** Why Does Apple even have these Cheap Black Friday sale events?

anon(279851)

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I get it. It's like leaving a .50 tip on a $50 restaurant bill. Yes, it's nice to get a tip and you don't have to tip 50% but such a small tip could be taken as an insult.

Bingo! Unfortunately, everyone else in here will take whatever crumbs Apple throws their way and defend that ludicrous promotion to the fullest. I'll applaud Apple on many other things and subjects but this is definitely not one of them at all.
 

nikkisharif

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Bingo! Unfortunately, everyone else in here will take whatever crumbs Apple throws their way and defend that ludicrous promotion to the fullest. I'll applaud Apple on many other things and subjects but this is definitely not one of them at all.

No one said you should applaud them. The fact of the matter is Apple or any other manufacturer/retailer doesn't have to give any discount at all. They could just ignore Black Friday all together and just sell everything at regular price. I got $1500 off my $30,000 Jeep because of the vehicle I chose...was I suppose to be mad because it wasn't a huge discount? No. I was happy because I planned on paying the full 30 but I walked out with extra money in my pocket. So if I go to an Apple Store expecting to pay $399 but I'm only paying $358, that's $41 more dollars I can put towards something else.

Maybe I feel this way because a lot of items I buy don't usually go on sale.


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ajst222

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Bingo! Unfortunately, everyone else in here will take whatever crumbs Apple throws their way and defend that ludicrous promotion to the fullest. I'll applaud Apple on many other things and subjects but this is definitely not one of them at all.


No. I'm not applauding it. I'm saying that Apple doesn't need to lower their prices all that much. They are in a position to decide that. Obviously I would like more of a discount, but it's understandable why Apple doesn't drop prices all that much. People will still buy the product regardless, and Apple is making the most of that.
 

dalaen

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I never understood why they even have these discounts (i.e. $41 off an iPad with Retina)? It seems so minor and not even worth it to advertise. Seems like other competitors do a lot better in trying to provide a better savings for their customers. What are your thoughts?

By the way, you quote $41 off an iPad Retina. What model are you specifically talking about?
For what info you give, it can be from 4 to 10% so it's not really accurate.

10% is a really good reduction in my opinion.
 

wamsille

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I never understood why they even have these discounts (i.e. $41 off an iPad with Retina)? It seems so minor and not even worth it to advertise. Seems like other competitors do a lot better in trying to provide a better savings for their customers. What are your thoughts?

Hey, I'll tell you what. You can get a good look at a butcher's *** by sticking your head up there. But, wouldn't you rather to take his word for it?


I can go to Target or Walmart and get a discounted Apple iPad or iPhone and leave happy.

or...

I can go to an Apple store, talk to a store rep that can show me things in action on his/her iPhone and either help solidify my decision to buy an iDevice, accessory, etc and know that I'm set up and ready to go before I leave.

You pay for the Apple experience, not necessarily the Apple product. At an Apple store there are Apple store employees, overhead, expenses, and some odd fixation on only selling products and accessories related to Apple and their offering. Weird, huh?

Target can sell an iPad less expensively than an Apple store. Why?

1. Locations - Target has a larger retail footprint than Apple. When combined with its online store you really can't be taxed to heavily to find a Target store nearby.
2. Bulk purchasing - Target has already bought and paid for the inventory it gets from Apple. Even if they aren't necessarily paying Apple in 30/45/60/90 days, Apple has sold product to Target. Target got a discount, they will sell either at the suggested retail and make a small mark-up or will buy ahead and get holiday "door busters" to make just the same or a little less mark-up for holiday sales figures.

Let Target sell you an iPad for $100 less. That $100 has to be made up somewhere - whether in lower price breaks on other items or no additional service after the sale. If you want an iPad for less, that is what you will use. If you already know an iPad costs "x" and you are willing to pay that AND you want support, go to the Apple store. (Or another specialty shop, etc)

But don't complain about supply versus demand, bulk-buying power and distribution versus specialty shops with limited footprint and narrow product focus. Apple doesn't have to do better - they already have.

Edit:

To clarify - "doing better" means they have both the specialty shop and big box retailer market covered. What more could you ask for? Free devices? Sigh...
 

Speedygi

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I think Apple just want to get in on the Black Friday action, not because they have to, but just to add ton of excitement to the occasion. And they are Apple, they can certainly throw themselves into such promotions at short notice.
 
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I didn't read the ad you posted so I have no idea which generation of iPad you are referring to. However if it is the latest gen then I can understand the miniscule discount and to some people $40 savings is $40 savings.

The one thing you have to remember there OP is that 9 times out 10 these Black Friday or Boxing Day (in Canada) sales are ways for the big box stores to clear out old inventory. Target, Walmart, or electronic stores may be selling for less but are they the newest generation of iPads or the previous years' version? Always look for that caveat.
 

anon(4698833)

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Bingo! Unfortunately, everyone else in here will take whatever crumbs Apple throws their way and defend that ludicrous promotion to the fullest. I'll applaud Apple on many other things and subjects but this is definitely not one of them at all.

The analogy that the discount Apple is offering is equivalent to a .50 tip on a $50 bill is asinine. You're getting service at a restaurant...someone who is waiting on you, bringing you food, making sure your experience is pleasant and ultimately, making you essentially have to invest no effort in the activity. When you tip at a restaurant, you're paying to be lazy essentially...instead of cooking for yourself, getting your own drink and cleaning up afterwards, you're awarding a monetary gift so that someone else will do it for you, and the better the job, the better the gift.

