Walmart plans to sell Apple iPad by end of 2010

13

Comments

  • Reply 41 of 71
    cory bauercory bauer Posts: 1,286member
    I wonder if Walmart will:



    1.) insist Apple produce a special Walmart-only model built at a lower cost by whatever means necessary in order to undercut competitors, or:



    2.) insist Apple hand over the raw components and let Walmart assemble them at a factory with even worse working conditions so that they may undercut competitors.
  • Reply 42 of 71
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member
    I've personally dealt with Wal-Mart as a customer and as a vendor.



    In every case I was treated fairly and honestly.



    Some so-called sophisticated HiTech companies could learn a thing or two about customer service from Wal-Mart.



    I, for one will be happy to see the iPad carried by Wal-Mart... it will help bring the magic to millions!



    .
  • Reply 43 of 71
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by neillwd View Post


    I don't think so.



    I work at Walmart in electronics sales and I can tell you we sell a lot of iPods. Just this past Mother's day weekend we sold our stock of Nanos and most of the Touches. Walmart doesn't represent cheap it represents value. Our customers want top quality at a value price and we try our best to offer them that.



    I would love to have the iPad to offer to my customers. Many customers are asking about it. And, if given a chance, we could sell a lot of Mini's and MacBooks. FYI we sell LED and Plasma TVs so fast we can't hardly keep them in stock. And customers buy the $500 to $900 laptops and desktops we offer every day.



    You really should judge Walmart from your own experience instead of repeating the anti Walmart propaganda. I dare you to shop Walmart for the value.



    You're right. When a company as large as Walmart insists that you (the supplier) make changes to your packaging or materials used in your products to increase recyclability, etc... you do it. They have the biggest impact in this way.
  • Reply 44 of 71
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by neillwd View Post


    I don't think so.



    I work at Walmart in electronics sales and I can tell you we sell a lot of iPods. Just this past Mother's day weekend we sold our stock of Nanos and most of the Touches. Walmart doesn't represent cheap it represents value. Our customers want top quality at a value price and we try our best to offer them that.



    I would love to have the iPad to offer to my customers. Many customers are asking about it. And, if given a chance, we could sell a lot of Mini's and MacBooks. FYI we sell LED and Plasma TVs so fast we can't hardly keep them in stock. And customers buy the $500 to $900 laptops and desktops we offer every day.



    You really should judge Walmart from your own experience instead of repeating the anti Walmart propaganda. I dare you to shop Walmart for the value.



    Thanks for the 'insider' perspective! This is all good news for Apple.
  • Reply 45 of 71
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Cory Bauer View Post


    I wonder if Walmart will:



    1.) insist Apple produce a special Walmart-only model built at a lower cost by whatever means necessary in order to undercut competitors, or:



    2.) insist Apple hand over the raw components and let Walmart assemble them at a factory with even worse working conditions so that they may undercut competitors.



    Neither. Just another whine on Walmart, which is so tired... soooooo tired.
  • Reply 46 of 71
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post


    I've personally dealt with Wal-Mart as a customer an a vendor.



    In every case I was treated fairly and honestly.



    Some so-called sophisticated HiTech companies could learn a thing or two about customer service from Wal-Mart.



    I, for one will be happy to see the iPad carried by Wal-Mart... it will help bring the magic to millions!



    .



    Congratulations. Few businesses are offered the opportunity to work with them without a high level of value.
  • Reply 47 of 71
    The beginning of the end...
  • Reply 48 of 71
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Cory Bauer View Post


    I wonder if Walmart will:



    1.) insist Apple produce a special Walmart-only model built at a lower cost by whatever means necessary in order to undercut competitors, or:



    2.) insist Apple hand over the raw components and let Walmart assemble them at a factory with even worse working conditions so that they may undercut competitors.



    Neither one is likely to happen. No reason for it - on either side.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post


    I've personally dealt with Wal-Mart as a customer an a vendor.



    In every case I was treated fairly and honestly.



    Good for you. I had a different experience. As a consumer, I can't complain about my treatment there. As a supplier, they're extremely difficult to deal with, particularly for small companies. In fact, we eventually stopped selling to them because the cost of doing business was far, far higher than the potential profits. Small companies get pushed around badly by Walmart.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    This sort of slam is just such tired, uninformed, b-s based on old perceptions. Walmart has made huge improvements on just about every one of these dimensions.



    Today, in the retailing sector, Walmart is arguably among the handful of the -- take a deep breath -- most socially responsible companies.



    I am not kidding. Please inform yourselves (if you still disagree, fine; but at least do so in an informed way): http://walmartstores.com/sustainability/



    Thank you, but I think I'll take my news about Wal-mart's social responsibility from someone other than Wal-mart.



    In reality, their 'social responsibility' is mixed. They are taking actions to reduce their impact on the environment, both in terms of packaging and recycling. OTOH, their history in employee relations is far, far below average.
  • Reply 49 of 71
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by boeyc15 View Post


    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.



    Well, it's a little dated experience, but here goes:



    My wife and I lived in Tucson in 1998-2000 and she had a little crafts business (Southwestern Gifts). 2 of the 3 Wal-Marts in town carried her products... the 3rd was too far away to be practical.



