Manage updates with the Download AppMay 31, 2006 5:22 PM PDT
Apple expands Best Buy foothold
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Best Buy, North America's largest consumer electronics retailer, and Apple are flogging the new MacBook units, as well as the MacBook Pro, Mac Mini and iMac systems, said Samir Bhavnani, an analyst with Current Analysis. The Mac maker has prominent displays and units available in several Best Buy stores throughout the United States, he said.
Best Buy has been selling Apple's popular iPod music players and Mac Minis for some time, but the latest move represents a major expansion of Apple's retail efforts with Best Buy, as well as those outside of its own retail stores, Bhavnani said.
Apple was not immediately available to comment on the deal. A Best Buy representative had no immediate comment.
Best Buy is a destination shopping stop for electronics buyers of all stripes, Bhavnani said. Apple's presence in that type of store complements its own retail stores by exposing the company's products to customers who might not venture into one of Apple's shops, he said.
The move should help Apple get ready for the back-to-school shopping season, which is generally considered to be the second-busiest period of the year for the PC industry, Bhavnani said. The move also shows that Apple is very confident about the inventory situation regarding its new Intel-based products, he said.
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52 comments
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Macs and the blatant vandelism I saw previously at Apple's initial
retail store attempt.
Keys pried off, misinforamation from "sales" people who steered
me away from the Macs. Unabashed bias against Macs.
All I can say is I hope the machines are being guarded or they will
be damaged by childish and close minded people.
Macs and the blatant vandelism I saw previously at Apple's initial
retail store attempt.
Keys pried off, misinforamation from "sales" people who steered
me away from the Macs. Unabashed bias against Macs.
All I can say is I hope the machines are being guarded or they will
be damaged by childish and close minded people.
Now, combine the Mactel demos with iPod demos, and stand back. Some people probably have no idea that Apple even makes computers, as their only exposure has been via the iPod.
As Artie Johnson used to say on "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in", "Vellllllly intellesthing!" Hopefully, he wouldn't be saying what always came next: " ... but, shtupid!!!"
All the Best,
Joe Blow
Maybe next year Apple will buy Parallels and bundle it into the or sell it under their own brand.
Who wants the mega hassle of rebooting to change OS? There are lots of people who do not understand how to reboot and choose an OS from a menu and don't want to learn stuff like that.
Now, combine the Mactel demos with iPod demos, and stand back. Some people probably have no idea that Apple even makes computers, as their only exposure has been via the iPod.
As Artie Johnson used to say on "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in", "Vellllllly intellesthing!" Hopefully, he wouldn't be saying what always came next: " ... but, shtupid!!!"
All the Best,
Joe Blow
Maybe next year Apple will buy Parallels and bundle it into the or sell it under their own brand.
Who wants the mega hassle of rebooting to change OS? There are lots of people who do not understand how to reboot and choose an OS from a menu and don't want to learn stuff like that.
(affliated with Bestbuy) in Canada.
And I can't believe the ignorance these sales people have
towards Macs. Often times I see Macs set aside or put in the
corner as if they were broken which they aren't cause I turned
one on just the other day. And whats worst is they aren't even
turned on for a potential buyer to demo. The PCs usually are in
the best area for a potential buyer to view. If Apple did some
Market research they have to know that their are still many
ignorant PC salesmen out there that are iffy at selling Macs, and
its my belief they have this duty not to even sell one. BestBuy
ought to look at hiring the best Mac/PC Salesmen to sell MACS ,
or whats the point of partnering, they aint' going to sell just
gather dust which sadly I've seen in many of these stores.
The stores I have a problem with are the BestBuy FutureShop
stores in Toronto, Ontario. Its almost as every Manager for
Computer retail in these stores has hired his entire family (who
don't know anything about Macs) to work there.
They need to really look into whos Managing these stores cause
its terrible when you honestly want an unbias opinion.
(affliated with Bestbuy) in Canada.
And I can't believe the ignorance these sales people have
towards Macs. Often times I see Macs set aside or put in the
corner as if they were broken which they aren't cause I turned
one on just the other day. And whats worst is they aren't even
turned on for a potential buyer to demo. The PCs usually are in
the best area for a potential buyer to view. If Apple did some
Market research they have to know that their are still many
ignorant PC salesmen out there that are iffy at selling Macs, and
its my belief they have this duty not to even sell one. BestBuy
ought to look at hiring the best Mac/PC Salesmen to sell MACS ,
or whats the point of partnering, they aint' going to sell just
gather dust which sadly I've seen in many of these stores.
The stores I have a problem with are the BestBuy FutureShop
stores in Toronto, Ontario. Its almost as every Manager for
Computer retail in these stores has hired his entire family (who
don't know anything about Macs) to work there.
They need to really look into whos Managing these stores cause
its terrible when you honestly want an unbias opinion.
points was margin. How much net overall profit was the store
seeing? When Compaq and eMachines have $100-$200 profit
margin from the price Best Buy gets it at to the price Best Buy
sells it for, it is obvious why they are pushed more than the Mac
Mini. Apple products are sold everywhere at the same price, and
there is no margin to be made when Apple computers are sold.
