In Canada? I need your help
I've finally got a little pull as to what sort of Mac Software the two largest retailers in Canada carry.
So I'd like your opinion - I've already got the mainstays - Photoshop CS2, Office.
What would you buy?
I think we're putting in an order for Parallels shortly and I know we're looking to bump up our gaming selection. I'm looking for the apps and games that are commonly carried at retail that I might not have thought of.
I'll have the entire building converted yet - doin' it one person at a time
So I'd like your opinion - I've already got the mainstays - Photoshop CS2, Office.
What would you buy?
I think we're putting in an order for Parallels shortly and I know we're looking to bump up our gaming selection. I'm looking for the apps and games that are commonly carried at retail that I might not have thought of.
I'll have the entire building converted yet - doin' it one person at a time
Comments
Originally posted by grahamw
I've finally got a little pull as to what sort of Mac Software the two largest retailers in Canada carry.
So I'd like your opinion - I've already got the mainstays - Photoshop CS2, Office.
What would you buy?
I think we're putting in an order for Parallels shortly and I know we're looking to bump up our gaming selection. I'm looking for the apps and games that are commonly carried at retail that I might not have thought of.
I'll have the entire building converted yet - doin' it one person at a time
I'll take all the free software you can send eastward.
Can't really think of anything else at the moment. Guess I'm drawing a blank (hmmm, maybe Reason, Ableton Live, Cubase LE).
Roxio Toast
Dreamweaver
Flash
Adobe CS2
We're bringing in a tonne of games in the next few weeks - and it looks like with today's price drop on Shake we might carry that as well. I'm trying to get Aperture brought in, along with Final Cut Express and, with a little luck, some copies of FC Studio.
They just stack 5 random boxes on the shelves hoping no-one will ask for it.
And because the selection is so poor, no-one ever does.
Seriously, as a Mac user I only look in those stores for sale items, because its painfully obvious they aren't committed to the platform and I'm not buying a $3000.00 system from a retailer that doesn't really know if they want to carry the product line.
If you can change that attitude, more power to you.
With regard to the actual software, I'd say your biggest problem is shelf space.
Why don't you use the companies' buying power to get more retailers to jump on the small-size package bandwagon?
Apple has done it for everything but the biggest items in their line.
And there is no good reason why software like Filemaker Pro needs to come in a large empty box anyway.
And from here on, you should only order titles that are Universal, with the exception of Office and Adobe CS2.
Here are my picks:
Productivity: iWork, MS Office, ThinkFree, Filemaker, .Mac, DayLite.
Digital Lifestyle: iLife, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Print Shop for Mac, Delicious Library!!!,
Games: Backyard Soccer, Pool, Flight Simulator, Star Wars?
Education: Mathematica, World Book Encyclopedia, Instant Immersion (learn various languages) QuickVerse Bible Study
Prosumer: FInal Cut Express, Aperture, Logic Express and Shake - just because of the price drop and buzz.
Graphics & Web: Adobe CS3, Freeway Express
I'm just saying those are areas that should be covered eventually.
For a full list of Universal software, check out Apple's list.
Originally posted by Frank777
BB & FS don't really carry Mac software.
They just stack 5 random boxes on the shelves hoping no-one will ask for it.
And because the selection is so poor, no-one ever does.
Seriously, as a Mac user I only look in those stores for sale items, because its painfully obvious they aren't committed to the platform and I'm not buying a $3000.00 system from a retailer that doesn't really know if they want to carry the product line.
If you can change that attitude, more power to you.
With regard to the actual software, I'd say your biggest problem is shelf space.
Why don't you use the companies' buying power to get more retailers to jump on the small-size package bandwagon?
Apple has done it for everything but the biggest items in their line.
And there is no good reason why software like Filemaker Pro needs to come in a large empty box anyway.
It's been an uphill battle. Apple, from what *everyone* tells me, isn't an easy company to deal with (that's coming from the retail side and the manufacturing side). I'm just using my headstrong, optimistic, idealism to see if I can do the legwork myself and push the brand as much as possible. I even went as far as to shoot a training video with my iSight . My mom was very proud.
It's not malicious - we wouldn't bring a product in and want it to fail - it's just difficult to co-ordinate training, say, a thousand computer associates and three hundred software associates on something they may unfamiliar with. To be frank, it scares the hell out of some of them; they lose their "I've been using this stuff since I was 4" authority - that can be quite emasculating to a geek.
That being said, we are making progress. Mac sales are good. We've been pushing EVERY vendor towards smaller packaging, but as a Canadian retailer we're 1/10th the size of our American counterparts - getting *French* on the packaging was a chore.
Thanks for the suggestions folks (Frank, especially, that's quite a list!
If there are any more suggestions out there, let me know. I'll post back here when I've got some definitive results.
Oooh, almost forgot, we're bringing in boxed copies of Parallels shortly - I've been trying to get them to cross merchandise it with the iMac and Windows XP - really do some switcher armtwisting
edit: I tried to get a few copies of Shake - apparently it's direct sell only now. :-S
Gaming and Educational have also been added, but currently there's no stock (it's coming!)
I'm in the process of organizing the skus online - I can only see one thing that's out of place right now. Parallels should be online and hopefully in stores by the 28th at the latest. Games are coming within a few weeks.
Thanks again for the suggestions folks. I'm always open to more suggestions if you've got them.
Originally posted by grahamw
Some fun stuff happened over the weekend. There's new hierarchy for apple software on the website of the store with the big yellow tag - Apple Software, Apple Software - French, Productivity and Utilities.
Gaming and Educational have also been added, but currently there's no stock (it's coming!)
I'm in the process of organizing the skus online - I can only see one thing that's out of place right now. Parallels should be online and hopefully in stores by the 28th at the latest. Games are coming within a few weeks.
Thanks again for the suggestions folks. I'm always open to more suggestions if you've got them.
What will be the C$ retail price of Parallels?
Originally posted by audiopollution
What will be the C$ retail price of Parallels?
I haven't the slightest idea. I don't think it will be far removed from the American price - there's only 10 cents on the dollar now - but don't quote me. Sometimes getting things across the border is more trouble than it's worth