Pick up from Local Store or Get it shipped (24" iMac)?

[Hatchet]

What would be the best bet if I am going to buy a 24" iMac?

Does apple do a good job with shipping preparation?

This is my first mac so I don't want to experience any issues..

Thanks

 

[skuzzy]

From what I can tell, they pack the products very well for shipment. I don't think anyone has actually received a Mac that has been damaged during shipment (from the Apple store).

 

[Chuckypool]

My 24" iMac was shipped from Shanghai to Sydney, Australia and then on to me in Auckland, New Zealand. Arrived perfectly safely and very nicely packaged. The iMac box is vey well packed and it was then inside a plain brown shipping box.

You'll be fine - there shouldn't be any problems.

Chris

 

[ob81]

If you have the option to grab from the store yourself, take that route.

 

[GregE]

My 24" came from Shanghai China to Kentucky via Anchorage, AL. Packed just like Chuckypool said and was in great shape.

I went the online route since my wife is a teacher and could get the discount. It was easier to do it online than trying to get her to go in the store with me. Unless you have a good reason to go online, I would probably just get it from the Apple store.

 

[f1]

Look at it this way. The Macs at the apple stores are shipped from China as well anyways, so the chance of you getting a bad mac instore and online due to improper shipping packaging would be about the same

 

[Techguy172]

Sometimes it amazes me how paranoid some people are. It's gonna be fine if you order it online if it everything they shipped broke UPS, Puralator and Fed EX would be out of business.

 

[IChing]

I got my iMac at the apple store

Because I was able to take my old powerbook and have them transfer data over for free and also clear up some issues with the powerbook to retrieve other info on it. They did that for free but I'm not sure if they do that for any music, pictures or video files you might want to transfer to your new iMac from a windows machine. It might be worth looking into.

I could have purchased the iMac on-line and saved a little money but you could also look at the screen of the machine you bought and see if there is any issues you might want to address right then and there.

 

[mossback]

Like the others, my BTO 24" iMac came from Shanghai China to Anchorage, AK and then to Seattle. The outer box had a slight dent in it which did worry me at first. But once you start unpacking it and realize that the system is suspended within a second box in foam with 3" of dead space all around it you know it was fine the whole time in transit. Don't let the shipping worry you. They did a great job packing these systems.

nick

 

[skuzzy]

Look, if you have a local Apple store, buy it there. You can open it up and check it for any **** - they are normally quite accommodating in that department. Hey, its up to you what you do. You won't get a broken computer if you do buy online.

 

[TopGear300]

It dosent matter how you get a mac, as long as you GET A MAC!!!

I do enjoy going to the Apple store and that is the way I purchase all my apple products (if I can help it) but, I have had a few products shipped to me and they have arrived in perfect condition with no hesitation.

 

[thepandamancan]

The box for the 24 inch iMac, at least my white one before the aluminum ones came out, was quite large and bulky. I would imagine, had I bought it from the store it would have been quite a chore to fit in my car and carry home and etc. I ordered it online and the FedEx guy carried it right to my front door, very little work for me and in the end I got the same result.