Wal-Mart Selling iPod Minis

[MacRumors]

CNet reports that a limited number of Wal-Marts have begun selling Apple's iPod Mini music player.

Apple's iPod Shuffle has been recently rumored to also make its way into the national retailers stores. Alongside rumors of the Mac Mini in Best Buy retail locations, it appears Apple is aggressively expanding its retail presense beyond official Apple Stores -- at least for select products.

 

[Dunepilot]

I wonder if they'll expand that to Azda in the UK. I have the feeling there's a market for one of the supermarkets to offer the Mac Mini bundled with a cheap TFT screen, plus USB logitech keyboard and mouse.

 

[apple2991]

I wonder if they'll expand that to Azda in the UK. I have the feeling there's a market for one of the supermarkets to offer the Mac Mini bundled with a cheap TFT screen, plus USB logitech keyboard and mouse.

If they throw in some frozen ham and a 2-liter, they might just have a deal!

 

[1macker1]

Overexposure has been the death of many of great products.

 

[TheMasin9]

yay

This is what apple has to do to be able to market these switcher computers to the swicher market, put them in switcher stores like walmart and bestbuy. GO APPLE GO!!

 

[Redpoetsociety]

ads!!

i figure superbowl sunday well see adverising, but apple ads have to amount to something more repatious then just one BIG BANG, so that potential switchers might be aware of their new better options.

 

[diamacibal]

How long before the "Wal-Mart is bad" spiel?

 

[AoWolf]

How long before the "Wal-Mart is bad" spiel?

Just look at the rating this got...

 

[SiliconAddict]

SEE THIS THREAD if you want to bitch about Walmart. Pretty much everything that needed to be said about them was said there.

 

[hob]

I don't understand what the kerfuffle is all about?

Apple sell iPods in their stores
PC World sell iPods in their stores
Comet... currys... dixons...

many many many stores in the UK do...

Hob

 

[Bakey]

I don't understand what the kerfuffle is all about?

Apple sell iPods in their stores
PC World sell iPods in their stores
Comet... currys... dixons...

many many many stores in the UK do...

Hob

The difference is young fella m'lad is that all the stores you've mentioned are predominately electronics/technology based, unlike ASDA [see no Z!!] whose bread and butter [no-pun intended ] is food stuffs, ie. the ASsociated DAiries... if I'm not mistaken.

 

[billystlyes]

Next Kmart then 7-11! JK What's the big deal Target sells them and a lot of people shop at Wallyworld!

 

[Lacero]

Wal-Mart would do more for Apple than the other way around. Good overall business smarts for Apple. Apple long has that elitist attitude that got it nowhere fast in the PC market. Finally they got off their high horse and actually made affordable stuff for "mere mortals".

 

[brap]

The difference is young fella m'lad is that all the stores you've mentioned are predominately electronics/technology based, unlike ASDA [see no Z!!] whose bread and butter [no-pun intended ] is food stuffs, ie. the ASsociated DAiries... if I'm not mistaken.

Our Asda sells PCs-in-boxes (and crappy ones at that). Wouldn't surprise me at all if they got shuffles and minis.

 

[macidiot]

I don't understand what the kerfuffle is all about?

Apple sell iPods in their stores
PC World sell iPods in their stores
Comet... currys... dixons...

many many many stores in the UK do...

Hob

Your joking right? Umm, Walmart is a huge retailer. They do about 280 BILLION in sales a year. A SMALL iPod order from them is about 250,000 iPods. And that would barely stock their shelves. If they move them at all, which of course they will, it will probably be more like 500k-1million units a quarter.

So, ummm, the kerfuffle is that walmart is potentially a bigger buyer than umm, Europe.

 

[Lacero]

There shouldn't be any kerfuffles over the iPod shuffles.
At Wal-Mart stores, if anything, should prove a bold move for Apple's continued dominance. Apple expects to move 5 million iPods this quarter, can do it without help from some big retail giants.

