Apple authorized resellers launch Black Friday sales early
As was the case last year, several Apple authorized resellers are getting a jump-start on the 2009 holiday shopping season by launching early Black Friday sales that offer up to $220 off Mac desktops and $250 off Mac notebooks. [Updated Nov 26th with steep MacConnection price cuts.]
Update: As of Thursday morning, MacConnection has undercut all resellers on MacBook, MacBook Pro and iMac prices. Please see the price matrix, below.
For example, MacMall (sale), ClubMac (sale), and OnSale.com (sale) each kicked-off 72-hour Black Friday sales at midnight that are scheduled to run through 11:59 p.m. pacific time on Friday. Meanwhile, others like MacConnection and Best Buy have similarly put into effect their lowest prices on Macs this calendar year.
For those unaware, Black Friday is the day immediately following the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, marking the beginning of the traditional holiday shopping season. The term "Black Friday" dates back to the 1970s, when it was coined as such by retailers who saw heavy foot traffic on that day as a means of getting out of the red and returning to the black (or turning a profit).
MacBooks and Mac minis
Thus far, MacMall and MacConnection are offering the lowest price we've seen this year on Apple's white MacBook at 884.99, a savings of $114 after rebates. And for its part, MacMall is extending the deepest discounts on new Mac minis, selling the 2.26GHz model for $549.99 and the 2.53GHz model for $744.98, also after rebates.
MacBook Pros and iMacs
For MacBook Pros and iMacs, MacMall, ClubMac, OnSale, and MacConnection all offer fairly competitive pricing. Some noteworthy standouts include the 2.26GHz 13" MacBook Pro and 3.06GHz Dual 21" iMac, each for $1,068.99 at MacMall -- a $130 savings. The reseller is also offering the 2.66GHz 15" MacBook Pro for $1,798.97 ($200 savings) and the 3.06GHz Dual 27" iMac for $1,584.99 ($130 savings). The best price on the 2.80GHz 17" MacBook Pro is $2,248.99, a savings of $250.
Meanwhile, Best Buy is also offering the new 3.06GHz 21.5-inch iMac for $1,099 -- a $100 savings without a rebate, unlike many reseller deals.
MacBook Airs and Mac Pros
Finally, MacMall is extending the lowest prices on MacBook Airs at $1,398.98 for the 1.86GHz model and $1,689.98 for the 2.13GHz configuration. Discounts on Mac Pros span $200 to $220 from the vast majority of the resellers.
Apple's Black Friday Sale
Apple on Friday will also launch its annual Black Friday sales through its online and brick-and-mortar retail stores, however the Mac maker's discounts have historically (2008, 2007, 2006, 2005) been more modest than those of its authorized resellers. For instance, last year's most compelling deals amounted to $50 off white MacBooks and $101 off aluminum MacBooks and iMacs.
Mac Price Guide
AppleInsider's Mac Price Guide (also embedded above) offers a side-by-side comparison of Apple's retail and educational pricing with those of its most popular resellers. It'll be updated constantly throughout the week. Lowest prices are in bold typeface.
Update: As of Thursday morning, MacConnection has undercut all resellers on MacBook, MacBook Pro and iMac prices. Please see the price matrix, below.
For example, MacMall (sale), ClubMac (sale), and OnSale.com (sale) each kicked-off 72-hour Black Friday sales at midnight that are scheduled to run through 11:59 p.m. pacific time on Friday. Meanwhile, others like MacConnection and Best Buy have similarly put into effect their lowest prices on Macs this calendar year.
For those unaware, Black Friday is the day immediately following the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, marking the beginning of the traditional holiday shopping season. The term "Black Friday" dates back to the 1970s, when it was coined as such by retailers who saw heavy foot traffic on that day as a means of getting out of the red and returning to the black (or turning a profit).
