Mac Specs: 2000 Power Mac G4 "Sawtooth" w/ Mac OS X 10.4; 500mHz
Quote:
Originally Posted by VegasGeorge
Here in Las Vegas we are lucky to have three Apple Stores. I imagine that our local Best Buys don't keep a lot of Apple inventory for that reason. In areas where there are no Apple Stores close by, I bet the Best Buys do have a lot more stock on hand. We called around to all six of our Best Buys, and I know we got the last three of the close outs in town.
There's only one Apple Store, which about 15 miles away from me and about 10 miles away from my nearest Best Buy. Even still, my Dad hates BB, and still bought all my iPod's from BB (well okay, my first iPod- an iPod video 5G black 30gig came from Circuit City). But my Power Mac came from Adopt A Mac and my next Mac he says came from the Apple Store.
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Vista? Zune? Microsoft Store? Who the heck thought up those? FAIL!
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” -Steve Jobs
Paying retail is for suckers. There is NO harm in asking, if you don't try, you can't get a deal.
Of course some places don't haggle and with their response, it's clear and you either accept it and buy it or leave.
I used to work in retail and it is ABSOLUTELY acceptable, NOT RUDE and no, you weirdos, you will not get arrested. Then again, maybe I just know how to ask politely.
If someone in retail were rude to me for asking, that would make me LOL SO hard.
I receive Best Buy's discount coupons in the mail, and asked the Apple rep in my local BB if a 12% off coupon would apply to a Time Capsule. The rep said it looked fine, according to the fine print.
Upon checking out, it was denied. I asked for a manager, and pointed out that the coupon was valid for, among other things, "wireless routers," "networking devices," and "external hard drives."
The manager admitted that the verbiage does in fact sound like the Time Capsule would be valid for the discount. However, he explained that Apple (and Bose) are so rigid on their pricing policies, that they refuse to honor any discounts at all. The coupon did say that Bose products were excluded, but did not mention Apple products.
So, instead of taking 12% off the $299 Time Capsule, the manager took $35 (roughly equivalent discount) off of the digital camera I was also purchasing at the time.
So, BB can be flexible, but not on Apple. Or Bose. It took an error and a technicality on their part, though.
__________________ Early 2009 13" Pro Time Capsule 2x iPhone 3G 2x streaming Airport Express Windows FTL
Mac Specs: 13 inch alMacBook 2GHz 2GB, 1.25GHz G4 eMac
Best buy sells computers very close to at cost. Apple is at cost. There is no haggling, and yes, it is rude to try. It stresses we salespeople out, and is unnecessary. Either you want the product or don't. The tag is there. Make up your mind.
I have never seen any discounts on Apple products (besides the Teacher or Student ones - which don't amount to too much anyway). But having a friend who works at the Apple store is good for a few "under the table" freebies every now and then! It's all in who ya know!
I have never seen any discounts on Apple products (desides the Teacher or Student ones - which don't amount to too much anyway). But having a friend who works at the Apple store is good for a few "under the table" freebies every now and then! It's all in who ya know!
I have friends that work at the apple store and I have yet to see any freebies.
Crimson - sounds like you need better friends! lol
D3v1L80Y
So let me get this straight - you basically think that people haggling with a retailer in order to try and get a better price has partly caused the economic crisis we are in the midst of now......interesting theory. Flawed and slightly amusing, but interesting. True there are some things that just can't be negotiated, and IMO, I'd pay a higher price for some specific products if it means great customer service, but haggling for the best price has ALWAYS been part of retail, and an important part at that. It's how some companies have stayed in business and have weathered the storm. I can name probably a dozen local businesses that fit that model, so don't kid yourself.
There are company discounts that you can get directly from Apple. The company I'm contracted at gets an 8% discount on Apple computers and Displays. Works online and at the Apple Stores.
Mac Specs: Macbook Pro 15", 2.4ghz, 4GB, 9400m+9600m GT. iPhone 3G. iPods:-)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Prolanman
There are company discounts that you can get directly from Apple. The company I'm contracted at gets an 8% discount on Apple computers and Displays. Works online and at the Apple Stores.
Same here! We recently found out all the great discounts offered through my moms job...verizon, att, hp, dell, and apple...non of which we need or don't already have.
Mac Specs: 13 inch alMacBook 2GHz 2GB, 1.25GHz G4 eMac
Mr. Drums, haggling has always been a part of retail? Where do you live? Are you stuck in the middle ages mid-east bazaar way of life? Retail has never been about haggling. Do you work retail? Do you have to deal with people who come in on a day to day basis, find some small thing to complain about like, "Oh, I can't get this computer at the discounted price because I don't get cell service at my house so I can't sign up for a data plan, but you should definitely give me a deal on a different computer just because I'm too cheap to pay for DSL at my house." Do you have any idea how rude that is? A) It costs our company money, because there is little to no mark-up on our PCs, b) it costs us money because instead of being able to help other customers who aren't total jerk-wads (who then end up leaving because nobody is assisting them), we have to focus on trying to please this one person so they don't run around and badmouth the company costing us future sales and business, and c) it costs us money because after something like that, salespeople are put off by customers because it seems like everybody is looking for a hand out, making us less likely to try as hard to help people out.
So, I'm not sure what you're basing that on, but last I knew, haggling died at the bazaar, and while flea markets still exist, a retail outlet ISN'T ONE OF THEM.
DarkestRitual, I think you're trying to make a grey issue black and white. I've negotiated prices on a lot of things from retail stores (including Best Buy). I also understand from the sales side why you sometimes can and cant do it. Some places wont do it, some will. There really isn't any harm in asking.
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Pretend I said something witty
Disclaimer: Assume the above text is dripping with sarcasm
~Thanks, Management
Darkestritual, clearly you work in retail WITHOUT a commission because in this day and age, there is still a VERY common practice to deal in retail. I am sorry that YOU think it's rude, but I am afraid that's your opinion and you are a minority.
I will continue to ask for a deal on all my retail puchases, there is NOTHING wrong with that, period. And before you go off on a tangent and call me cheap/old fashioned/rude or whatever, next time you buy a car or even a new condo, you BETTER pay full price, otherwise you are a giant hypocrite.
Dark - don't hate, don't hate! You do need a reality check, though. The mid-east bazaar comment was pretty funny, but I'm not sure what you are basing that on. But, if you want to go and pay full price for everything you own in order to help out the business, then go right ahead. You'd be surprised at the deals you can make - and I'm not talking about complaints, as you say. I can't remember ever complaining to make a deal. I'm not rich by any means - I work hard for what I have, and when I make a purchase, you can bet I am going to wheel and deal all I can to get the best price - wherever I go. Your company does not sound like a pleasant place to work, based on your comments.
I'll give you one point though - maybe "haggling" is the wrong word. Maybe it should just be "trying to get the best deal possible" (although it seems to me it's the same thing). As far as I know, that is still a part of retail. At least it is here at the bazaar.
Mac Specs: 13 inch alMacBook 2GHz 2GB, 1.25GHz G4 eMac
Well, yea, they'll price match and all, but urgh. Maybe I just have bad experiences. I also deal in PCs, and yes, no commission. However, on computers the market is very low, and computer manufacturers make their money on allowing companies to bundle software with their machines, not on profit margins over hardware sales. So maybe in my department it's rude. Either way, Apple accessories don't get discounted, because Apple charges us close to what they charge the end user.