    We got to know the managers of these stores, and they had active programs to encourage small, local manufacturers and suppliers. For example there were local suppliers of fresh food, produce, tortillas, pizza, etc. and quite a few speciality companies like my wife's.



    Depending on the season or featured specials, they would ask vendors like my wife to feature their products by placing additional stock on the: Christmas Aisle; Home-wares Aisle, Mother's Day Aisle, etc.



    They would always ask first, if she wanted to participate. Usually they would reduce their retail price... but never asked her to reduce the wholesale price. The store management and employees bent over backwards to help her (and others) sell their products.



    Here's the odd thing! Her products were also sold by several specialty shops and tourist locations. Her profit margin selling to Wal-Mart was higher than selling lower volumes to specialty shops.



    Typically, her gross profit was 30-40%, and Wal-Mart's profit was 5-8%. Oh... they also paid cash or check on delivery.



    I know its anecdotal, but that was a great relationship between Wal-Mart and a small, local vendor.



    .
  • Reply 50 of 71
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NoodlesNoodlemann View Post


    >>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.



    ...err... Where is the iPad, iPod, iPhone iMac... manufactured?



    .
  • Reply 51 of 71
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


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



    Mmmm... there's a joke:



    Question: "What's a [you pick the foreigner]'s first spoken English sentence?"



    Answer: "Attention [you pick the big box store] shoppers!



    ... and that's not meant to be bigoted, ethnic, racist or anything like that!



    .
  • Reply 52 of 71
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by neillwd View Post


    I don't think so.



    I work at Walmart in electronics sales and I can tell you we sell a lot of iPods. Just this past Mother's day weekend we sold our stock of Nanos and most of the Touches. Walmart doesn't represent cheap it represents value. Our customers want top quality at a value price and we try our best to offer them that.



    I would love to have the iPad to offer to my customers. Many customers are asking about it. And, if given a chance, we could sell a lot of Mini's and MacBooks. FYI we sell LED and Plasma TVs so fast we can't hardly keep them in stock. And customers buy the $500 to $900 laptops and desktops we offer every day.



    You really should judge Walmart from your own experience instead of repeating the anti Walmart propaganda. I dare you to shop Walmart for the value.



    Hear! Hear! Well said!



    .
  • Reply 53 of 71
    magic_almagic_al Posts: 325member
    Wal-Mart wanting to sell iPad is not the same as Apple wanting Wal-Mart to sell it.
  • Reply 54 of 71
    hillstoneshillstones Posts: 1,490member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zindako View Post


    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.



    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.



    Since you have never been to Wal-Mart, then you have no idea what you are talking about. Based on your comments, you would never dare step foot in one. Do you enjoy paying FULL price for everything you own? I guess you don't believe in saving money? Families shop at Wal Mart to save tons of money on food and other products. The families that shop at my local Wal Mart drive cars ranging from Hondas to BMWs. If you shop at a supermarket, you must enjoy having your wallet raped. Did you know Ralphs is now being sued for price gouging their customers? Perhaps you live in some redneck town and that is why you have some screwed up mentality towards Wal Mart. Do you honestly insist on paying full price for your Apple products at an Apple Store??? Or are your parents buying you your Apple products? Maybe you need to get fired or laid off from your job so you can have reality slap you in the face, then maybe you will realize that shopping at Wal Mart can save you tons of money. By the way, you do know that when you buy an Apple product at Wal Mart and Target, it is the exact same product sitting inside the Apple Store, but for less!



    I was like you once. Shopped at supermarkets, etc. Then due to the economy, I was out of work for 8 months. I had no other choice to shop at Wal Mart and I wish I had realized this sooner because I was wasting so much money shopping elsewhere. Now that I am working again, I am still shopping at Wal Mart and using my saved money for other more important things.
  • Reply 55 of 71
    hillstoneshillstones Posts: 1,490member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post


    ...err... Where is the iPad, iPod, iPhone iMac... manufactured?



    .



    It is DESIGNED in California, and only assembled in China. Don't mislead people by assuming Apple products are solely designed and sold from China. They aren't cheap Chinese products, only the assembly lines are in China.
  • Reply 56 of 71
    sheffsheff Posts: 1,407member
    Walmart is awesome. They have basic clothes (I'm dont do fashion) and cheap sports gear. Obviousely I don't buy tech or food there, but clothes and basketballs for sure. I would say them and target are the stores I spend most of my non-tech money in.
  • Reply 57 of 71
    visualzonevisualzone Posts: 298member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    Had a look at any economic forecasts recently? Apple is a business, not just a "magical" device maker and sales are made at Walmart also. There are far fewer Apple Stores, so this can only accelerate adoption of the iPad.



    I totally agree when you say Walmart is a business. Apple too is a business. Should I go on to say Google is a business, Microsoft is a business, etc. etc. etc.



    p.s. Good thing they didn't say it was "magically delicious."
  • Reply 58 of 71
    visualzonevisualzone Posts: 298member
    Yeah, Walmart never does any good!! They're just after every ones money!!



    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_176954.html



    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_573402.html



  • Reply 59 of 71
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Seems like a lot of new posters these days...
  • Reply 60 of 71
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Magic_Al View Post


    Wal-Mart wanting to sell iPad is not the same as Apple wanting Wal-Mart to sell it.





    They already sell the iPhone and iPods, so what's the difference here?
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