MacBooks and Mac minis
Thus far, MacMall and MacConnection are offering the lowest price we've seen this year on Apple's white MacBook at 884.99, a savings of $114 after rebates. And for its part, MacMall is extending the deepest discounts on new Mac minis, selling the 2.26GHz model for $549.99 and the 2.53GHz model for $744.98, also after rebates.
MacBook Pros and iMacs
For MacBook Pros and iMacs, MacMall, ClubMac, OnSale, and MacConnection all offer fairly competitive pricing. Some noteworthy standouts include the 2.26GHz 13" MacBook Pro and 3.06GHz Dual 21" iMac, each for $1,068.99 at MacMall -- a $130 savings. The reseller is also offering the 2.66GHz 15" MacBook Pro for $1,798.97 ($200 savings) and the 3.06GHz Dual 27" iMac for $1,584.99 ($130 savings). The best price on the 2.80GHz 17" MacBook Pro is $2,248.99, a savings of $250.
Meanwhile, Best Buy is also offering the new 3.06GHz 21.5-inch iMac for $1,099 -- a $100 savings without a rebate, unlike many reseller deals.
MacBook Airs and Mac Pros
Finally, MacMall is extending the lowest prices on MacBook Airs at $1,398.98 for the 1.86GHz model and $1,689.98 for the 2.13GHz configuration. Discounts on Mac Pros span $200 to $220 from the vast majority of the resellers.
Apple's Black Friday Sale
Apple on Friday will also launch its annual Black Friday sales through its online and brick-and-mortar retail stores, however the Mac maker's discounts have historically (2008, 2007, 2006, 2005) been more modest than those of its authorized resellers. For instance, last year's most compelling deals amounted to $50 off white MacBooks and $101 off aluminum MacBooks and iMacs.
Mac Price Guide
AppleInsider's Mac Price Guide (also embedded above) offers a side-by-side comparison of Apple's retail and educational pricing with those of its most popular resellers. It'll be updated constantly throughout the week. Lowest prices are in bold typeface.
Comments
This is the case through today, at least.
Just picked the 21.5In 3.06GHz model for $1399.00,
PLUS 18 months free interest on their Best Buy Card.
Pay for that baby in 17 equal payments of $88.05
Now THAT's A DEAL!!
I'll stand down by the door
And catch the grey men when they
Dive from the fourteenth floor
When Black Friday comes
I'll collect everything I'm owed
And before my friends find out
I'll be on the road
When Black Friday falls you know it's got to be
Don't let it fall on me
When Black Friday comes
I'll fly down to Muswellbrook
Gonna strike all the big red words
From my little black book
Gonna do just what I please
Gonna wear no socks and shoes
With nothing to do but feed
All the kangaroos
When Black Friday comes I'll be on that hill
You know I will
When Black Friday comes
I'm gonna dig myself a hole
Gonna lay down in it 'til
I satisfy my soul
Gonna let the world pass by me
The Archbishop's gonna sanctify me
And if he don't come across
I'm gonna let it roll
When Black Friday comes
I'm gonna stake my claim
I'll guess I'll change my name
Mail order from company without a physical presence in your state to avoid the tax (ask them too to make sure, they might collect it anyway) Apple collects tax in all states regardless.
Prices and unemployment are set to rise the beginning of the new year.
I wish the Magic Mouse were 1/2 off.
I wish the magic mouse was an actual usable mouse for me.
I wish the magic mouse was an actual usable mouse for me.
I am quite happy that it is, for me.
EDIT: nevermind, that was the mac mini's. my bad, got excited for a moment.
any advantage to buying direct from Apple?
In my opinion for general purchases, no. I've never bought a computer / iPod directly from Apple, but have always registered the product serial number with Apple as soon as I can. If you need to customize the computer to a decent degree, I think Apple is the only bet.
However, for computer purchases, I cannot stand the usual mail-in rebate. At least with Apple, that's off the table. So whatever money you save by going the authorized seller route (lower price / no state tax) may be lost in time waiting, plus frustration should you have to argue anything.
