Is anyone else surprised that with the world economy coming to a halt, you aren't seeing more discounts on new MacBook pro's? I would have thought retailers would start offering some deep discounts.
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No drop in prices?
- Thread starter KevinRightWing
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Not yet.
Look at all of the 'how to work remotely' articles in various news sites now.
I'm expecting comps and related gear - headsets, displays, mice, cables, desks, chairs etc. to sit at current prices for a bit to cash in on those who really aren't prepared with a workable home office/remote type of environment. That and likely video games and console stuff.
Depending on how long this lasts, we'll probably start to see some dropping prices, clearance sales, etc. across a number of areas. It's kind of messy, moreso with 'globally sourced components' as supply chains get screwed up, while for physical retail not well equipped to service (or have people to handle) online-only sales, it could get nasty for them financially as well as for their employees no longer coming into work.
I don't think we're going to be seeing any wholesale Apple discounts for a while yet personally.
Look at all of the 'how to work remotely' articles in various news sites now.
I'm expecting comps and related gear - headsets, displays, mice, cables, desks, chairs etc. to sit at current prices for a bit to cash in on those who really aren't prepared with a workable home office/remote type of environment. That and likely video games and console stuff.
Depending on how long this lasts, we'll probably start to see some dropping prices, clearance sales, etc. across a number of areas. It's kind of messy, moreso with 'globally sourced components' as supply chains get screwed up, while for physical retail not well equipped to service (or have people to handle) online-only sales, it could get nasty for them financially as well as for their employees no longer coming into work.
I don't think we're going to be seeing any wholesale Apple discounts for a while yet personally.
B&H is the only retailer I know that always seems to drop some prices on a regular basis (especially on old stock). There's a really small profit margin on Apple Products (for 3rd party retailers, not Apple) so any discounts / sales that you're used to seeing is just about as low as they can go most of the time. I wouldn't expect to see anything outside of that. B&H is certainly the one with the steepest discounts (sometimes up to nearly $1000 off of top spec prev gen models) but you can normally catch a 5-10% sale every few months from Best Buy as well.
The price drop is for the other end of the crisis... at the moment everyone is still pretty flush with cash and buying for working from home. Fast forward 6 months and a lot of people might be feeling the pinch. That's when we might see 'emergency' price reductions (maybe governments also slashing VAT and sales tax?) to boost buying and keep the economy ticking over.
I can't speak for any other location but here in the US, retailers are largely shut down, how can they offer discounts when they're closed. Besides people are more focused on surviving, and not looking to spend hard earned money on a luxury item. If we are heading into a significant downturn, then many people, will be less willing to spend and saving their money - at leat I know that's what I'm doing.
depends on how long this lasts. . . if the business restrictions end in early April, things may return to "normal" relatively quickly. If it lasts until June, you may see civil revolt since State/Local governments will collapse due to the lack of revenue (sales tax et al.)
We are likely headed back to levels not seen since the last recession, 2007-2008, at least for a short while.
Which is why prices should be falling according to standard economics of supply and demand.
I don't think so, I am of the opinion that the impact to the economy will be fairly far reaching and given how the infection rate is occurring in the US, a return to normalcy in a week or two is just not feasible. That is April is but 10 days and this disease has not shown any sort of abatement in much of the world.
I agree. We are likely going to see this thing last longer than April. Probably even until mid May. But all of this is conjecture - at least on my part. Apple has already stated that their store closures here in the US may be extended past March 27.
You can look at it that way - but I see millions of people who may be out of work for an extended period of time. No one knows what form these viruses will mutate/combine into. We could be looking at years of hard luck. If deep discounts come it will be at a cost.
In my local area, I have seen a huge demand at local tech stores like Best Buy for:
Personally, I am just about sold out of the Macbook Airs I had been sitting on for so long - most sold in the last 8 weeks!
Majority went to teachers who wanted to do teach kids and to K-12 student parents who needed to connect with curriculum.
- laptops
- headsets
- chargers
- network adapters
- external wireless keyboard / mice
- external monitors
Personally, I am just about sold out of the Macbook Airs I had been sitting on for so long - most sold in the last 8 weeks!
Majority went to teachers who wanted to do teach kids and to K-12 student parents who needed to connect with curriculum.
For retailers seriously doubt it will happen, with the exception of some retailers who sometimes offer substantial discounts. For Apple I'd say no. Vaguely reading somewhere why products weren't discounted more. "Once you introduce discounts buyers begin to expect it and won't buy at the standard price", or words to that effect. That's why some brands never discount.
Since Apple is offering returns beyond the normal date, if they dropped their prices they would have scores of people wanting money back ala price matching along with losing revenue per item purchased. The price matching alone would be how many millions of dollars?
And their stock is taking a dump already. If they announce price drops, that's going to be far less earnings in the future.
Apple is a premium brand. Discounts take away a little of the impermeable ego that Apple has.
And their stock is taking a dump already. If they announce price drops, that's going to be far less earnings in the future.
Apple is a premium brand. Discounts take away a little of the impermeable ego that Apple has.
Looks like Apple chose to go the other direction
Apple Slaps Up to 10% Price Increase on Built-to-Order Mac Configurations in Many Countries
This demand will start fading after the people buying all these goodies find themselves UNABLE to find remote jobs...
(It's safe to assume that this thing is gonna kill 20-40% of existing jobs)
Watch MacRumors and AppleInsider. There are deals several days a week---sometimes hundreds of dollars off. The new Air was discounted in some places the day it was released.
You'll never see a sale by Apple; however, there are deals to be had everywhere.
Just continue to watch Macrumors, Apple Insider and 9to5mac.
I wonder if demand has already spiked as much of the world has been dealing with the pandemic long enough that people who needed computers to work from home have already purchased them. Plus retail outlets are largely closed (at least where I live), and Amazon is prioritizing deliveries, so stuff like home electronics is pushed out a month.
TL;DR People already bought what needed for shelter in place and purchasing them now is harder then ever
yeah you maybe right, we only "just" went into almost full lockdown in the UK from last night, and pictures of London tubes still being full make me wonder if there is still more demand to come.
In the states we are in full stay at home mode. You could roll a bowling ball through Times Square and not hit anyone.
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Best Buy by me is pickup only. With that, I might as well order from Amazon.