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Went to Apple store NO laptops on display besides new macbook

M

mellofello

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 1, 2011
1,258
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Pretty discouraging sign of the times while picking up my new retina 13 MBP. The Apple store in Kahala mall here in Hawaii has annexed all signs of laptops besides the new retina MB. Not a good feeling dropping $$$ on something so irrelevant that they cannot be bothered to even display demos.

I guess apple watch>their bread and butter Mac computer demographic that has been with them for decades.

I guess as long as you want a $1300 netbook you will still be covered.
 
One thing that has confused me about Apple is how they have never really offered an affordable solution for power-users. Just look at someone who wants a laptop or desktop that performs well for graphically demanding games: There really isn't much of an option. The iMac with 5k Retina has some okay choices, specced with the M295X graphics card and 16GB of RAM, it comes out to $3000 USD. It's probably at the peak of price-to-performance charts (in my opinion), based on what you get for the money. Nothing before the iMac with 5k Retina really gave much value if it's graphics performance that you wanted.

Apple's laptops, however, are heading in a really messy direction. They have three lines of laptops, and it just doesn't make sense:
- Macbook Pro = The performance laptop! The focus every generation? Make it thinner, performance comes after that.
- Macbook Air = The slightly more affordable ultraportable laptop! The focus every generation? Keep it thin.
- New Macbook = The new ultraportable laptop! The focus? Thin.

I still can't wrap my head around the plan with the "New Macbook". Maybe Apple's 5-year plan is to switch things to the 14" Pro and the 16" Pro (in the same form-factor), but I still don't know what they'll do with the Air vs. New Macbook thing.

Strange that they have limited laptop products on display. The last Apple store I went to (a week ago) didn't have a New Macbook on display. Maybe I missed it, but all I saw were Pros and Airs.
 
I think the answer to that big mystery is that the people who generally seek out higher performance computers either make adequate money to justify spending the money on such an expensive machine and/or are willing to invest the money into owning higher performance machinery.

Honestly though, for the type of machines that apple offers, the features, the design, the performance of the machine, and all that, the prices seem to be at least somewhat reasonable. The prices are generally much more reasonable when the product lines are first refreshed too.

When the retina macbook first came out, you couldn't really find a competitive machine that offered all the same characteristics for a substantial amount cheaper. Then other manufacturers caught up with their offerings and now hi res displays are accessible and not AS cost prohibitive.

The retina imac had and kinda still does have that same sort of value. To find such a capable machine AND purchase a 5K capable monitor would not offer much in the way of savings if at all. They still sell the regular 27 imac too and I would have to see that for what they are, I still find the price to be fairly reasonable. The display quality is pretty class leading still compared to similar resolution monitors and systems, the performance is very good, and the design is gorgeous (something I am willing to spend extra money on is good design).

Back on topic, that is really strange behavior for an Apple store to not have any other laptops on display like that at all. It is possible it may be just a temporary thing?

One thing I do know is that market testing is done all the time by companies like apple and they often choose to do it in places like that as opposed to doing it at a place like the 5th ave store in NYC. It's possible that they may be doing market testing on product lay out and happened to choose your locale.
 
My point is that they are alienating a huge portion of their base. The macbook is nice but it isn't for everyone, myself included. Screen is too small, price is too high, processor is too slow etc. The way the store was laid out the whole table that was dedicated to laptops is now all watches.

Not 50 feet from the store is a large starbucks packed full of students, and others working at the tables 90% of which have some variety of macbook. If I were still in school I would be having a hard time deciding between the 13, and 15 inch MBP retina. Not having a place to demo your $1,000-3,000 computers besides Best Buy is kind of a step back IMO.

I realize that apple got where they are today on phones, and ipads, but I would give up both of those in 1 second for my macbook. It is my most valuable tool for work, and play. I couldn't live/or eat without it. It just annoys me that us computer consumers play second fiddle.
 
mellofello said:
My point is that they are alienating a huge portion of their base. The macbook is nice but it isn't for everyone, myself included. Screen is too small, price is too high, processor is too slow etc. The way the store was laid out the whole table that was dedicated to laptops is now all watches.

Not 50 feet from the store is a large starbucks packed full of students, and others working at the tables 90% of which have some variety of macbook. If I were still in school I would be having a hard time deciding between the 13, and 15 inch MBP retina. Not having a place to demo your $1,000-3,000 computers besides Best Buy is kind of a step back IMO.

I realize that apple got where they are today on phones, and ipads, but I would give up both of those in 1 second for my macbook. It is my most valuable tool for work, and play. I couldn't live/or eat without it. It just annoys me that us computer consumers play second fiddle.
Click to expand...