Giving customer's a discount on a product is NOT even close to the same thing. Apple is giving you something you want and you're paying for it. This isn't a service industry, this is a product industry.

And the beauty? Apple IS giving a discount ultimately! $41 off of an iPad Air...you guys can do math right? That's around 10% off the price of the device. A device that is going to sell like hotcakes regardless of what pricing point it is at during the holidays, but instead of just sticking with their normal pricing, Apple is giving you around 10% off the price. That equates to MILLIONS of dollars for Apple, and around $40 for you.

Not enough of a discount you say? Well...go build a product as in demand as Apple has, offer it for the pricing point Apple has, and then when you're making your money, you offer a 50% off discount that you feel you're so entitled to.

You guys know Samsung is offering a black friday sale too on their tablets and stuff...guess what the discount is on one of their new tablets. Around $40.

Jesus christ some of you guys are hilariously self entitled...Apple doesn't OWE you a thing. They offered a discount on their product spectrum for black friday, a random friday in November that people, for some reason, decide to go out at **** crack dawn and but gifts for the holidays...this isn't some kind of requirement of retailers, and honestly, I'm sure some of them are just as baffled as I, and many others are, when it comes to some consumers absolute mental degradation at this time of year.
 

wbkm85

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no where has to give you a discount anywhere

does your power company ever give you a discount? i'm sure you pay more to them than apple

also guessing you're pretty new with apple stuff, bc its been like this for years and years. nothing new for them to offer a small discount on black friday.
 
Jul 11, 2012
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@SeanHRCC

I whole-heartedly agree with your last statement. It is absolutely insane as to what lengths people will go to get a new *insert product here* which yes, may be heavily discounted, but also more than likely a store clearing out old inventory.

I personally do not get caught in any of this madness. Not even for the midnight launches of gaming consoles. I have better things to do with my time than wait in line for hours even days on something so trivial.
 

anon(4698833)

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@SeanHRCC

I whole-heartedly agree with your last statement. It is absolutely insane as to what lengths people will go to get a new *insert product here* which yes, may be heavily discounted, but also more than likely a store clearing out old inventory.

I personally do not get caught in any of this madness. Not even for the midnight launches of gaming consoles. I have better things to do with my time than wait in line for hours even days on something so trivial.

Amen to this. You know what my *** does on Black Friday? I sit and watch TV, play Xbox and eat left overs. It's a glorious thing!

But for those that enjoy the shopping experience that day, I don't knock that...I can see the appeal to some of it, it's like a kick start to the Xmas season. Where I start to get baffled is at the people who are fighting over a $200 POS TV that nobody would buy at any other part of the year, or to those who get pissed off when a certain company ONLY offers 10% off their products, that are already moving like a tidal wave off the shelves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRTkCHE1sS4
 

wamsille

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The only reason I participate in Black Friday is because there is generally one thing that my wife/daughter/son want and it is within reason to attempt to get it. However, when I see the horde of people lining up around the back of the store and congregating for the eleven or twelve hours it generally takes to get the position necessary to get the chance to buy a door buster item I bow out. I went to Walmart two years ago on Thanksgiving night and after 30 minutes of scanning the store decided not to stick around for the "savings". Our Walmart is notorious for selling items early and not honoring ads to the letter.

If I could get away with an eBay or Craigslist Christmas like I did years ago, I would. Sadly I have to spend a little more each year but overall I stick to a general budget.
 
Jul 11, 2012
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Up here in Canada we just started getting into the Black Friday craze, as hordes of Canadians would take the day off work and drive down to the States just for the 'sweet' deals. But what would typically be our insane discount shopping day is December 26th which is called 'Boxing Day'.
 

Fit24

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To me, a discount is a discount. If you are interested in the device and can get it at a reduced price, why not take advantage of the offer? I don't know too many people that would be insulted by a discount no matter how small it may seem.


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swarlos

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The title of this thread is contradictory to this question and issue. According to the OP Apple is holding a "cheap" Black Friday event but the fact that Apple is essentially offering 10% off some of their most popular products something which they don't do except I believe for Black Friday isn't enough of a discount is ridiculous.

The real topic should be "Boy Apple is awesome for offering a discount on a product that they aren't required to!"


Carried by a raven from the Wall.
 

ninjamattic

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Maybe I'm missing something, but any time I get a chance to save $40 I'm gonna take it. That's the equivalent of a tank of gas, the cost of my internet service, lunch for four days, a reasonable dinner out with my wife, a Christmas gift for a family member... You see where I'm going here? I don't know about you, but I certainly don't scoff at a $40 savings on anything, with the preference of paying more just on principle. Money is money my friend, in any amount. Apple knows the vast majority of their iPhone/iPad users buy their phones on contract and their tablets on credit. They'll take the discount and be quite content :)
 

ajst222

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To me, a discount is a discount. If you are interested in the device and can get it at a reduced price, why not take advantage of the offer? I don't know too many people that would be insulted by a discount no matter how small it may seem.
Sent from my iPhone using iMore Forums mobile app

Apparently some people here lol.
 

wamsille

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Legitimate:

A set dollar/percentage markdown of an item during a holiday sale or promotion.

Stupid:

A retailer inflating the cost of an item ahead of a markdown in order to show savings to the uneducated consumer. I'm looking at you, Walmart.
 

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