Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Mac mini Test Drive Offer Pulled
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
beatle888 said:
Could be, maybe the reverse of last year's delayed imac G5 spring introduction. We know the low power 970 is available and maybe IBM (finally) managed to be pleasantly ahead of schedule for deliveries in the quantity Apple would need for a product launch. A G5 mini with a better video card, and possibly better HD (yes, I'm greedy) would certainly be better 'switch' bait than what's out now. I don't think that it was just a web admin jumping the gun - unless the test drive was only planned for the current iteration of the mini. I don't remember now but didn't the test drive web page also list the detailed tech specs of today's mini?
My experience: They got overwhelmed with orders?
I'm new to the Mac world, so I'm not familiar with all the prognosticating that goes on in forums like this, but here's a more mundane explanation, which has been put forward before, but isn't as much fun to discuss as the possibility that there could be a new Mini:
They got overwhelmed with orders. The response was MUCH greater than they had anticipated. They said 'crap,' and they pulled the plug.
From one person's experience: I ordered a Mini on Wednesday morning. At the time, the site said it'd ship in 'less than 24 hours,' so it should have shipped yesterday. This morning my order has a new ship date: one week out - 9/6. This is the standard $699 Mac - nothing special.
Even worse, if you look at the Mini page on the store site TODAY, it STILL says new orders will ship in less than 24 hours. They've known about delayed ship dates since at least yesterday, but they're still providing old and wrong information to people looking at buying now.
"I don't remember now but didn't the test drive web page also list the detailed tech specs of today's mini?"
Yeah, or at least it listed the detailed part numbers for each Mini that was eligible.
I'm new to the Mac world, so I'm not familiar with all the prognosticating that goes on in forums like this, but here's a more mundane explanation, which has been put forward before, but isn't as much fun to discuss as the possibility that there could be a new Mini:
They got overwhelmed with orders. The response was MUCH greater than they had anticipated. They said 'crap,' and they pulled the plug.
From one person's experience: I ordered a Mini on Wednesday morning. At the time, the site said it'd ship in 'less than 24 hours,' so it should have shipped yesterday. This morning my order has a new ship date: one week out - 9/6. This is the standard $699 Mac - nothing special.
Even worse, if you look at the Mini page on the store site TODAY, it STILL says new orders will ship in less than 24 hours. They've known about delayed ship dates since at least yesterday, but they're still providing old and wrong information to people looking at buying now.
"I don't remember now but didn't the test drive web page also list the detailed tech specs of today's mini?"
Yeah, or at least it listed the detailed part numbers for each Mini that was eligible.
New Idea...
This is all a ploy to extend the pricing model...
Jobs really does not want to have a $399 machine going forward, but this allows him to, without really having one.
Returned demos become newly refurbished at the $399 level, and you can keep that "inventory" going a long time.
This will create a new price point going forward ($399), and if that price point starts generating any real traction, then the mini will move down in price. If it doesn't then Steve gets to keep the $499 price point.
This is all a ploy to extend the pricing model...
Jobs really does not want to have a $399 machine going forward, but this allows him to, without really having one.
Returned demos become newly refurbished at the $399 level, and you can keep that "inventory" going a long time.
This will create a new price point going forward ($399), and if that price point starts generating any real traction, then the mini will move down in price. If it doesn't then Steve gets to keep the $499 price point.
Well they didnt just pull this offer out of their ass 😀 so im going to go with the theory that it was accidentally updated and this is going to reappear again in the near future (maybe a legal issue if not an accident).
Here is another idea though 😉 ... the Apple website got hacked, someone decided to play a prank instead of the usual defacing - Apple discovered and fixed it and are too embarrased to tell people what happened. Unlikley maybe but possible. 😀
Here is another idea though 😉 ... the Apple website got hacked, someone decided to play a prank instead of the usual defacing - Apple discovered and fixed it and are too embarrased to tell people what happened. Unlikley maybe but possible. 😀
Lacero
macrumors 604
I don't see the problem testing driving something like a dual G5 where the machine is pricey and if the customer finds it essential to their work, will likely keep it or buy more for their corporation.
But to test drive the cheapest computer in Apple's lineup absolutely makes no sense. The computer is so cheap, people might as well do the legwork of buying it and later selling it if they are not happy. Or Apple could provide a 30-day trial run and if the customer doesn't want it, they can return it for a 10% restocking fee.
But to test drive the cheapest computer in Apple's lineup absolutely makes no sense. The computer is so cheap, people might as well do the legwork of buying it and later selling it if they are not happy. Or Apple could provide a 30-day trial run and if the customer doesn't want it, they can return it for a 10% restocking fee.
Bonte
macrumors 65816
Apple used to offer this 'promo' regularly in pre G5 times but it got way to much attention in all tech media news-sites this time and they quickly pulled the plug. This promo only works for selected groups where 99% won't bring back the mini, this is not intended for the tech-savvy slashdotters and the like.
To me it only seems logical that Apple Stopped this promotion because everyone that test drives the Mini will for some reason HAVE to return it in 30 days, costing apple ALOT of money.
So why would someone feel so obligated to return a product they just purchased? Because a new one is comming.
Paris is 19 days away. Could it be that Apple plans on updating or releasing a new Mac Mini in Paris? I think so.
that's my thoughts frrrrriends!
So why would someone feel so obligated to return a product they just purchased? Because a new one is comming.
Paris is 19 days away. Could it be that Apple plans on updating or releasing a new Mac Mini in Paris? I think so.
that's my thoughts frrrrriends!
One more thing....
If apple releases a new/updated mac mini... I would NOT expect them to release a MacIntel version of the Mini (or any MacIntel at Paris for that mater), because the OS isn't ready. To many programs woun't run propubally with Tiger. In order for a MacIntel to run smoothly without an update coming out every week on tiger for consumers, we need leoppard.
