didn't know any better. Honestly if Apple rolls out these devices nation wide you can bet there will be some basic training. As for your evidence whatever store you were in was a pilot program. If this hits stores nation wide I expect some basic training just as Microsoft has done with Windows. Yes there have been official training classes for Widows and Best Buy. With videos headed by none other then Billy Boy Gates. How someone could get through a video with that mans voice is beyond me though.

There is a huge problem with Apple training in equivalent stores such as PCWorld in the UK, staff turnover, which must apply in the USA! I heard that an Apple trainer/demonstrator a few years ago, went into a brand new PCWorld Superstore, spent a few days on the floor informing staff/management, went back a few months later as a follow up exercise and only two of the original staff remained, one was a security guard and the other a cleaner.
The level of Apple expertise/interest was non existent, and ignorance was high again. In the UK retail arena, you're more likely to get a better response at John Lewis and Selfridges and some of the guys advertising in the Apple magazines.