Apple's Black Friday deals deliver gift cards in US and Canada

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
For its Black Friday deals in the U.S. and Canada, Apple will be handing out Apple Store gift cards instead of discounts on qualifying purchases, which include everything from Macs and iPads to accessories.

Black Friday


In a change from its past Black Friday deals, Apple will be offering gift cards (via Electronista) to U.S. and Canadian customers instead of product discounts.

Apple's gift card initiative first kicked off in Australia and New Zealand, but the company chose to stick with direct discounts for some European markets, including the UK and Germany. With the gift card strategy in effect for North America, customers will be able to find better deals at ongoing sales from the company's authorized resellers like MacMall, B&H Photo, Best Buy, Amazon and Target.

As for Apple's Black Friday deals, the company is giving $75 Apple Store gift cards to iPad Air buyers and $50 gift cards for non-Retina iPad mini or iPad 2 customers. Those looking to buy a Mac can expect $150 cards for MacBook Pros, MacBook Airs and iMacs. Finally, iPod touch purchases will rate a $50, while the iPod nano and Apple TV will net a $25 card. The iPhone does not qualify for the gift card program.

Apple's switch away from direct discounts is likely motivated to help preserve the company's high profit margins, but the move makes Black Friday deals from its authorized resellers look even more enticing, especially on Macs, all of which are detailed in our Price Guides at prices.appleinsider.com.



Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    galleygalley Posts: 971member
    The percentage of the purchase price received as a gift card seems pretty good. Didn't Apple usually have a flat 5% off in years past?
  • Reply 2 of 7
    saareksaarek Posts: 1,523member

    It makes sense in the UK to just offer the flat discount, even with the discount everyone in the UK still spends way more than a US customer does on standard pricing.

     

    Either way it's something for nothing, whether you get the gift card or a discount it doesn't really matter.

     

    Most people will buy an iPad case or something with their purchases anyway.

  • Reply 3 of 7
    pazuzupazuzu Posts: 1,728member
    Apple needs more money (No) or higher numbers. (Yes) These gift card amounts will be factored into future sales reports upon use. It's a win/win. Creative accounting.
  • Reply 4 of 7
    I'd rather get a $ amount off than a gift card. I want a good deal not a gift card that I have to spend with a specific retailer. Let me choose WHERE I save my money.

    That said, there is nothing that's going to get me out of the house and into a retail store on Black Friday anyway. So it's moot.
  • Reply 5 of 7
    Originally Posted by Enigmamatic View Post

    Let me choose WHERE I save my money.

     

    Okay, buy an Apple product from someone else.

  • Reply 7 of 7
    I tried what that guy said and it doesn't work that way. It looks like it's applying the discount, but it isn't.
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