Best Buy will sell iPhones
MacNN is reporting that US big box store Best Buy will begin selling iPhones on September 7th. The move could help reduce the long lines that are still developing at Apple and AT&T stores. You may remember a rumor about this last month.Best Buy has been slowly developing a retail relationship with Apple. A few years ago, certain locations were given Mac minis to sell. That program has matured to the "mini stores" in place today. AppleInsider suggests that a major overhaul of the mobile phone departments at all Best Buy locations was the step that finally convinced Apple to hand over the iPhone.
So, will Best Buy move many iPhones? I still encounter much anti-Apple sentiment from hardcore Windows lovers, and big electronics stores can be an epicenter for that type of thing. However, it seems to be reserved to Apple's computers.
My hope is that the staff is well trained, as I'm sure we all remember the unpleasant experience of shopping for Macs at Circuit City several years ago.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jeremy Lynnes said 9:19AM on 8-13-2008
I'm suprised to still hear about lines for the iPhone. Last Friday I was able to walk in with a family member and assist in purchasing an iPhone. There was no line and all 3 models were in stock.
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Bungles said 9:29AM on 8-13-2008
Best Buy will be cranking out the Iphones in my opinion because they will start throwing in all the free stuff they always do. Free cases, free itunes cards, free best buy gift cards. I love Best Buy and Circuit City just for all the free crap when you purchase. I will get my 3G there, with the free $50 itunes card.
The phone people are usually pretty even keeled with their opinions in my experience....but god help you if a hgeek squad agent finds you in there....You won't be seen again.
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Alex said 11:55AM on 8-13-2008
I shop at BB a lot because of their purchase protection and their relatively smart sales people. My usual experience is has always been positive.
With regard to the iPhone, I've had to get off the line more than 5x because I refuse to wait for more than an hour (I have a life) and hope that Best Buy realizes that their customers are busy/have things to do, have families and develop a better system rather than making me stand in a line for a phone. If yes, then they've got my business!
Frankly, I'm surprised Apple would let their customers do this. I am a 'fanboy' BUT I'm furious at Apple process AND I still don't have the new 3G iPhone!
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Dary said 10:17AM on 8-13-2008
i hope they sell it without a contract and legally unblocked same the other countries, but i don't think that will happened since best buy are just a AT&T reseller!
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Coard Miller said 10:37AM on 8-13-2008
Hmm. I love how we start to sell them as soon as I leave my store. Either way, it's about time. They will sell many more iPhones this way.
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bjmartin55 said 10:41AM on 8-13-2008
SSDD at our local Best Buy in Bellingham, WA. Nice Mac display but none of them were running. Booted up all the demo models. No salesperson approached me while I was there.
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rTwelve [xbl:chilblane] said 12:38PM on 8-13-2008
Well, we're glad you came online to complain about it to a blog.
Allyn said 6:49PM on 8-13-2008
Your story doesn't touch on this, but I assume that Best Buy will be activating the phones as well. How is Best Buys relationship with ATT? I guess this is a none issue since they have been activating, or retail stores have been activating phones for sometime now.
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David R. said 11:14AM on 8-13-2008
anyone have any idea if this means you can pay cash and sign up the account at home or is it the same damn thing as the apple store? cuz i dont have a credit card and its a piss off to set up account at the store.
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ZeroCorpse said 11:57AM on 8-13-2008
The Best Buy in Meridian Township in Michigan has an Apple sales section, staffed by an actual Apple employee (or two). The demos all work and are maintained well, the store stands behind their Apple sales (and Geek Squad makes a killing "setting up" people's first MacBook/iMac for them) and the selection of accessories and software is pretty decent.
The only problem I have is their desire to "set up" your Mac for a nominal fee-- They push that really hard (probably the only way Best Buy makes any money on the sale of a Mac). Honestly, what is there to "set up" on a Mac? You power it on, it asks you some questions, registers the computer, and then sends you on your way. In fact, I ENJOY the initial log-in with a new Mac OS X installation. The boppy music, the user friendliness... I hate to think new Apple owners are missing out on that experience because Best Buy wants to gank some money for doing essentially NOTHING.
I consider the first start-up of OS X to be a great introduction to the world of Apple products. It's disarming. It makes the user feel a little less intimidated. It's not like Windows at all.
While Windows is all "WHO ARE YOU? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? Papers, please! What's the password? Hold on while I call this in and make sure you're not an INTRUDER." The Mac experiences is more like, "Oh, dude, you're here! Welcome! How's it hanging? So, what should I call you? Where do you hang out? Wanna try a hit of this groovy Mobile Me? No? It's OK, dude; No pressure. Go right in, man."
I picture Windows setup looking like the cold war-era East German border guards or the Gestapo. I picture OS X setup looking like Tommy Chong or George Carlin.
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Øivind said 4:54PM on 8-13-2008
What's the problem with setting up the Mac if you install Perian, flip4mac, Adium, OnyX, a few extra browsers, other files that makes the transition from Windows easier and give the customer a brief introduction on how to install software, how the file structure works etc?
ZeroCorpse said 8:38PM on 8-13-2008
The problem? It costs $40 to $60 for the "Service" when it's something that the average new Mac user can probably figure out on their own. That money would be better spent on a copy of "The Missing Manual" or some other Mac starter book for switchers.
Either way, Best Buy doesn't install Perian, Flip4Mac, browsers, or anything else unless the person buying the Mac supplies the software (or they buy it from Best Buy, which you can't do with most of those). The Best Buy "set up" process includes the following:
1. Start-up your computer.
2. Register your information and Log you in.
3. Run Disk Utility to check the drive.
4. Turn on the firewall.
5. Shut down. Charge $$$ for your service.
That's lame. Sorry. If you want them to install software, then I suppose that's worth something to a complete idiot who can't figure out how to do so themselves (although since it's a Mac, and the process is either "double click" or "insert disc" in most cases, I hardly think it's worth a fee.)
We're not talking about the Apple Store or local Mac dealer. We're talking about Geek Squad here. Most of them hate Macs anyway.
Ben Stafford said 12:01PM on 8-13-2008
Anyone know if you can just use the iphone as an ipod touch if you don't activate it?
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Alvaro said 1:08PM on 8-13-2008
Any of you guys knows if it will be sold without a contract? That would be great.
Alvaro
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diamonddogs said 2:32PM on 8-13-2008
Seems inevitable since Best Buy now own half of Carphone Warehouse over here, one of the main stockists of iPhones...
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Craig said 2:44PM on 8-13-2008
Ben - no, you can't use an iPhone as an iPod. It is useless except for 911 calls without activation.
My hope is that BestBuy FINALLY sells iPhones in Puerto Rico. Apple seems to have forgotten that Puerto Rico is USA. Why can Ivory Coast and Dominican Republic sell iPhones, but Puerto Rico can't????????
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