Walmart plans to sell Apple iPad by end of 2010

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
As part of a planned expansion of electronics products in its retail stores, Walmart hopes to sell Apple's iPad in some of its retail locations starting this year.



Gary Severson, senior vice president of entertainment for Walmart's U.S. stores, told BusinessWeek that his company believes it will carry the iPad later this year. Specific details, including timing and pricing, were not provided.



Since the iPad launched in early April, Apple has sold the multitouch device at its own retail stores, as well as Best Buy and other assisted locations. Some Apple Specialist locations also carry the hardware. Combined with online sales, Apple managed to sell more than a million iPads in the device's first 28 days of availability in the U.S. alone.



Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook revealed in February that Apple would expand retail availability of the iPad "over time," but did not provide a specific timeframe or mention any potential partners.



Walmart's planned restructuring of its electronics departments is based around "self-educated" consumers, Severson said. In addition to carrying the iPad, the retailer plans to offer more Internet-connected HDTVs, Blu-ray players, mobile phones and routers that allow consumers to link their electronic devices with one another in their homes. The goal is to ensure that consumers "don't have to go to a specialty shop" to get what they need, he said.



The partnership between Apple and Walmart has blossomed over the years, beginning in 2005 when the retailer began a pilot program selling Apple's short-lived HP-branded 20GB iPod. Over time, the nation's largest retail chain began carrying Apple's full line of iPods, and in 2008 some of its stores began selling the iPhone 3G.



A year ago, Walmart began overhauling many of its retail stores' electronics departments with Apple-designated shopping areas. At the time, it was believed the change could be a precursor to the company making a pitch to carry the Apple's line of Mac computers.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 71
    zindakozindako Posts: 468member
    I would rather not see Apples products degraded by being sold in such a 3rd rate store. Walmart is the place you go to see junk microsoft products.
  • Reply 2 of 71
    The anti-Wal Mart crowd is up already.



    I don't give a hoot if they sell Apple at Wal Mart.



    Anything that increases sales and the price of my stock is fine by me.



    Don't like Wal Mart, don't shop there. The days of Apple elitism is over. Get over it.
  • Reply 3 of 71
    zindakozindako Posts: 468member
    I really don't think people that shop at Walmart can afford Apple products anywho, much less appreciate them.
  • Reply 4 of 71
    pridonpridon Posts: 81member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zindako View Post


    I really don't think people that shop at Walmart can afford Apple products anywho, much less appreciate them.



    Walmart has many more location than Best Buy and reaches the smaller towns. Although I generally don't care for Walmart, in some cases they are the only multline retailer for miles. Some of those farmers and oil workers in the sticks got plenty money for iPad.
  • Reply 5 of 71
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zindako View Post


    I really don't think people that shop at Walmart can afford Apple products anywho, much less appreciate them.



    So, you've never been to a Walmart?

    I shop at Walmart sometimes and I have a newer Mac Pro, brand new Macbook Pro 17", an imac, ipad, 2 iPhones, and 2 macbooks.

    And, I just bought a RED camera to boot.

    /Generalizations are general.
  • Reply 6 of 71
    jimdreamworxjimdreamworx Posts: 1,095member
    Good news to see Apple expanding its relationship with WalMart.



    Now I can get an iPad for $1.37 less than I would at the Apple store!
  • Reply 7 of 71
    wurm5150wurm5150 Posts: 763member
    People who want to save $10 on an iPod or iPhone go to Walmart... What's wrong with that?
  • Reply 8 of 71
    dualiedualie Posts: 334member
    I own several Apple producs and I sometimes shop at Wal-mart for certain things. There is nothing wrong with wanting to save a few dollars here and there. I don't like the stores, but I definitely like its prices on some items.
  • Reply 9 of 71
    oc4theooc4theo Posts: 294member
    This company has one of the worst record of every corporate mischief. Walmart only positive record is increasing sales any way possible. Denies employees of benefits. Forces suppliers to move to China, destroying American jobs. Discriminates against female managers. Refuses to pay overtime work, etc. Totally opposite of what Apple stands for.



    Why would Apple wants to display its products in a store where there are no attendants? They might as well sell the iPads in a self-serve kiosk.



    No to Wal-Mart. Say it isn't so!
  • Reply 10 of 71
    yesicanyesican Posts: 46member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zindako View Post


    I really don't think people that shop at Walmart can afford Apple products anywho, much less appreciate them.



