I rarely shop at the Apple Store online. Whether I’m actively shopping or just pricing computer hardware and software, I don’t even bother looking there.
With a few specific exceptions. I will use the Apple Store... When shopping for Apple computers, especially a build-to-order model. Apple’s price on its own hardware is generally comparable to other retailers; and only the Apple Store allows you to custom order their computers in a wide variety of configurations. Apple is usually the first place I look for refurbished and other bargain Apple hardware (as explained previously in this blog). Or if I want to find a reliable street price that is unlikely to go up (for example, if I’m budgeting a project).
Otherwise, time spent online at the Apple Store is usually time wasted. In particular, I never buy third party products from the Apple Store. I don’t even buy Apple’s own AppleCare Protection Plan there. The prices are usually full retail to me. And the selection ain't great.
So, where do I shop? It depends on the item. Once I know what I’m shopping for, I usually turn to one or more price tracking web services to quickly find the best price (without the bother of shopping around myself).
Thursday, 14 December 2006
