Will the i7 iMac be sold on Amazon sooner than later?

[OldCorpse]

I'm getting my i5 from mac connection. $50 discount off retail, $100 mail-in rebate, $20 discount on applecare, plus no shipping and no tax. For me in CA, it's near $400 total savings vs. picking it up at the Apple store that is less than a mile from my house...

Damn, that's good... better than Amazon! I hope there are deals like this out there, when it comes time for me to buy sometime in January of 2010! How returnable are they though? With Amazon, at least I know if I find some dead pixels, or get a lemon, I can send it back no questions asked.

 

[unamused]

i really hope amazon gets hte i7 imac.... this will be my first apple computer ever and i really dont want to have to pay tax on it... not to mention i want to use my amazon rewards card.

 

[Maven1975]

Well, MacMall is charging for shipping now. However, They now are on Bing.com giving you 3% cash back. ($66 on the i7)

When they offer free shipping, I think it will be time to pull the trigger.

 

[OldCorpse]

I like to sum up the dilemma for CA residents like this:

(i7 Processor) (Tax Free) (Returnable)
You can only pick two options.

Here is what I mean (the bold are the options picked):

(Returnable) (i7 Processor) (Tax Free) = Apple Store
(Returnable) (i7 Processor) (Tax Free) = Powermax Custom Config
(Returnable) (i7 Processor) (Tax Free) = Amazon

If you are wondering why "returnable" is an option, it's because most (all?) Apple resellers will not accept returns on custom builds (which all i7 iMacs will be) for any reason. Only Apple themselves do.

Pretty neat table. However, I have a request. Could you please expand the table a bit, and include the option of all three (Tax Free, i7, Returnable) for some reseller? Thanks.

 

[Woz Beard]

Apple accepts returns on BTOs now? That's news to me.

 

[adamjohn_98]

Apple accepts returns on BTOs now? That's news to me.

Depends on the situation I believe.

I just returned my Early 2009 Mac mini with upgraded processor, so that I could exchange it for an i7 iMac. The phone agent stated that they normally don't take back BTO units, but that they would "make an exception for me".

 

[avihappy]

Pretty neat table. However, I have a request. Could you please expand the table a bit, and include the option of all three (Tax Free, i7, Returnable) for some reseller? Thanks.

That is what the table is illustrating. There is no way* you have have all three. You can pick only two of the three!

*Other than having a buddy in a tax free state buy it from Apple and ship it to you.

Apple accepts returns on BTOs now? That's news to me.

I assumed that they do. I admit I didn't check that fact. However their return policy page doesn't explicitly exclude BTOs from returns: http://store.apple.com/us/help/returns_refund?mco=MTA4MzMzNzk

 

[Trek2100]

My local Apple store said the i7 would only be available through the Apple online store. Who knows

 

[PBG4]

i really hope amazon gets hte i7 imac.... this will be my first apple computer ever and i really dont want to have to pay tax on it... not to mention i want to use my amazon rewards card.

oh wow. yeah amazon reward card. buying on amazon is x3 the reward. therefore a $1994 i5 computer will give you 5982 points. and thats 59 bucks cash back.
an i5 will cost $1935 shipped
but i want i7, and that will be $2079(with student discount), $18 recycle fee, and $182 estimated tax in California.
that sums up to $2277

the i7 from apple will cost about 342 dollars more than then i5 from amazon.
if i could fly to Oregon, and purchase it there with student discount, it will be $2079 for the i7

so if i can visit my friends up there and some how find a round trip ticket for less than $200 then i think going to Oregon for a weekend and buying a computer is well worth it. its like those "european delivery" options on expensive cars.

 

[5630745]

Amazon sells everything eventually.

 

[snugharbor]

Defer paying of sales tax

It's not dodging tax it's working wihin the legally prescribed system to save some money. If you want to pay extra then you can pay my tax!!!!

The legally prescribed system will require you to report the purchase on your CA income tax return so all it is you are doing is deferring the tax.

 

[snugharbor]

You don't really get a discount at AAFES. Just tax free and of course free shipping. If you know someone who lives in sales tax free state, like Oregon, I think it would be still be cheaper to buy it from Apple.com and send it there (then around 50 bucks to send it to you), as you'll save about 200 bucks with your Federal Employee discount. And Apple doesn't charge shipping.

If there is no way around the tax, then yeah, I guess AAFES would be the way to go. Just don't expect i7. I will probably be mildly surprised if they have any quad-cores. But anything is possible. I just don't think I can wait for AAFES to get 'em... they are so slow sometimes. LOL.

My understanding that if you are a resident of California or a similar state that you will have to report on even AAFES purchases and pay the use tax. The federal law states sales tax is exempted for legally authorized patrons at AAFES but no mention of use tax. BTW, even at a PX you have to pay gas taxes. Still, I am not sure about that and perhaps the states will play hard ball and challenge the federal government on this. Previously the states did not challenge the right. Now since it is a use tax then California could say to it's residents if you buy from AAFES or similar stores you will have to pay a use tax...federal government or not. I see some court challenges in the future.

 

[Jswoosh]

My understanding that if you are a resident of California or a similar state that you will have to report on even AAFES purchases and pay the use tax. The federal law states sales tax is exempted for legally authorized patrons at AAFES but no mention of use tax. BTW, even at a PX you have to pay gas taxes. Still, I am not sure about that and perhaps the states will play hard ball and challenge the federal government on this. Previously the states did not challenge the right. Now since it is a use tax then California could say to it's residents if you buy from AAFES or similar stores you will have to pay a use tax...federal government or not. I see some court challenges in the future.

You know you're responding to something that occurred almost a year and a half ago right?

 

[Solomani]

Would like to avoid the sales tax from ordering from Apple... anyone know if Amazon will sell the i7 version before long? Or is that upgrade going to be only sold through Apple for the time being?

Thanks!

Amazon's tax policy is weird. Sometimes I purchase items and get taxed, other times I purchase a bunch of items and do not get charged tax. Does it depend from which state the items are shipping from?