[aberdeenwriter]

Wal-Mart slashes iPhone price to $97
By Chavon Sutton, staff reporter

May 24, 2010: 7:39 PM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, plans to slash the price of Apple's 16GB 3GS iPhone to $97 beginning Tuesday.

Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) is widely expected to unveil a brand-new iPhone next month, and could be working with retailers to clear out its remaining inventory of the about-to-be-outdated model.

At the new price, customers will save $100 on Apple's smart phone, which currently sells for $199. The deal requires that the phone be purchased with a two-year contract from AT&T, the iPhone's exclusive service provider.

"It is our commitment to always lead on price," Mehrdad Akbar, Wal-Mart's (WMT, Fortune 500) senior category director for wireless, in a prepared statement about the price change.

Apple sold 8.3 million iPhones last quarter, more than twice the amount sold during the same period a year ago.

Wal-Mart slashes iPhone price to $97 - May. 24, 2010

If they are slashing the price in anticipation of the new iPhone intro will buyers pony up?

[Wiskedjak]

Originally Posted by aberdeenwriter 

Wal-Mart slashes iPhone price to $97 - May. 24, 2010

If they are slashing the price in anticipation of the new iPhone intro will buyers pony up?

Do you honestly think most WalMart shoppers are informed enough to know that there is a new iPhone coming in a few weeks?

[ThinkInsane]

Originally Posted by Wiskedjak 

Do you honestly think most WalMart shoppers are informed enough to know that there is a new iPhone coming in a few weeks?

Everyone shops at Walmart. Every time I go in there I see people from a cross-section of socio-economic classes. Do you honestly believe it's only inbred hicks that shop there?

[Wiskedjak]

Originally Posted by ThinkInsane 

Everyone shops at Walmart. Every time I go in there I see people from a cross-section of socio-economic classes. Do you honestly believe it's only inbred hicks that shop there?

But, that's *exactly* my point. *Everyone* shops at WalMart. I shop at WalMart. But, out of "everyone", how many do you think are aware of when the next iPhone is likely to be released? I just got together with my extended family this weekend and ended up chatting about cellphones (I work for a telecom, so the conversation is inevitable). Out of 15 people, only 1 had any knowledge of another iPhone coming soon.

I'd guess 80% of "everyone" have no clue when the next iPhone is likely to be released.

[Big Mac]

I understand ThinkInsane's point, but I try to stay away from Walmart for the most part. Whenever I think about going there I look into the store while in the parking lot and see the activity in-store - it looks like a feeding frenzy. It's not pleasant to shop there, IMO. I frankly don't understand why Apple chose Walmart to partner with and not Target, which usually provides a much nicer lower-end shopping experience.

[Cold Warrior]

Wal-Mart is ok for certain things, but for the past couple of years I've felt like their lines are overwhelming and their cashiers undermanned.

[ghporter]

Each Wal-Mart store is unique. I can go to 5 with just a few minutes' drive (yeah, we're pretty saturated) and find wildly different buildings, selection of merchandise, and clientele.

When I got my iPhone last summer, my wife and son got nice LG "smart-ish" phones for a really nice price. Later, shopping at Wal-Mart, we came across the same phone they had for a LOT less. We headed for the AT&T store and our sales person made some changes in the computer-we got rebates that equaled the difference between the price we paid and the Wal-Mart price.

This illustrates how useful Wal-Mart's product offerings can be. It also illustrates how Wal-Mart emphasizes low, low prices. I do not think that the people looking for phones at Wal-Mart are going to be concerned that what they get for a low, low price is not the "latest and greatest" version. We may upgrade my wife to a 3Gs this summer if this actually shows up at the nearest Wal-Mart to us. It's not "most recent" that interests either Wal-Mart or their intended audience, it's "most affordable." With that in mind, this price cut isn't a bad thing at all.

Oh, and even the least tech-savvy phone buyer should be aware that a new iPhone version is in the works because of the fuss about a (former) Apple employee losing his prototype at a bar...it did make the news. Not just tech news, either.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by ThinkInsane 

Everyone shops at Walmart. Every time I go in there I see people from a cross-section of socio-economic classes. Do you honestly believe it's only inbred hicks that shop there?

Well, at my local Wal-Mart, it's not really just inbred hicks in the classic sense, but almost, if you include "hicks" from all ethnic groups.

Seriously though, while it does see a cross section of all socioeconomic classes to a certain extent, it definitely caters to the low end.

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

I understand ThinkInsane's point, but I try to stay away from Walmart for the most part. Whenever I think about going there I look into the store while in the parking lot and see the activity in-store - it looks like a feeding frenzy. It's not pleasant to shop there, IMO. I frankly don't understand why Apple chose Walmart to partner with and not Target, which usually provides a much nicer lower-end shopping experience.

Yeah, lately, I tend to avoid Wal-Mart as much as possible. I do go there when I know something's on sale for a great price (like a $97 iPhone 3GS), but otherwise I hate going there. It's very depressing.

The lone lineups, unhelpful store staff, and the surly cashiers are bad enough, but it's actually the clientele that I find depressing.

People at WalMart

I guess one could argue I'm an elitist snob but I'd counter that I have no problem shopping at Canadian Tire which also has a lot of low end stuff but is otherwise more pleasant. It has a more representative of cross section of the population and is just in general a more pleasant place to be. No groceries, but I'd rather go to a grocery store for my groceries anyway.