Not a penny. And since Apple computers come with tons of
great software, it is very hard to add on products. The fact that
most of them now come with webcams makes it even harder to
find accessories to add on with.
points was margin. How much net overall profit was the store
seeing? When Compaq and eMachines have $100-$200 profit
margin from the price Best Buy gets it at to the price Best Buy
sells it for, it is obvious why they are pushed more than the Mac
Mini. Apple products are sold everywhere at the same price, and
there is no margin to be made when Apple computers are sold.
Not a penny. And since Apple computers come with tons of
great software, it is very hard to add on products. The fact that
most of them now come with webcams makes it even harder to
find accessories to add on with.
IT's a FACT, Apple is priced identically to all top tier PC Vendors. IN FACT, all the Intel Macs are now priced BELOW what a similar machine can be found for in the Wintel space.
All the world uses the Mac OS, but they just use the bastardized version... called Windows.
If you are smart you get a Mac, if you are not, you use a PC running Windows.
Facts are Facts.
IT's a FACT, Apple is priced identically to all top tier PC Vendors. IN FACT, all the Intel Macs are now priced BELOW what a similar machine can be found for in the Wintel space.
All the world uses the Mac OS, but they just use the bastardized version... called Windows.
If you are smart you get a Mac, if you are not, you use a PC running Windows.
Facts are Facts.
reach, I'm not sure that the company's products will receive
proper treatment by the Best Buy staff.
While at a store a few months ago, I observed a customer ask
where she could find a Macintosh Mini. A sales guy asked, "What
do you need in a personal computer?" "Oh, go on the Internet,
write letters, that sort of thing," the customer replied. "Oh, well,
you don't want a Mac. They're for doing graphics. This H-P is
what you need."
Also disheartening was seeing a Mini's wireless remote affixed to
an MP3 player display where the Shuffle belonged.
Why are so many of these blue-shirted people clueless?
Now what kind of high school or college student is going to rush home and read a book for work?
But the biggest problem with reatil is no one cares about thir job. They see it as an easy way to make $200 in a week. If you don't beive this, just go to Wal-Mar, Target, Best buy, or any big chain store, dont buy anyhting, dont look at any products. Just simply watch the employees.
Now what kind of high school or college student is going to rush home and read a book for work?
But the biggest problem with reatil is no one cares about thir job. They see it as an easy way to make $200 in a week. If you don't beive this, just go to Wal-Mar, Target, Best buy, or any big chain store, dont buy anyhting, dont look at any products. Just simply watch the employees.
Nobody approached the customers, and usually tried to redirect them to a Fry's-brand system or other Windows PC.
I would hover around the Mac section, DOING things on them. I installed some of my travel photos in iPhoto, created some sample slideshows in iMovie, as well as setting up some in iDVD. I had the most fun playing with Garage Band, which got a lot of attention.
I installed NeoOffice on the Macs, so I could show customers an alternative to the $400+ Microsoft Office for Mac suite.
The customers love me, and I was able to switch folks by showing them things they needed a computer to do for them, just didn't think the Mac could do it.
It certainly helped that my associates did NOTHING to show off the capabilities of the various Windows systems. Folks were expected to figure things out for themselves.
One of my favorite customers was a young man looking at the iBooks and PowerBooks. I asked if he had any questions to aid in his decision. He told me he wasn't looking to buy, but to sell a brand-new 15" PowerBook. I asked him why.
He told me that a friend had broken something very expensive of his, and didn't have the cash to pay him. So, this guy got his friend's PowerBook, only three months old. Being a Windows user, he did't see a reason to keep it.
I asked if he'd even used it. He told me yes, for internet and checking email.
I said, "Come over here. Let me show you what you've overlooked." I showed him iPhoto and how easy it was to email his photos to others without being yelled at for overstuffing their mailboxes. As I told him about iMovie and iDVD, I surreptitiously opened Garage Band and began to drag loop tracks to the main screen.
I then asked, "Do you like music?" Yes, of course. I pressed play. His head bounced to the beat, then he paused. "That's my music! How did you know?" A guess. "But, you just did that!?" Yep. Sure did. "I could do that, too, then?" Of course.
He went home to play with his new PowerBook...
Dave
reach, I'm not sure that the company's products will receive
proper treatment by the Best Buy staff.
While at a store a few months ago, I observed a customer ask
where she could find a Macintosh Mini. A sales guy asked, "What
do you need in a personal computer?" "Oh, go on the Internet,
write letters, that sort of thing," the customer replied. "Oh, well,
you don't want a Mac. They're for doing graphics. This H-P is
what you need."
Also disheartening was seeing a Mini's wireless remote affixed to
an MP3 player display where the Shuffle belonged.
Why are so many of these blue-shirted people clueless?
Now what kind of high school or college student is going to rush home and read a book for work?
But the biggest problem with reatil is no one cares about thir job. They see it as an easy way to make $200 in a week. If you don't beive this, just go to Wal-Mar, Target, Best buy, or any big chain store, dont buy anyhting, dont look at any products. Just simply watch the employees.
Now what kind of high school or college student is going to rush home and read a book for work?
