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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Boycott Apple Stores!

Boycott Apple Stores!
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TBoxman
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Mar 21, 2003, 12:39 PM
 
It should be apparant to everyone here that the only customers who have recieved the 17" PowerBooks are those who ordered online from the Apple Store, or from the Apple retail stores. I have heard of no one who purchased thru a Apple Authorized Reseller actually receiving a new PowerBook.

Apple seems to not only want the money for manufacturing the machine, but also the small profit margin that retailers typically make when selling the units. By the way the new 17" PowerBook costs retailers $2990, and Apple is selling them at full retail costs of $3299, plus tax.

I love the Macintosh and Mac OS X, but Apple seems to be content to piss off it's loyal customer base by not shipping computers on a first come, first serve basis. I'm not asking anyone to switch to Windows (I would never do that), but I will probably NEVER buy from my retail Apple store again.

I just called the Apple Store in the Houston Galleria, and they have units in stock for retail sale. They have already fulfilled their backorder log, and now have units in stock! This is absurd as mine has been on order since Jan 10th, and I have heard NOTHING.

Apple, get off your high horse and sell me a computer!
     
macnnhelpme
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Mar 21, 2003, 12:49 PM
 
I don't disagree that Apple has a distribution problem in general. I suffered the same thing when ordering both the 15 and 17-inch iMacs - my Apple store in town got them before they were shipped to most from the Apple online store, and several weeks before any other local retailers got them.

Lesson I learned? Order from the Online store for new product, then get on the waiting list at a local Apple store. So far, the local store has contacted me before the online store shipped.
     
quadgrande
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Mar 21, 2003, 12:55 PM
 
"I want to buy a computer online, but they only have it in the store! Boycott the store!!!"

It sounds kind of silly to me.

I don't want to offend you, but Apple has to pay money to keep those retail stores open. They offer a great service to Mac users with presentations, having all the hardware and software to play around with, and one of the greatest inventories of Mac stuff I've ever seen in a retail store.

Listen folks, these production issues are NOTHING NEW. Remember the first G4 500? They announced it and couldn't even make it. Remember the initial Tibook? Apple is making a great product, it is in extrememly high demand, and I haven't found it published anywhere that they have to fulfill orders in any order.

I know it sounds fair "first come first served" and everything, but as a business, is this policy always the best? Their first obligation is to their stockholders. I would want mine ASAP as well, but it is not like you are on a list for "whenever we get an extra one" or something. You're not being personally targeted for delays.


APPLE PRODUCT DELAYS ARE NOT NEW.
     
TBoxman  (op)
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Mar 21, 2003, 01:12 PM
 
Originally posted by quadgrande:
I don't want to offend you, but Apple has to pay money to keep those retail stores open. They offer a great service to Mac users with presentations, having all the hardware and software to play around with, and one of the greatest inventories of Mac stuff I've ever seen in a retail store.

Listen folks, these production issues are NOTHING NEW. Remember the first G4 500? They announced it and couldn't even make it. Remember the initial Tibook? Apple is making a great product, it is in extrememly high demand, and I haven't found it published anywhere that they have to fulfill orders in any order.

I know it sounds fair "first come first served" and everything, but as a business, is this policy always the best? Their first obligation is to their stockholders. I would want mine ASAP as well, but it is not like you are on a list for "whenever we get an extra one" or something. You're not being personally targeted for delays.


APPLE PRODUCT DELAYS ARE NOT NEW.
The fact is, lots of Macintoshes have been sold over the years at loyal retailers. They also have to make money to keep their stores open. What about them?

Yes, I remember the 500 Mhz G4, I ordered one. Then after they couldn't be produced, I had to recieve a 450 Yikes instead (which is still my home computer). I also had the original TiBook. Maybe I'm just having a string of bad purchasing luck with Apple.

I am a stockholder. At one point I held many times the number of shares that Steve Jobs held. If my opinion as a stockholder would carry weight, I would tell them to ship the units in the order the orders were placed. This would prevent the frustration that has now built up in the Mac community. The Apple Stores would still be making sales, along with the long time loyal retailers, and customers would understand and be more patient because everyone understands waiting in line.

But this will never happen because Apple is a Monopoly.
     
quadgrande
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Mar 21, 2003, 01:40 PM
 
Well spoken. I too am a stockholder.

OK. So you have the following groups:

1. Apple Store online/phone orders
3. Apple Retail Stores
4. Authorized Resellers Retail Stores
5. Resellers online/phone

So if you prioritize FCFS (First come first served), the Apple branded folks have an advantage. Do the resellers have "terminals" directly into Apple's order system? Or do they batch transfer orders via EDI several times per day?

