I was one of those calling people whiners, and I don't see how this changes anything. First they did not give a refund, they gave you a credit for a future sale. A future sale on which they will still make several hundred dollars from you.
Secondly, Apple's response to the overwhelming whine-fest that was on these boards yesterday does not change the fact that it was a whine-athon.
This nation has been breeding huge numbers of whiners over the past few decades. It's only going to get worse as these whiners start breeding with each other.
What do you mean past few decades??? Try 'this county's inception'! Just go search and read letters from the Revolutionary War, where General Washington's troops were whinning over no housing, lack of clothing and blankets, lack of food, boots, ammunition, not being paid on time, etc. and nobody asked them to pick up a gun and fight...
The greatest generation, or at least what is left of them, they survived the Depression and World War II, but tell them there is a reduction in their Social Security Benefits and Medicare, etc., and hear them revolt!
The Civil Rights marches, why have them? The U.S. Supreme Court (at one time) said that spearate but equal was just fiine. Some people whined saying, no it isn't...
Granted, a high tech device pales in comparision, but it is the fact that like the courts say, pornography cannot be defined, but I know it when I see it. Well being wronged may be hard to define, but people know it when they see it!
from the open letter "Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple's website next week. Stay tuned."
To get the rebate - I bet each iphone owner will have to agree to some a contractual provision to give up claims related to the ownership of the subject iphone. I believe this is worded this way because Apple believed otherwise they risked claims...
from the open letter "Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple's website next week. Stay tuned."
To get the rebate - I bet each iphone owner will have to agree to some a contractual provision to give up claims related to the ownership of the subject iphone. I believe this is worded this way because Apple believed otherwise they risked claims...
this isn't from the goodness of apple's heart - they obviously got advice from their counsel that they were at risk for a claim - - -
Whatever, I accept gratefully. I am happy both for myself and also for Apple where I have a lot of investment. This is the right thing to do and is a total win win.
from the open letter "Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple's website next week. Stay tuned."
To get the rebate - I bet each iphone owner will have to agree to some a contractual provision to give up claims related to the ownership of the subject iphone. I believe this is worded this way because Apple believed otherwise they risked claims...
Steve Jobs has sent a clear message that when you buy something from Apple, it won't hurt when you sit down.
This is a masterstroke. He doesn't have to do this, but he does it anyway. Look at the benefits: He wins back his fanboys who have been selling and servicing his merchandise at no cost to Apple. He makes it safe to be an early adopter again. He kills--and overwhelms--all the negative publicity that might affect new customers.
True, we willingly paid the $600 for the iPhone, and we even figured the price would go down, but the price cut was quicker and deeper than anyone could reasonably anticipate. His kindness is equally unprecedented. He sends us a clear message that we don't need to worry that we might get iPhoned again. He turns a bad situation into a golden opportunity to differentiate Apple from others in the software, hardware, entertainment, and cell phone industries. Would Microsoft do this? Would Dell do this? Would Paramount do this? Would AT&T do this? No, because they don't have Jobs' eye for the bottom line.
There is even more benefit for Apple. Think of it: a $100 credit is worth $100 to us, but if we use it on a product with a 50% mark up, it only costs Apple $50. It also means that Apple gets a sale they'd otherwise not get from a relieved and happy customer. On top of all that, there are going to be people who never use it, which reduces the cost of his generosity even more.
In the long run, he's paying a bargain price for a boatload of good will and good publicity--and he deserves every bit of it. He proves himself a shrewd businessman who sees that the route to a healthy bottom line is through happy customers.
One of my former bosses used to say that when you get screwed, you're supposed to get a kiss. I just got a kiss, all is forgiven, and I am an even more loyal Apple customer than ever before.
from the open letter "Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple's website next week. Stay tuned."
To get the rebate - I bet each iphone owner will have to agree to some a contractual provision to give up claims related to the ownership of the subject iphone. I believe this is worded this way because Apple believed otherwise they risked claims...
I think Apple's iphone marketing strategy was genius. You have to assume that, even at the new $399 price, Apple is clearing a tidy amount on each iphone....otherwise they couldn't and wouldn't have reduced the price. They dangled a carrot out there at $599 just to see how many idiots would bite....and sold about a million!! So, a nice reasonable profit--PLUS an extra $200 premium per unit on top of that--for every unit they sold--for over 60 days.