But the biggest problem with reatil is no one cares about thir job. They see it as an easy way to make $200 in a week. If you don't beive this, just go to Wal-Mar, Target, Best buy, or any big chain store, dont buy anyhting, dont look at any products. Just simply watch the employees.
Nobody approached the customers, and usually tried to redirect them to a Fry's-brand system or other Windows PC.
I would hover around the Mac section, DOING things on them. I installed some of my travel photos in iPhoto, created some sample slideshows in iMovie, as well as setting up some in iDVD. I had the most fun playing with Garage Band, which got a lot of attention.
I installed NeoOffice on the Macs, so I could show customers an alternative to the $400+ Microsoft Office for Mac suite.
The customers love me, and I was able to switch folks by showing them things they needed a computer to do for them, just didn't think the Mac could do it.
It certainly helped that my associates did NOTHING to show off the capabilities of the various Windows systems. Folks were expected to figure things out for themselves.
One of my favorite customers was a young man looking at the iBooks and PowerBooks. I asked if he had any questions to aid in his decision. He told me he wasn't looking to buy, but to sell a brand-new 15" PowerBook. I asked him why.
He told me that a friend had broken something very expensive of his, and didn't have the cash to pay him. So, this guy got his friend's PowerBook, only three months old. Being a Windows user, he did't see a reason to keep it.
I asked if he'd even used it. He told me yes, for internet and checking email.
I said, "Come over here. Let me show you what you've overlooked." I showed him iPhoto and how easy it was to email his photos to others without being yelled at for overstuffing their mailboxes. As I told him about iMovie and iDVD, I surreptitiously opened Garage Band and began to drag loop tracks to the main screen.
I then asked, "Do you like music?" Yes, of course. I pressed play. His head bounced to the beat, then he paused. "That's my music! How did you know?" A guess. "But, you just did that!?" Yep. Sure did. "I could do that, too, then?" Of course.
He went home to play with his new PowerBook...
Dave
Also, as far as knowledgeable sales people goes I'll say this. I'd wager that the average sales person is only marginally more knowledgeable of PC's than Macs and that probably is largely due in part to their own personal experience, not training. Given that PC's still enjoy the majority share of the market (I don't have exact numbers) it stands to reason that the majority of HS or college salespeople would be more familiar with and more likely to sell a PC over a Mac. Anybody who has been in sales before knows that you like to sell things you know rather than look foolish trying to sell a product you're unfamiliar with.
I doubt Apple is looking to increase market share considerably by selling in Best Buys and CompUSA's, for exactly the reasons everyone here has articulated. More likely they simply want the average customer to see Macs in their favority consumer electronics stores so they have it in the back of their mind that Macs exist. If they get some sales out of it so much the better.
Also, as far as knowledgeable sales people goes I'll say this. I'd wager that the average sales person is only marginally more knowledgeable of PC's than Macs and that probably is largely due in part to their own personal experience, not training. Given that PC's still enjoy the majority share of the market (I don't have exact numbers) it stands to reason that the majority of HS or college salespeople would be more familiar with and more likely to sell a PC over a Mac. Anybody who has been in sales before knows that you like to sell things you know rather than look foolish trying to sell a product you're unfamiliar with.
I doubt Apple is looking to increase market share considerably by selling in Best Buys and CompUSA's, for exactly the reasons everyone here has articulated. More likely they simply want the average customer to see Macs in their favority consumer electronics stores so they have it in the back of their mind that Macs exist. If they get some sales out of it so much the better.
CompUSA with strong sales. And while they are down a bit in
the past year due to the huge growth of Apple Stores, when you
think about it, "what other brand at CompUSA get its own 'dark
dusty corner?'"
Check facts before trolling. . .
CompUSA with strong sales. And while they are down a bit in
the past year due to the huge growth of Apple Stores, when you
think about it, "what other brand at CompUSA get its own 'dark
dusty corner?'"
Check facts before trolling. . .
education and a GREAT pro deal for best buy workers. Most of
the workers at best buy are young kids who like electronics. I
bet most would LOVE to have a MacBook. Hook 'em up with one
for a great deal, offer them some basic training and I'll bet they
become passionate Apple enthusiasts. If you don't do that,
they'll just send customers over to the latest Wintel piece of
crap. "Uh, it's cheaper and, uh, it has Windows".
I've seen in ten years in retail what training and Pro Deals do. I
also have seen what passionate sales can do. Apple could really
have a great program here if they do it right. And if they don't,
at least I won't have to drive 100 miles to the Apple Store just to
pick up my next addition of OSX when it arrives!
education and a GREAT pro deal for best buy workers. Most of
the workers at best buy are young kids who like electronics. I
bet most would LOVE to have a MacBook. Hook 'em up with one
for a great deal, offer them some basic training and I'll bet they
become passionate Apple enthusiasts. If you don't do that,
they'll just send customers over to the latest Wintel piece of
crap. "Uh, it's cheaper and, uh, it has Windows".
I've seen in ten years in retail what training and Pro Deals do. I
also have seen what passionate sales can do. Apple could really
have a great program here if they do it right. And if they don't,
at least I won't have to drive 100 miles to the Apple Store just to
pick up my next addition of OSX when it arrives!