    Unless this mean that Apple plans on dropping the price by then like the first iPhone drop of $200!! WOOT!!
  • Reply 11 of 71
    cxc273cxc273 Posts: 46member
    I'm not a huge fan of Wal-Mart personally, mostly because of some of its labor practices and business policies. Though I don't shop there, I do applaud the company's environmental efforts like pushing CFLs.



    It doesn't matter to me whether Wal-Mart sells the iPad or not. No one is forcing you to shop there. So if you shop there and want to pick up your iPad there, fine. If not, there are plenty of other places to go.
  • Reply 12 of 71
    boeyc15boeyc15 Posts: 986member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wurm5150 View Post


    People who want to save $10 on an iPod or iPhone go to Walmart... What's wrong with that?



    Well in general nothing, this is off topic to the thread and I do not want to start a flame war, so I do apologize- IMO some people(and I?m one of them) just wish WalMart had a little more 'sensitivity' to American 'made' products(ie- trade deficit) and small town mom and pop shops and worker welfare(ie health care). Yes, there are many arguments for and against WalMart?s practices, just an opinion.



    Sorry for the thread interruption. Carry on.
  • Reply 13 of 71
    Here come the fake and wanna-be Apple elitist complaining about Apple items being sold in Wal-Mart and saying Wal-Mart is for poor or "lower" people. I don't shop at Wal-Mart - I'm a Target/Costco man, but WM is the #1 retail store in the country and that means dollars.



    Even if you some of you foie gras folks do think they are "poor or lower" or Wal-Mart is cheap, the people who shop there do buy flat screen's and big ticket items, so why not an iPad? Don't worry, it doesn't make your iPad any less spectacular. Maybe to make yourselves feel better you can wear a "I didn't get my iPad at Wal-Mart" shirt.
  • Reply 14 of 71
    steviestevie Posts: 956member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zindako View Post


    I really don't think people that shop at Walmart can afford Apple products anywho, much less appreciate them.





    Why should they be allowed into our club?
  • Reply 15 of 71
    rob55rob55 Posts: 1,291member
    Maybe Apple can work a few iPods and iPads into some of those "PeopleOfWallmart" pics for a new ad campaign.
  • Reply 16 of 71
    boeyc15boeyc15 Posts: 986member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mesomorphicman View Post


    Here come the fake and wanna-be Apple elitist complaining about Apple items being sold in Wal-Mart and saying Wal-Mart is for poor or "lower" people. I don't shop at Wal-Mart - I'm a Target/Costco man, but WM is the #1 retail store in the country and that means dollars.



    Even if you some of you foie gras folks do think they are "poor or lower" or Wal-Mart is cheap, the people who shop there do buy flat screen's and big ticket items, so why not an iPad. Don't worry, it doesn't make your iPad any less spectacular. Maybe to make yourselves feel better you can wear a "I didn't get my iPad at Wal-Mart" shirt.



    My take is most, but not all of the comments so far were against Walmarts practices. However, you have done a fine job of labeling and prejudging people.
  • Reply 17 of 71
    jm6032jm6032 Posts: 147member
    If I may offer a subjective viewpoint about WalMart: I'm not going to suggest what your opinion should be, but I do suggest you visit one of the new ones or one of the newly remodeled ones. The first time I went into one (Frankford at the President Geroge Bush Turnpike in Carrollton, TX), I literally had to go back out of the building to verify I was in the right place. They are different, and they have a much more upscale feel about them.
  • Reply 18 of 71
    I'm neither a fan or hater of walmart but let's face it, walmart stands for cheap. why would apple want to represent themselves in that way? I feel it would de-value their brand image. but that is JMHO.
  • Reply 19 of 71
    >>Well in general nothing, this is off topic to the thread and I do not want to start a flame war, so I do apologize- IMO some people(and I?m one of them) just wish WalMart had a little more 'sensitivity' to American 'made' products>>



    Please. Like Target is full of US made products. Don't blame Wal Mart on this. Everyone is producing offshore. And until and unless consumers stop buying offshore produced merchandise, it won't change. Unfortunately, people want the lowest cost. They don't realize or care what it is doing to our economy. It isn't just Wal Mart. You can go to Nordtrom's and buy $75.00 neckties made in China.
  • Reply 20 of 71
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zindako View Post


    I really don't think people that shop at Walmart can afford Apple products anywho, much less appreciate them.



    Nonsense. People at every income level and demographic shop at Walmart, Target, heck even at the 99 cent stores. A sale is a sale.
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