So now the pool of "gotta have it" people they milked for $599 has pretty much dried up. Now we are down to the more sane people who merely just want an iphone or are thinking about it. Apple's trouble was they couldn't sell the 8 gig touch (basically an iphone without the phone) for $299 and keep selling 8 gig iphones for $599. That would have made it blatantly obvious that the iphone was a pretty poor value at its original price (for the suckers that hadn't already figured that out). So they HAD to reduce the price. What was a reasonable price? As it stands now, paying an extra $100 for the iphone vs the touch is very reasonable for most people. Plus, we will be seeing a more capable iphone 2nd gen coming out after the first of the year, likely with 3G capability. So the 1st gen is a bit of a lame duck and what better time to clear them out than the holidays?
Genius, I say. Genius. Even with a $100 rebate they still raked it in for the first 2 months...hell, it's not even a rebate, it's a credit...
VERY smart move by Steve. A little late in coming, but it should generate considerable goodwill... or at least lessen the badwill significantly.
You just don't screw over your most ardent fans... always a bad plan. You may not pay for it intitially, but you will long-term. \
It's nice that Steve has an open mind and can change his mind once in a blue moon.
.
Its funny watching these people. Everyone is all happy now but they don't understand no one is getting a check in the mail. It's not a real credit or rebate you have to spend more money to get your 100.00.
It's a PR move that looks great but in the end will end up costing Apple very little if anything. Sure they will give you 100.00 back when you buy a Macbook or Macbook Pro thats not a bad deal for Apple seeing they are already making 50% on their hardware. Or maybe that copy of Photoshop CS3 for 650.00 that they already discount to Teachers for 199.00.
I always find it funny when someone gets people to spend more money in order to get "money back". This was a great move it will get the whiners to spend even more money, they can't help it its like a sick addiction.
If Apple had to mail out checks to everyone then that would be a true give back of 100.00 to give it to you your next purchase will at best maybe cost Apple 25.00 a pop, maybe I doubt even that much.
I suppose most will either use it towards a new iPod nano or Mac OS X Leopard.
So what's the cost to Apple ... lets assume 800,000 early adopters at $100 per adopter that makes it a $80 million concession (at least on paper). We all know that the retail price of anything includes a markup so the real cost is something close to 60 - 70 million dollars.
A small price to pay considering the level of anger amongst iPhone owners. Oh yeah, let's not forget the positive PR. Overall it was a classy move.
Comments
I was one of those calling people whiners, and I don't see how this changes anything. First they did not give a refund, they gave you a credit for a future sale. A future sale on which they will still make several hundred dollars from you.
Secondly, Apple's response to the overwhelming whine-fest that was on these boards yesterday does not change the fact that it was a whine-athon.
well said!
This nation has been breeding huge numbers of whiners over the past few decades. It's only going to get worse as these whiners start breeding with each other.
What do you mean past few decades??? Try 'this county's inception'! Just go search and read letters from the Revolutionary War, where General Washington's troops were whinning over no housing, lack of clothing and blankets, lack of food, boots, ammunition, not being paid on time, etc. and nobody asked them to pick up a gun and fight...
The greatest generation, or at least what is left of them, they survived the Depression and World War II, but tell them there is a reduction in their Social Security Benefits and Medicare, etc., and hear them revolt!
The Civil Rights marches, why have them? The U.S. Supreme Court (at one time) said that spearate but equal was just fiine. Some people whined saying, no it isn't...
Granted, a high tech device pales in comparision, but it is the fact that like the courts say, pornography cannot be defined, but I know it when I see it. Well being wronged may be hard to define, but people know it when they see it!
certainly didn't expect it, but I am sure glad they are doing this! Looks like my 24" imac will be a $100 less (in a sense).
Remember this, "it is the squeaky wheel that gets greased"!
So do hemorrhoids.
from the open letter "Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple's website next week. Stay tuned."
To get the rebate - I bet each iphone owner will have to agree to some a contractual provision to give up claims related to the ownership of the subject iphone. I believe this is worded this way because Apple believed otherwise they risked claims...
Wrong...again. Sad. Give it up.
To get the rebate - I bet each iphone owner will have to agree to some a contractual provision to give up claims related to the ownership of the subject iphone. I believe this is worded this way because Apple believed otherwise they risked claims...
this isn't from the goodness of apple's heart - they obviously got advice from their counsel that they were at risk for a claim - - -
Whatever, I accept gratefully. I am happy both for myself and also for Apple where I have a lot of investment. This is the right thing to do and is a total win win.
That iPod touch just came in to range
Thank you Steve.
do not know the long term implication for apple and its customers!.
Wrong...again. Sad. Give it up.
on this point i disagree - i'm interested, that you feel so passionately about your views.
