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cooknwitha

macrumors 6502a
May 5, 2005
562
0
London
I disagree. I've seen many black MacBooks and for just over $100, people will buy which color they want generally. I don't know too many people who decided to get the white just because it was a little cheaper. They got it because they wanted the white.

I didn't. For nearly AU$200, there is no way I could justify spending that for a purely cosmetic decision. I have a black iPod, easy decision as there was no price difference.... was there?? :confused:
 

TantalizedMind

Suspended
Original poster
Feb 5, 2007
889
520
go down to your local car dealer, can buy a car in any color except black for the same price, if you want black it's always more expensive

Where do you shop for cars? Maserati!? All 2nd Class cars are the same amount of cash for black as other colors.
 

adrianblaine

macrumors 65816
Oct 12, 2006
1,156
0
Pasadena, CA
I didn't. For nearly AU$200, there is no way I could justify spending that for a purely cosmetic decision. I have a black iPod, easy decision as there was no price difference.... was there?? :confused:

One could argue that you didn't really want it then or it wasn't that big of a deal. Apple's line of reasoning seems to me like, "if they want it, they will pay." Which is true to a certain extent.
 

TheStu

macrumors 65816
Aug 20, 2006
1,243
0
Carlisle, PA
While I agree that the additional cost of the BlackBook prohibited me from getting it (actually I was pretty much sold on the entry level MacBook with larger hard drive... but had they offered it in black at the same price, i would have gotten black) if you have ever really looked at one, the amount of detail into making black is quite impressive.

The plastic inside the USB and other ports is black instead of the white on the regulars. The color of the cloth protecting the optical drive, is black. The screws are black anodized aluminum. The plastic screening behind covering the speakers in the back, is black. So having to get all these customized parts must have been expensive... probably not $100 expensive, but more expensive. Add to that they probably had quite a bit of market research that showed that more black ipods were sold than white ones, and the decision to charge more was no doubt a no brainer.

You know, if they had charged more money on top of that, but included
Black power brick
Black USB extender
Black FireWire Extender
Black MiniDVI accessories (maybe not included them, but offered them)

Then I would be happier about it. But that they still didn't do all that... and what is really surprising is that no one does! Why on earth not?
 

scaredpoet

macrumors 604
Apr 6, 2007
6,627
342
Apple's "black tax" meant they failed to maximise the money they could have got out of me, as it made me completely re-evaluate my decision.


You've completely missed the point. But that's okay. Everything worked out anyway. :)
 

yetanotherdave

macrumors 68000
Apr 27, 2007
1,768
12
Bristol, England
You've completely missed the point. But that's okay. Everything worked out anyway. :)

I don't think so, I was just presenting a counter point to your point. I understand what you were saying, and I understand the mechanics of economies of scale, but I think the net effect in this instance is outweighed by a factor that this economic theory doesn't take into account. Comparing the cost of seats on different sized aircraft just doesn't compare to notebook sales.
But yes, it doesn't really matter :)
 

mavherzog

macrumors 6502
Jun 11, 2005
304
0
Columbus, WI
Although some people here complain about the additional price, Apple knows that they can get away with the "black tax". MANY people happily pay it (I see LOTS of the blackbooks around).

Colorware, as a company, is growing in excess of 48% per year. It will cost you $450 to have your MacBook colored by them. This alone should tell you that MANY people are willing to pay a LOT of money for purely cosmetic reasons.
 

JAT

macrumors 603
Dec 31, 2001
6,473
124
Mpls, MN
I think it's a combo of 2 things:

Apple intended the black version for corporate users. They know companies will just pay the price whatever it is and not pay attention to anything else (M$ Office should prove that to you), so they bumped it up to make it look like a special edition.

Also, I think Jobs thought the white would outsell the black by 5:1 or something, so charged more for black. He seems blind to the fact that some people who like Mac don't actually like his decorating style. I would like to know the actual ratio of black/white since May 06.
 
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