A MacIntel release in 2005 is too risky for Apple.
Expect it in April.
Again... that's my thoughts.
If apple releases a new/updated mac mini... I would NOT expect them to release a MacIntel version of the Mini (or any MacIntel at Paris for that mater), because the OS isn't ready. To many programs woun't run propubally with Tiger. In order for a MacIntel to run smoothly without an update coming out every week on tiger for consumers, we need leoppard.
A MacIntel release in 2005 is too risky for Apple.
Expect it in April.
Again... that's my thoughts.
RobHague said:
Yep, all of those test drive orders actually got diverted to Dell's website (they just couldn't stand losing market share to Apple). Imagine the look on Apple CSR faces when they start receiving those Dimension 2400 returns in 30 days 😱 gives new meaning to the macintel switch -- just think of it as a high tech version of the ole surprise pizza delivery trick
Bonte said:
I think that if Apple had meant to target certain groups who were not likely to return their mini's they would have done more targeted marketing, not thrown it up on the front page of the online Apple store.
hyperpasta
macrumors 6502a
Well it looks like those who managed to get in while it was still available won't be left out in the cold.
http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/09/01/minidrive/index.php
"The 'Test Drive a Mac mini' program is no longer available," Apple said in a statement given to MacCentral. "We will honor the terms and conditions of the program for qualifying customers who registered with the promotion while it lasted."
Legal probably doesn't want to have to deal with any lawsuits. The tone of the statement makes me think that this deal is permanently destined for the garbage bin. If they reintroduced it within a few weeks after all of this publicity wouldn't they just be putting more egg on their faces.
http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/09/01/minidrive/index.php
"The 'Test Drive a Mac mini' program is no longer available," Apple said in a statement given to MacCentral. "We will honor the terms and conditions of the program for qualifying customers who registered with the promotion while it lasted."
Legal probably doesn't want to have to deal with any lawsuits. The tone of the statement makes me think that this deal is permanently destined for the garbage bin. If they reintroduced it within a few weeks after all of this publicity wouldn't they just be putting more egg on their faces.
I don't think anyone jumped the gun.
Whatever is being released on the 7th (other than that damned phone) is going to be big, we know that much. Whatever it is, is also highly secretive. Whoever is responsible for developing advertising promotions was probably unaware of what is being released on the 7th due to the secretive nature of it, and the promotion was hence pulled as not to reduce purchase intention for the new product being released on the 7th.
The promotion will probably come back, but only once the initial hype of the new product on the 7th has dies down a little.
treblah said:
Whatever is being released on the 7th (other than that damned phone) is going to be big, we know that much. Whatever it is, is also highly secretive. Whoever is responsible for developing advertising promotions was probably unaware of what is being released on the 7th due to the secretive nature of it, and the promotion was hence pulled as not to reduce purchase intention for the new product being released on the 7th.
The promotion will probably come back, but only once the initial hype of the new product on the 7th has dies down a little.
autrefois
macrumors 65816
I think it's possible it was a combination of factors. Maybe there's something coming up in Paris or on a long shot maybe the 7th, but it's also possible they were flooded with orders. Look at what happened in Henrico County with the iBook sale. Being able to get your hands on a Mac mini (which was definitely advertised as being a complement to the iPod) for free, even if just for a month, might have gotten a lot of people's attention, especially since it was getting fairly good coverage at least in Mac circles.
I think it was a great idea, and you can't compare Apple now and Apple in the 90s when they tried a similar promotion. The iPod is a household name, I assume basically everyone knows the iPod is Apple, and Apple is currently "cool" despite all the articles predicting impending doom for iTunes and/or the iPod.
I doubt we'll ever know the real reason for the promotion ending, but then again this is a rumor site, so why not speculate? 😀
I think it was a great idea, and you can't compare Apple now and Apple in the 90s when they tried a similar promotion. The iPod is a household name, I assume basically everyone knows the iPod is Apple, and Apple is currently "cool" despite all the articles predicting impending doom for iTunes and/or the iPod.
I doubt we'll ever know the real reason for the promotion ending, but then again this is a rumor site, so why not speculate? 😀
beatle888
macrumors 68000
_Matt said:
you really dont believe that do you? apple does a bit of research and planning. i dont think it just dawned on them that they might lose money on this deal. i think they would of already projected that thought well before releasing the offer.
it takes more thought to succeed in business than just flying off the handle and making half-ass decisions. trust me that isnt what happened. but if it is, then i'll give you a dollar for your insight 😛
g4cubed
macrumors 6502a
Because I wasn't sure on what to get mini or iMac. Had money for mini, so when this came about I thought this was a good way to choose. Certain things on the mini (video card, hdd, memory) I just wasn't sure how much it would effect my everyday usage.Tupring said:
So hopefully they bring it back.
Why did you change your mind?
Do you think there was a good chance you would give it back after 30 days?
g4cubed said:
Do you think there was a good chance you would give it back after 30 days?
SPUY767 said:
I agree with you in regards to items that Apple actually takes the time to market. The rest of their products that don't carry the name iPod, have next to nothing as far as marketing goes.
Did anyone see that awesome G5 iMac or Powermac ad on TV last night?
yeah,
Neither did I.
EricNau
Moderator emeritus
That's because the whole world knows Apple makes computers, and no comercial will change what operating system someone prefers, it would just be a waste of money. I believe the iPod comercials on the other hand, are just to remind everyone who really owns the market share for mp3 players. Not to really advertise thier product, because let's face it, a bunch of dancing people don't prove much, it's the apple logo that serves as a good reminder.