Others may have different opinions / stories.
WTF? Macbooks for $549.99? That's too cheap to be true.. who says Apple doesn't do cheap?
EDIT: nevermind, that was the mac mini's. my bad, got excited for a moment.
Are you sure that's not a MacMini for $549.99?
Meanwhile I just picked up LG Blu-ray player for $99.99 at Amazon today only.
Pure 1080P in the living room and now in the bedroom.
You'd think Apple Insider gets a cut of Mac sales linked to from its website. Oh, yeah, I guess it does.
Another "story" from AI that's just an ad. It's really getting disgusting. If it's an ad, label it as an ad. If it's a story, write a real story and leave the ads out.
Are you sure that's not a MacMini for $549.99?
Meanwhile I just picked up LG Blu-ray player for $99.99 at Amazon today only.
Pure 1080P in the living room and now in the bedroom.
Ahhhh....the porn viewing possibilities at your house are endless!
When Black Friday comes
I'll stand down by the door
And catch the grey men when they
Dive from the fourteenth floor
When Black Friday comes
I'll collect everything I'm owed
And before my friends find out
I'll be on the road
When Black Friday falls you know it's got to be
Don't let it fall on me
When Black Friday comes
I'll fly down to Muswellbrook
Gonna strike all the big red words
From my little black book
Gonna do just what I please
Gonna wear no socks and shoes
With nothing to do but feed
All the kangaroos
When Black Friday comes I'll be on that hill
You know I will
When Black Friday comes
I'm gonna dig myself a hole
Gonna lay down in it 'til
I satisfy my soul
Gonna let the world pass by me
The Archbishop's gonna sanctify me
And if he don't come across
I'm gonna let it roll
When Black Friday comes
I'm gonna stake my claim
I'll guess I'll change my name
Was just listening to that song last night.
Yeah, notice how the "story" dismisses the Apple Store, and doesn't even mention Best Buy, etc.
You'd think Apple Insider gets a cut of Mac sales linked to from its website. Oh, yeah, I guess it does.
Another "story" from AI that's just an ad. It's really getting disgusting. If it's an ad, label it as an ad. If it's a story, write a real story and leave the ads out.
I don't have any problem with this story. We are told that certain retailers are starting early with their sales, and we are given details. (The Apple Store is not one of them, nor are there any details available yet regarding what their deals will be on Friday.) This is all valuable information for someone looking for a good deal on Macs, and it is all in one place. So I am really glad to have this info compiled for me here, and I don't care whether Appleinsider gets a cut from my purchase (but just for the record... I very much doubt that they do).
Also, Best Buy is indeed mentioned, even called out as a retailer that offers instant savings as opposed to rebates.
Thompson
Ahhhh....the porn viewing possibilities at your house are endless!
Micro center has the new unibody plastic MacBook for $800 on Friday.
I looked at their site and can?t find a single unibody MacBook. I need to pick up 4 of these for them for them so that would save me a bundle. Do you have a link to the sale?
When Black Friday comes
I'll stand down by the door
And catch the grey men when they
Dive from the fourteenth floor
When Black Friday comes
I'll collect everything I'm owed
And before my friends find out
I'll be on the road
When Black Friday falls you know it's got to be
Don't let it fall on me
When Black Friday comes
I'll fly down to Muswellbrook
Gonna strike all the big red words
From my little black book
Gonna do just what I please
Gonna wear no socks and shoes
With nothing to do but feed
All the kangaroos
When Black Friday comes I'll be on that hill
You know I will
When Black Friday comes
I'm gonna dig myself a hole
Gonna lay down in it 'til
I satisfy my soul
Gonna let the world pass by me
The Archbishop's gonna sanctify me
And if he don't come across
I'm gonna let it roll
When Black Friday comes
I'm gonna stake my claim
I'll guess I'll change my name
nice
very very nice