Sorry to all for the double post - I hit the wrong button when I tried to refresh my screen
Wrong...again. Sad. Give it up.
this isn't from the goodness of apple's heart - they obviously got advice from their counsel that they were at risk for a claim - - -
Does it matter?
from the open letter "Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple's website next week. Stay tuned."
To get the rebate - I bet each iphone owner will have to agree to some a contractual provision to give up claims related to the ownership of the subject iphone. I believe this is worded this way because Apple believed otherwise they risked claims...
Jeez, you do talk a load of crap. Wannabe lawyers
This is a masterstroke. He doesn't have to do this, but he does it anyway. Look at the benefits: He wins back his fanboys who have been selling and servicing his merchandise at no cost to Apple. He makes it safe to be an early adopter again. He kills--and overwhelms--all the negative publicity that might affect new customers.
True, we willingly paid the $600 for the iPhone, and we even figured the price would go down, but the price cut was quicker and deeper than anyone could reasonably anticipate. His kindness is equally unprecedented. He sends us a clear message that we don't need to worry that we might get iPhoned again. He turns a bad situation into a golden opportunity to differentiate Apple from others in the software, hardware, entertainment, and cell phone industries. Would Microsoft do this? Would Dell do this? Would Paramount do this? Would AT&T do this? No, because they don't have Jobs' eye for the bottom line.
There is even more benefit for Apple. Think of it: a $100 credit is worth $100 to us, but if we use it on a product with a 50% mark up, it only costs Apple $50. It also means that Apple gets a sale they'd otherwise not get from a relieved and happy customer. On top of all that, there are going to be people who never use it, which reduces the cost of his generosity even more.
In the long run, he's paying a bargain price for a boatload of good will and good publicity--and he deserves every bit of it. He proves himself a shrewd businessman who sees that the route to a healthy bottom line is through happy customers.
One of my former bosses used to say that when you get screwed, you're supposed to get a kiss. I just got a kiss, all is forgiven, and I am an even more loyal Apple customer than ever before.
from the open letter "Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration, a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple's website next week. Stay tuned."
To get the rebate - I bet each iphone owner will have to agree to some a contractual provision to give up claims related to the ownership of the subject iphone. I believe this is worded this way because Apple believed otherwise they risked claims...
you work for M$???
So now the pool of "gotta have it" people they milked for $599 has pretty much dried up. Now we are down to the more sane people who merely just want an iphone or are thinking about it. Apple's trouble was they couldn't sell the 8 gig touch (basically an iphone without the phone) for $299 and keep selling 8 gig iphones for $599. That would have made it blatantly obvious that the iphone was a pretty poor value at its original price (for the suckers that hadn't already figured that out). So they HAD to reduce the price. What was a reasonable price? As it stands now, paying an extra $100 for the iphone vs the touch is very reasonable for most people. Plus, we will be seeing a more capable iphone 2nd gen coming out after the first of the year, likely with 3G capability. So the 1st gen is a bit of a lame duck and what better time to clear them out than the holidays?
Genius, I say. Genius. Even with a $100 rebate they still raked it in for the first 2 months...hell, it's not even a rebate, it's a credit...
VERY smart move by Steve. A little late in coming, but it should generate considerable goodwill... or at least lessen the badwill significantly.
You just don't screw over your most ardent fans... always a bad plan. You may not pay for it intitially, but you will long-term.
It's nice that Steve has an open mind and can change his mind once in a blue moon.
.
Its funny watching these people. Everyone is all happy now but they don't understand no one is getting a check in the mail. It's not a real credit or rebate you have to spend more money to get your 100.00.
It's a PR move that looks great but in the end will end up costing Apple very little if anything. Sure they will give you 100.00 back when you buy a Macbook or Macbook Pro thats not a bad deal for Apple seeing they are already making 50% on their hardware. Or maybe that copy of Photoshop CS3 for 650.00 that they already discount to Teachers for 199.00.
I always find it funny when someone gets people to spend more money in order to get "money back". This was a great move it will get the whiners to spend even more money, they can't help it its like a sick addiction.
If Apple had to mail out checks to everyone then that would be a true give back of 100.00 to give it to you your next purchase will at best maybe cost Apple 25.00 a pop, maybe I doubt even that much.
So what's the cost to Apple ... lets assume 800,000 early adopters at $100 per adopter that makes it a $80 million concession (at least on paper). We all know that the retail price of anything includes a markup so the real cost is something close to 60 - 70 million dollars.
A small price to pay considering the level of anger amongst iPhone owners. Oh yeah, let's not forget the positive PR. Overall it was a classy move.