Why is 3-year AppleCare Protection Plan for MBA 11.6 only $174 now at so many places?

[watermelonbook]

Why is 3-year AppleCare Protection Plan for MBA 11.6
only $174 now at so many places?

It has a part# of MD014LL/A and sells for $249 plus
tax directly from Apple.

I found that prices at more than 7 reputable online
retailers, including Amazon and B&H. Is Apple
letting them discount it because a new 11" or 12" MBA
is coming out soon? Or are all these companies
just matching each other's price?


Amazon(Ships from and sold by Amazon.com)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004R6J2V6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

B&H Photo & Video (of New York City)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/582542-REG/Apple_MC246LL_A_3_Year_AppleCare_for_MacBook.html

(link provided for informational purposes only and not
an endorsement for either company)

I was planning to buy AppleCare for my MBA at the very
last minute. (10 days before the factory 1-year warranty
runs out) However, I may buy it right now and save $75.

Amazon and B&H don't charge sales tax when shipping to
my state, so that's an extra saving of $12.82 for me.
(compared to buying from sellers that have to charge sales
tax on orders shipped to my state, because they have a
physical presence here) BTW, I'm not even sure why my
state collects sales tax on extended warranty or protection
plan?

 

[Ed Miliband]

Why is a Justin Bieber album $12 from an official store

when I would pay someone $500 to take it from me

 

[dagored]

Always check B&H before you buy any electronics or camera equipment.

I paid that this past April for 2013 13" Air.

 

[abta1]

What's the point in waiting until the last minute before your 1 year warranty runs out to buy Applecare?

 

[iamMacPerson]

Why is 3-year AppleCare Protection Plan for MBA 11.6
only $174 now at so many places?

It has a part# of MD014LL/A and sells for $249 plus
tax directly from Apple.

I have no idea why some retailers offer discounts on AppleCare, however they have been doing this for years. The best guess I have been able to come up with is Apple is trying to clear out all the boxed versions of AppleCare in favor of a digital registration

Personally, I have gotten many discounts on AppleCare over the years because in some cases I was willing to take the risk. However on more expensive plans I always buy from someone reputable. For instance, I paid only $5 for the AppleCare on my iPod nano, but it was from eBay. It worked too. I didn't want to pay full retail since I have never had iPod give me problems. Meanwhile, Walmart had the AppleCare on clearance for iPads, so I bought two copies for $44 a piece. One was for a birthday present, the other for me. I bought 2 plans for the cost of one which I still think was a good deal.

What's the point in waiting until the last minute before your 1 year warranty runs out to buy Applecare?

I have wondered this too myself. Typically, when someone I know gets a new device, I tell them to get AppleCare in the first 90 days (or if on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod 60 days since the only option left for those devices is AppleCare+) so they get the best bang for their buck; the phone support ends after 90 days meaning that if you buy the AppleCare 91-364 days after the date of purchase, your essentially paying for phone support you never got to use.

 

[watermelonbook]

I have wondered this too myself. Typically, when someone I know gets a new device, I tell them to get AppleCare in the first 90 days (or if on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod 60 days since the only option left for those devices is AppleCare+) so they get the best bang for their buck; the phone support ends after 90 days meaning that if you buy the AppleCare 91-364 days after the date of purchase, your essentially paying for phone support you never got to use.

I've owned Apple products for almost 10 years. I have not once called Apple for any tech support over the phone. (nor have I ever need to have any product repaired... knock on wood)

Which makes me wonder if I'm the wrong candidate for buying AppleCare?

 

[abta1]

Insurance is insurance, you're paying for peace of mind. Whether you have had to get anything repaired or replaced is an example from one person in the past, what happens now and in the future is not related.

 

[watermelonbook]

what happens now and in the future is not related.

try telling my girlfriend that!

 

[Medic311]

$183 to warranty a MBA is a bargain IMO, regardless of which model you go with. base model MBA is $183...or you could get a top of the line MBA that's $1,600 and still pay $183

i didn't know you could get them lower than $183 so now i am kicking myself for not saving a few bucks and the sales tax. i think with tax when i bought it from Apple i ended up paying $192 or something.


i will add the warranty from Dell is at least double that and it doesn't include software support

 

[MarvinHC]

What's the point in waiting until the last minute before your 1 year warranty runs out to buy Applecare?

It could get stolen before that or die for reasons not covered by Apple Care (liquid, drop etc.), in which case it would be wasted money.

 

[abta1]

It could get stolen before that or die for reasons not covered by Apple Care (liquid, drop etc.), in which case it would be wasted money.

Fair enough but why would anyone consider those reasons when deciding whether or not to get Applecare? If it was stolen, then it would be covered by home contents insurance and when you get the replacement surely that would continue to be covered under Applecare (correct me if I am wrong). If you damaged it then presumably you would get it repaired (at your own cost) or sell it and Applecare would be passed onto the new owner.

 

[MarvinHC]

Fair enough but why would anyone consider those reasons when deciding whether or not to get Applecare? If it was stolen, then it would be covered by home contents insurance and when you get the replacement surely that would continue to be covered under Applecare (correct me if I am wrong). If you damaged it then presumably you would get it repaired (at your own cost) or sell it and Applecare would be passed onto the new owner.

Well my point is that it does not help you to buy Applecare before you need it, i.e. when the 12 months initial warranty period is over, unless you are keen on the phone support (which I never used, neither Apple nor any other company). So it is cash out too early and I doubt that an insurance company would reimburse you for that. And as said, if you kill your machine beyond repair than it is wasted money.

 

[Medic311]

for those of you who are saying that insurance would cover theft, check your policy again. if there is no additional option for computers/electronics then the regular deductible applies which for most homeowners is $1,000. so if you bought a $1300 Macbook Air you would only get reimbursed $300.

however if you have the computers/electronics option, then they will reimburse you for the value of the actual device that is stolen/damaged/lost/etc

also keep in mind that in the long run, you are much better off buying AppleCare than relying on your homeowners insurance to replace a computer of negligible worth compared to the overall value of your home which is mainly what your premium is based on in conjunction with other risk factors etc. in other words, if you use up your claim-free discount on a computer and then your insurance increased $180/yr next year...you would have made a bad financial decision. my claim-free discount is almost $300/yr. it makes better sense for me to just buy AppleCare and only rely on my homeowners insurance if someone actually breaks into my home and steals something of value, or a storm comes and rips half of my roof off

 

[slipper]

Fair enough but why would anyone consider those reasons when deciding whether or not to get Applecare? If it was stolen, then it would be covered by home contents insurance and when you get the replacement surely that would continue to be covered under Applecare (correct me if I am wrong). If you damaged it then presumably you would get it repaired (at your own cost) or sell it and Applecare would be passed onto the new owner.

If your stolen MBP gets replaced by homeowners or renters insurance, do you get a new MBP with the exact same serial number?

 

[SusanK]

I've owned Apple products for almost 10 years. I have not once called Apple for any tech support over the phone. (nor have I ever need to have any product repaired... knock on wood)

Which makes me wonder if I'm the wrong candidate for buying AppleCare?

I don't buy AC either. The saving would easily cove the cost of repairs I had a failure. I now I just jinxed myself