 

[macidiot]

It must have killed Walmart this past Christmas when the hottest item in the country was unavailable at walmart. I'm thinking it was an interesting senior executive meeting...

Also, this shows that the iPod is becoming, if it isn't already, a dominant mainstream item. And its a knife in wma. It must also mean Apple has some serious production capacity now, walmart doesn't like empty shelves.

 

[swingerofbirch]

granted...

granted everyone knows walmart is bad, but as far as i know the ipod mini is made in china, so apple isn't much different than their other vendors, except that i highly doubt apple would ever go into those infamous negotiation rooms with walmart and make concessions..jobs doesn't seem to make concessiosn with anyone..apple pays its US workers well and has the highest possible score from the HRC (regarding gay and lesbian rights).....although i did write to apple after receiving my 20 gig 4g ipod with the usual comments about it being made in china....how much would a US made ipod cost i wonder??????

in any case, i steer clear of walmart not for its business practices but because it is like the twilight zone in there...the people look different, they act differently, everyone drives cars four times too big to get there, half the store is scooting around in electric go-mobiles (whatever they are called), and quite frankly i am afraid i would never find my way out

 

[HiRez]

Breaking News: Steve Jobs of Apple Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) today introduced a brand-new line of personal computers. He noted that the new computers will use Intel processors and come in stylish cases made of your choice of off-white or charcoal grey plastic. The machines come with anti-virus software and Microsoft Internet Explorer preinstalled, and will support Windows Media exclusively (Apple's now-defunct AAC/Fairplay will be phased out, along with QuickTime, which Jobs described as "yesterday's technology"). All models will be available "soon" at retail giant Wal-Mart stores, and will be fully-compatible with Wal-Mart's online music download service.

I'm against the idea of Apple (or any company I like) dealing with Wal-Mart on a moral basis (the "eww" factor), but it is hilarious to see them selling items that directly compete with their chosen M$ DRM that their own online music store uses.

 

[jncrow]

way to go lets get the product out to the masses.

 

[swissmann]

"at least for select products." I think this is the key here. Fine put the low end consumer items in a Wal Mart. I don't know of a lot of people who will go in and buy a $3,000 PowerMac especially without sales reps who know much about computers.

 

[jncrow]

Oh dang that sucks where did you get that news? Man we are in trouble!!!

Breaking News: Steve Jobs of Apple Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) today introduced a brand-new line of personal computers. He noted that the new computers will use Intel processors and come in stylish cases made of your choice of off-white or charcoal grey plastic. The machines come with anti-virus software and Microsoft Internet Explorer preinstalled, and will support Windows Media exclusively (Apple's now-defunct AAC/Fairplay will be phased out, along with QuickTime, which Jobs described as "yesterday's technology"). All models will be available "soon" at retail giant Wal-Mart stores, and will be fully-compatible with Wal-Mart's online music download service.

I'm against the idea of Apple (or any company I like) dealing with Wal-Mart on a moral basis (the "eww" factor), but it is hilarious to see them selling items that directly compete with their chosen M$ DRM that their own online music store uses.

 

[Paul O'Keefe]

Walmart=crappy quality

Walmart has a reputation for selling low quality products at cheap rates. Perhaps their electronics section doesn't have that image, but their furniture, appliances, clothing, office supplies, do have that image.

I understand why the iPod Shuffle would be sold at Walmart... flash players are more of a commodity product... but the iPod Mini? Would it be like an HP branded Mini? Let's hope the tarnished reputation of the store doesn't rub off on the iPod Mini.

 

[Macmaniac]

I'm glad this is happening, the larger the number store locations, the more access people will have to the iPod. Now I wonder what will happen when customers buy their iPods and ask why can't I use the WalMart Music store?

 

[ioinc]

I don't know of a lot of people who will go in and buy a $3,000 PowerMac especially without sales reps who know much about computers.

Everyone that knows enough about computers to not need a sales rep... aka almost everyone that is reading your post.