[andi*pandi]

I avoid Walmart if I can help it. I prefer Target for discount shopping- perhaps it's a perception of quality.

[MacinTommy]

If you want to see a Walmart in its truest colors, come down here to Statesboro, Georgia.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior 

Wal-Mart is ok for certain things, but for the past couple of years I've felt like their lines are overwhelming and their cashiers undermanned.

Aside from large or expensive items, I don't see why you'd even need a cashier. Self-checkout is where its at (though arguably there aren't enough of those, either).

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

Aside from large or expensive items, I don't see why you'd even need a cashier. Self-checkout is where its at (though arguably there aren't enough of those, either).

Around here, the self checkouts at Wal-Mart are a joke. Their software cannot detect lightweight items that have been bagged, they are ALWAYS mistimed (they wait way to long for some things, but don't give you time to get your credit card out of your wallet before they start "reminding" you that you should select a method of payment), and the attendant is almost always busy helping someone who you'd think could handle a self checkout but somehow can't figure it out. When they're busy, they SHUT DOWN the self checkouts so that the ONE attendant can handle ONE checkout line. Pretty darn dumb.

I really dislike their software most of all. Not half a mile from the closest Wal-Mart is a local chain grocery store, HEB. The software HEB uses for their self checkouts works way better, is far less annoying, and it seems to actually NOTICE when you place a greeting card in the bag.

Yes, it's a rant, but aren't self checkouts supposed to be a convenience for customers, not a pain?

[amazing]

Remember the reporting about how Blackberries outsold iPhones in the first quarter? All the publicity about how the iPhone market was saturated and sales would start dropping off? How people were getting tired of the iPhone?

Well, the drop in iPhone sales wasn't that widely reported, but the leaks about the stolen new model iPhone was quite widely reported.

So, enough people were waiting for the new model that the iPhone got outsold.

Whatever, there's always enough people who won't have heard about the new model--and that $97 price is quite a good price for loads of people who would other be getting a lower quality something else.

[downinflames68]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

Around here, the self checkouts at Wal-Mart are a joke. Their software cannot detect lightweight items that have been bagged, they are ALWAYS mistimed (they wait way to long for some things, but don't give you time to get your credit card out of your wallet before they start "reminding" you that you should select a method of payment), and the attendant is almost always busy helping someone who you'd think could handle a self checkout but somehow can't figure it out. When they're busy, they SHUT DOWN the self checkouts so that the ONE attendant can handle ONE checkout line. Pretty darn dumb.

I really dislike their software most of all. Not half a mile from the closest Wal-Mart is a local chain grocery store, HEB. The software HEB uses for their self checkouts works way better, is far less annoying, and it seems to actually NOTICE when you place a greeting card in the bag.

Yes, it's a rant, but aren't self checkouts supposed to be a convenience for customers, not a pain?

I've been to self checkouts in all sorts of stores, and they all use the same software with the same animation of a girl with huge pointy tits in really high waisted pants from the early 90s/late 80s. It's weird.

[Big Mac]

I've never seen the animated girl you speak of.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

I've never seen the animated girl you speak of.

Me neither. I've only encountered the two systems I mentioned: the condescending and poorly functioning one at Wal-Mart, and the effective and friendly sounding one at HEB. Neither has an animated character.

[Phileas]

Originally Posted by ThinkInsane 

Everyone shops at Walmart.

I don't. I don't want my money to support an unsustainable and unethical company. I rather go elsewhere and pay a couple of bucks more.

[andi*pandi]

The self-checkout at Home Depot does not have 90s-era animations, but is flaky enough that I don't use it unless I have one small item. Which is rare.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

Around here, the self checkouts at Wal-Mart are a joke. Their software cannot detect lightweight items that have been bagged, they are ALWAYS mistimed (they wait way to long for some things, but don't give you time to get your credit card out of your wallet before they start "reminding" you that you should select a method of payment)

Well that's horrific.I don't go to Wal•Mart often, but I'm pretty sure mine does not mirror yours in that department.

Originally Posted by ghporter 

Yes, it's a rant, but aren't self checkouts supposed to be a convenience for customers, not a pain?

It's a justified rant.

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

I've never seen the animated girl you speak of.

Neither have I. I'd like to, however.

[SpaceMonkey]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

Neither have I. I'd like to, however.

Ditto.

[Eug]

I've seen animated pointy boob woman before, but not frequently.

Presumably, there are multiple suppliers of these self-checkout machines, with various software versions.

[aberdeenwriter]

Do we know how the latest version of iPhone is better than the older $97 version?

[Eug]

Originally Posted by aberdeenwriter 

Do we know how the latest version of iPhone is better than the older $97 version?

If you mean the new unreleased one... it's got extra seams!

Seriously though, we may know in a couple of weeks.

[aberdeenwriter]

Originally Posted by Eug 

If you mean the new unreleased one... it's got extra seams!

Seriously though, we may know in a couple of weeks.

Thank you.

[scaught]

Originally Posted by Wiskedjak 

*Everyone* shops at WalMart. I shop at WalMart.

I don't. I never have.

I doubt "average" buyers would care even if they knew a new one was coming out.

[mduell]

Wal-Mart is slashing prices because... that's what they do.