Also, Apple stores seem to have a FCFS list. They don't actually take orders, they just keep a list. So how do you prioritize the Apple Store customers versus the online orders, etc.

For example, there could have been someone watching the keynote in an Apple Retail store. Let's say there's someone in a Reseller Store watching as well. IF they both want to order, what happens? The person in the reseller probably places an actual order, which the reseller then must send to Apple (where when how?). The person in the Apple Retail Store (ARS) puts his name on a list.

I'm getting confused myself, but I don't think it is easy to say FCFS is best of judge how it is being implemented.

As far as the resellers are concerned, I have an opinion. I've been in a couple, and they don't merchandise the Apple product nearly as well. As a stockholder, you should be concerned about how Apple's product is represented. If the Resellers offer an inferior shopping experience, they need to catch up or get out.

Now if they can't get product, that's another thing, but I suspect these shipping discrepancies only exist during rare stock situations like the 17".
     
gator
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Mar 21, 2003, 01:58 PM
 
Originally posted by TBoxman:

I just called the Apple Store in the Houston Galleria, and they have units in stock for retail sale. They have already fulfilled their backorder log, and now have units in stock! This is absurd as mine has been on order since Jan 10th, and I have heard NOTHING.

Apple, get off your high horse and sell me a computer!
Um... if it's in stock in Houston, assuming you're near there why don't you go and buy one? They're there to sell if it's in stock.
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TBoxman  (op)
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Mar 21, 2003, 02:03 PM
 
Originally posted by gator:
Um... if it's in stock in Houston, assuming you're near there why don't you go and buy one? They're there to sell if it's in stock.
Because it costs approx. $600 more. Due to retail pricing and taxes.
     
TBoxman  (op)
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Mar 21, 2003, 02:08 PM
 
When a retailer places an order, they actually order thru a distributor (Ingram Micro, Tech Data, etc.). That distributor then orders from Apple.

The retailer typically orders hundreds the moment orders can be placed. I don't know when the distributors place orders, but I would think they order thousands ASAP.

The problem is that these orders are being pushed back until Apple direct orders have been fulfilled.
     
quadgrande
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Mar 21, 2003, 02:10 PM
 
Retail Pricing? What sort of price did you get from whom? The Apple Retail Store can give you educational pricing if you're using it. Other than that, reseller prices are similar to "retail". Are they offering free RAM or something?

What online store is not charging you taxes? Most are these days because they're worried they're going to get hit with back-taxes once a law is passed that they must charge tax.

So you want to save money, and cheap your way out of it, and you're complaining because your getting yours later than those paying full retail?

Are you short selling the stock?
     
quadgrande
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Mar 21, 2003, 02:13 PM
 
How do you know the orders are being pushed back? How do you "timestamp" an order? Is there one order database? I bet the public who orders directly through Apple gets tons of orders ahead of a distributor's order that probably has to be handled by a dedicated sales rep who's entering the order a few minutes later...

The point is, how can you know TechData got their orders in before the people who ordered online or called Apple directly?
     
RMXO
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Mar 21, 2003, 02:23 PM
 
Originally posted by TBoxman:
Because it costs approx. $600 more. Due to retail pricing and taxes.
well that answers your question already. what did u expect? usually Apple fills those orders last. live with it since you are getting a big discount.

ppl in here already have forgotten how things was when the Gigabook was released in Nov. ppl that got there early was the ppl that paid full price at the retail Apple Stores. most ppl that ordered online that got big discounts got their laptops later than retail stores.

honestly, if u dont like then bitch & moan to Apple. yeah yeah, i know everyone has the right to speak out. yeap you are entailed to your free speech but get ready to get bitched & moaned back when you start to bitch & moan.
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TBoxman  (op)
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Mar 21, 2003, 03:12 PM
 
Originally posted by RMXO:
well that answers your question already. what did u expect? usually Apple fills those orders last. live with it since you are getting a big discount.
I'm not the only one who doesn't like the current situation.

http://www.powerbookcentral.com/news...kElylFxLraWOiv
     
TBoxman  (op)
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Mar 21, 2003, 05:56 PM
 
Another point I forgot to mention, and this really explains why Apple is fulfilling direct customers first.

When a customer orders a product, law forbids charging the customer unless the product ships within 72 hours of the charge. (I may be wrong about the length of time.) This law does not apply to retailers who order product for resale.

Therefore, Apple can charge for every PowerBook ordered by a retailer (shipped or not) and for every PowerBook shipped to an end user. That puts many more sales on the books for this quarter than if Apple treated retailers and customers that same.

I understand why Apple is doing this, and it is legal, but it doesn't mean I like it any.

Correct me if I'm wrong. This is only what I was told by a retailer. I'm not a lawyer, and I don't play one on TV.

TBoxman
     
   
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