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Apple makes some of the most desirable and high-end electronics and accessories on the market today. Computers, tablets, and phones are just some of the major devices that they sell to consumers. The company also produces earbuds, digital pencils, speakers, and much more. Some consumers realize that many of the products they can get from Apple come at a high price point.
This is particularly true if they decide to purchase any Apple items from the manufacturer directly. There are several factors that may contribute to this overall price, and they might include such things as marketing, the Apple name, its reputation, and the quality of the materials or craftsmanship that the company uses when it builds things.
Whatever the case may be, some consumers have found that different retailers might sell some Apple products at lower prices than the manufacturer itself does. Although this is good for many customers, it can be confusing. We will get at the heart of why major retailers might sell things from Apple at prices that seem to be quite different from those that the company sets for its own products.
As we go further into the subject, we’ll also discuss how much of a good move it may or may not be to buy your Apple devices this way. Our discussion will include a look at aspects such as getting Apple’s official warranty with these items, AppleCare support, and possible advantages of going straight to the source when it comes to buying Apple gear.
Table of Contents
Why Do Some Retailers Sell Apple Products Cheaper?
If you go online to Apple’s official digital storefront, or if you decide to visit a physical Apple location, you will notice a particular manufacturer’s suggested retail price that the company sets for various items you can purchase.
Conversely, you may notice an entirely different price for the same items if you visit a retail location that is not Apple. These locations or businesses still get to sell Apple products, but they can do so at lower price points. There are a few possible factors as to why this might be so.
For one thing, many of these retailers can purchase Apple products at wholesale prices for resale. The wholesale price will be lower than the listed price you will find in any official Apple location.
Part of this is because the manufacturer can give a volume discount to some retailers that will buy many copies of the same Apple item in one bulk order. Apple understands that there is a good chance that each retailer should be able to sell the majority of the items from these orders.
On a related note, this is an opportunity for Apple to open a different revenue stream for its products. The company understands that it has a huge customer base. However, the particular makeup of that customer base can vary, and this variance could be because of many factors. A person who enjoys ordering products directly from the manufacturer’s own site or store may not enjoy going to retail outlets that sell the same products.
Conversely, some of the customer base might frequent retailers that sell brands they like, but they may not have the desire or opportunity to purchase from that brand directly. By selling bulk products to retailers, Apple can tap into a market that might not otherwise bother purchasing any of its products. In this way, the business can still make some extra profits by selling its items to retailers for resale.
Additionally, it is possible that there are extra benefits for each retailer. In most cases, a retailer may only get a discount of a few percent when it places a bulk order for Apple products. Although this means that the company might not make much off the actual sale of these products, it can be a good way to get more customers into their stores.
People may come there for cheaper Apple products, but they might stay to purchase other items from the same store. In doing so, they can raise the overall profits of each retailer. Indirectly, it could be profitable for these retailers to sell their Apple products at a discount.
Is It OK To Buy Apple Products From Target, Best Buy, or Walmart?
The decision to buy Apple items from resellers like Best Buy, Walmart, or Target, is a personal one that is up to each individual. A person may have several reasons why purchasing Apple goods from stores like these is better or more convenient for them than going to the source. Price may be a factor, but time, distance, or availability could also come into play here.
In any case, it should be fine to purchase Apple products from any authorized reseller. Apple gives special dispensation to different retailers that allows these places to sell their products. Provided that you choose a reseller that the company allows, everything should go smoothly for you.
While our focus chooses from places like Walmart, Best Buy, or Target, Apple is a global brand. This means that the company may enter into business with many retailers throughout the world in order to get more of its products to different store shelves. A reseller that Apple authorizes personally becomes a business partner that enters into a contractual relationship with Apple itself.
These resellers must abide by various terms and conditions that Apple sets for them. Therefore, as long as you know you’re going with a partner company that has a contract with Apple, it should be okay to purchase the company’s products from these stores. Should you ever be in doubt, you can check various regions to find stores in your area.
Do I Get an Apple Warranty if I Purchase It From a Retailer?
The Apple warranty is a limited agreement that gives you certain rights and protections as a consumer. For the most part, this warranty is something that Apple designed as a way to make it easy for the company’s customers to return or refund a product that doesn’t seem to be working properly. This sort of defect could be because of a problem with the manufacturing process, faulty materials, or other things that happened before you opened the box.
All Apple devices that you purchase from the company get a warranty for one year from the date of purchase. Apple chooses to honor this warranty for any purchases that consumers make through its list of partner stores.
Therefore, you do have access to Apple’s warranty support if you get a device from a retailer. You just need to make sure that this other business is one of the contractual partners that holds an agreement with Apple.
One caveat here depends on when the store in question placed its bulk order for Apple products. In these cases, Apple usually clears its inventory of these items. When this happens, it is possible that the date of the beginning of the warranty starts the day the store makes its purchase rather than the date that you do.
This would shorten the warranty period for you, but there may be ways to fix it. If you find out that your warranty is much shorter than it is supposed to be, you can try to bring the purchase receipt for the item with you. It will show the date on which you bought the Apple item, and the store should be able to honor the full warranty.
Can I Get AppleCare if I Buy From Target, Best Buy, or Walmart?
Resellers that Apple authorizes to sell its products often make AppleCare plans available for purchase right there at the store. You should be able to get your own plans for AppleCare from these stores when you purchase the items that you want.
If you cannot do so for any reason, you should still have the option to get a plan directly from Apple within 60 days from the date that you purchased the items of your choice.
What Are the Advantages of Buying From the Apple Store?
Although purchasing Apple products from secondary retailers works for some people, many others prefer to go to the source. There could be a few benefits to buying your Apple devices right from the manufacturer.
- Your warranty info will definitely be current.
- In many cases, you can test some of the products you want right at the store before you buy them.
- An official Apple employee should be able to help you set up your devices right there at the store before you leave.
- Similarly, the official employees for Apple should have the most current and correct knowledge about the various Apple products you can buy.
Conclusion
Apple’s brand is synonymous with technology that the company streamlines to run across multiple platforms and operating systems. It is also a company that people tend to recognize for its quality, and this is true all over the world.
Retailers everywhere stock Apple products, and you might find slightly more beneficial prices at any of these partnership locations. Although there can be advantages to going to Apple directly, you’ll still get most of the perks when you buy items through these secondary sources.