Switcher Q: Apple Store or Apple.com

track_40

Hey everyone,

I have a question. I'm about to buy a new Mac Powerbook. (Yes, I plan to wait until Tues to find out what Steve has up his sleeve.)



The big question is this... when it comes time to buy, which is better? To buy at an Apple Store, or buy from Apple.com? Both will obviously charge sales tax. But is there some kind of benefit to be had if you buy locally, and wind up having a problem with the unit down the road? Will you get better service at the retail store if you bought the unit from that store vs. buying online? How about if you buy at MacMall and you have a prob?



Anyone want to share their experiences?

Just curious.

T_40

jwink3101

when you say from an apple store do you mean The Apple Store and/or an apple retailer.



If i were buying a computer i would get it online because chances are, i would want to customize it in some way that has to be done by apple (superdrive, etc). If i were buying something like an iPod, it wouldn;t matter where i bought it.



If i do my apple shopping in a store it is in The Apple Store. As much as i would like to support Apple Resellers, the only local one is CompUSA which is also a big corporation and in my mind inferior to apple as far as their Mac prices (and prices on most stuff) goes.

nguyenhm16

I like to go to my local physical Apple retail store. Got the old 20" cinema display for $700, and my 12" PB for $1200 (both were either demos or returns, and then add in the student discount). Plus I got it right away, always a big plus (esp. if you buy something like an iPod). I would buy from store.apple.com only if I needed to build to order.

track_40

Quote:

Originally posted by Jwink3101

when you say from an apple store do you mean The Apple Store and/or an apple retailer.

Yes, I mean THE Apple Store. I'm prob going to buy a 23" cinema display this week, and after all the hit-or-miss i've heard about their quality, was just trying to figure out in which case would i have gotten better service should it become an issue.

oldcodger73

Track, no help on the original question. I live in a high sales tax state and have bought my last four computers from MacConnections. I've not had any problems with the various machines so I can't say whether you'd get worse or slower service if you took one purchased elsewhere into an Apple Store. You shouldn't, though, as long as you purchased it from an authorized Mac dealer.



About the 23" display, I'd advise not to buy it this week. I'm assuming you're planning on using it with the Powerbook you're going to buy. If so and if you're planning to get Applecare for the Powerbook, purchase it at the same time as the Powerbook, that way it also would be included on your Powerbook's Applecare.

track_40

Quote:

Originally posted by OldCodger73

About the 23" display, I'd advise not to buy it this week. I'm assuming you're planning on using it with the Powerbook you're going to buy. If so and if you're planning to get Applecare for the Powerbook, purchase it at the same time as the Powerbook, that way it also would be included on your Powerbook's Applecare.

WOW! Thanks! That's some kind of SUPER TIP. I never knew that. Doesn't really make much sense from Apple's perspective as the price for the Applecare is not increased - even though Apple will be on the hook for more hardware... unless they're willing to take the risk that they may need to wind up servicing two units down-the-road, but on the flipside, they're generating a higher dollar sale from the get-go.



SWEET!

Is this some kind of "insider" thing, or is this widely known?



Thanks O.C.

jwink3101

I have even better. I got my display before i got my mac and i ended up getting Applecare along with my brother's 12 PB that DIDN"T support it (at that time is was still mini-VGA).



Of course i use it now with my 12" PB but mine does support it.