You know, I completely agree with that sentiment. I was one one of the people who originally stopped using my computer in favor of my ipad or iphone, but now that I have found myself with a desktop class, powered laptop (2014 rMBP), I've gotta agree with you that it is probably my most important device and I would take it over any of the others.

That is incredibly weird and does seem a little dumb that their most powerful machines, and quite frankly most useful, are not even on display. Especially when buying one means a several thousand dollar commitment.

Maybe that's all it is is a market test and hopefully they bring back display units for you guys soon. Being able to use the rMBP in stores is a big reason I bought one to begin with.
 
Did you speak to anyone in the store about this or submit an feedback form to Apple?

No point complaining on MacRumors, there's a very tiny chance anyone from Apple would see it.
 
That is crazy. Even Best Buy in my area had the older Macbook Pro on display when I went.
 
I suspect a lot as well is down to what sells in the shops. Not sure how many people swing buy the Apple Store to pick up a MBPro or even full nMP.

On the other hand the rMB is the kind of thing that could see people walking out of the store with.

Is about maximising the sales in the stores.
 
I noticed this too during my recent trip to Denver. Went into an Apple store at the Mall and found only 2(!) 13" rMBPs on display in what was a fairly large store. And only a single 15".

On top of that, of the 2 13" pros, one of them was being used by an Apple store employee to fix a customers iPhone ...
 
Stores have to devote a lot of table space to the watches, but beyond that they are showcasing the new hot MacBook. In a month I'm sure they will even out the display stock. If you asked to see one of the regular laptops I'm sure they would have brought it out.
 
Strange. Both of the Apple Stores I've visited recently have MacBooks, 11/13" MacBook Airs, and 13/15"retina MacBook Pros on display, along with the watches and everything else. I did notice that they have less table space dedicated to each model, but they still have at least 2 of each(except maybe the non-retina MacBook Pro, I don't recall seeing any of those).
 
T5BRICK said:
Strange. Both of the Apple Stores I've visited recently have MacBooks, 11/13" MacBook Airs, and 13/15"retina MacBook Pros on display, along with the watches and everything else. I did notice that they have less table space dedicated to each model, but they still have at least 2 of each(except maybe the non-retina MacBook Pro, I don't recall seeing any of those).
Click to expand...

Atlanta - Lenox Mall store has all of everything on display. One full table of Airs; one full table of the different colored MacBooks, and the MBPs on the side counter.
 
I have experienced that as well. Went down to my local Apple store and they did not have any rMBP's on display. Just the iPhones, MB Air, rMB, and the watches.
 
New Orleans store here has demos of everything except the Mac Pro I believe. I think it was between 3 - 6 MacBooks, and then 1 or 2 of everything else, 11/13 MBA, 13/15 Macbook Pro and Retina. The phones and iPads get a bit of floor space as well with 3 or 4 of each. Also, a large display of Apple watches most were inside the case with a couple up top for demo use.
 
mellofello said:
I guess it really isn't Apple computer anymore.
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Correct.

From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histor...0.932011:_Apple_Inc..2C_iPhone.2C_iOS.2C_iPad


“...
On January 9, 2007, Apple Computer, Inc. shortened its name to simply Apple Inc. In his Macworld Expo keynote address, Steve Jobs explained that with their current product mix consisting of the iPod and Apple TV as well as their Macintosh brand, Apple really wasn't just a computer company anymore.
...”
Click to expand...
 
mellofello said:
Pretty discouraging sign of the times while picking up my new retina 13 MBP. The Apple store in Kahala mall here in Hawaii has annexed all signs of laptops besides the new retina MB. Not a good feeling dropping $$$ on something so irrelevant that they cannot be bothered to even display demos.

I guess apple watch>their bread and butter Mac computer demographic that has been with them for decades.

I guess as long as you want a $1300 netbook you will still be covered.
Click to expand...

I honestly don't understand why you see a problem. The MacBook just launched so of course they are going to display it all over the place.

Ultimately, who cares what they have on display?
 
Steve121178 said:
I honestly don't understand why you see a problem. The MacBook just launched so of course they are going to display it all over the place.

Ultimately, who cares what they have on display?
Click to expand...

It seems a bit extreme to me to display *only* the MacBook and not the MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. I'm with the thread starter, it seems like Apple is alienating a significant portion of its customers if this is true.
 
The Kahala Apple Store isn't a full sized store. Its still surprising to not have MBP or MBA on display. With major emphasis especially on the watch and rMB, its almost understandable although we don't have to like it.

Still who's to say that the respective model sales numbers and average customer profile, for such a satellite store did not justify display inventory?

 
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