Best Buy to Match Back to School Promo with $100 Store Gift Card - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Best Buy to Match Back to School Promo with $100 Store Gift Card

bestbuy
Readers who are disappointed with Apple's new Back to School promotion may be interested to hear that electronics retailer Best Buy is offering to match Apple's promotion with their own.

Apple recently launched their 2011 Back to School promotion. Instead of the typical iPod giveaway, Apple is now offering a $100 iTunes/App Store gift card instead. We've been told that Best Buy will be matching this promotion with a $100 Best Buy gift card for the same qualifying customers. This is an unadvertised promotion, so customers will have to ask for it specifically.

Apple's Back to School promotion is open to college students, students accepted to college, parents buying for college students or faculty/staff at any grade level. Qualifying computers include the MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, and Mac Pro.

Popular Stories

apple pro tell logo

Apple Launching Five New Products Today

Thursday November 5, 2026 12:59 am PST by
Apple is launching five new products on Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. The following new products will be available from today: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...
hero medium 2x feature1

Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera

Thursday November 5, 2026 4:22 pm PST by
Apple is sending email surveys to some iPhone Duo buyers to get feedback on display size, crease, under-display camera, and other features. The first question asks why the buyer chose the iPhone Duo now, with answers like "I wanted to try Apple's first foldable," "It was an impulse purchase," and "I expect smartphone prices to increase." Other questions ask about the size of the iPhone...
silver iphone 18 pro

Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year

Friday November 6, 2026 6:07 am PST by
Apple plans to merge the iPhone's Action button with the Camera Control starting next year, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post on Weibo, the leaker claimed that a single press of the combined button would open the camera, while a long press would trigger the function assigned to the Action button. They explicitly clarified that the dedicated Action button would ...

Top Rated Comments

mattwolfmatt Avatar
201 months ago


I think I'd rather have the apple gift card

You can use the Best buy gift card to buy the apple card. Also, if you're a reward zone member, you get 3-5% back of your purchase back, I think.

All else being equal, the Best Buy one is a better deal.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Simplicated Avatar
201 months ago


I think I'd rather have the apple gift card

I think I'd rather get the Best Buy one so I can buy some substantial stuff.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
201 months ago
You can't use gift cards to buy gift cards.

that's wrong. I've done it so many times.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Macmaniac Avatar
201 months ago
Unless Best Buy is matching the $100 off the MBP for edu pricing then going with BB would be a silly idea. While some may not like the $100 iTunes card at least ur getting $100 off the computer as well. Oh and don't forget $66 off AppleCare on the 13 and $110 off AppleCare on the 15 when u buy through Apple! Oh and the $99 printer rebate as well, so check first or you could miss out on $300 worth of discounts and offers through Apple.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Macopotamus Avatar
201 months ago
I'd definitely go with the Best Buy one given the option.

You would pay $100 more for your computer just so you can get a $100 gift card to Best Buy rather than take the discount + iTunes credit?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xxBURT0Nxx Avatar
201 months ago
I'm sure everyone would prefer a $100 Best Buy gift card to the $100 App Store Gift Card, since you can buy far more things at best buy.

However, with no educational pricing, and no free printer, it's actually a worse deal than what Apple is offering. Just with your edu pricing discounts, you could buy the $100 best buy gift card (even more than $100 with some models) and you would still have a free printer and a $100 mac app store gift card.

If best buy would at least match the edu pricing, this would be a far more appealing deal, since in my experience most people don't particularly care for a mail in rebate printer or already have a printer at home.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
More Fun iPhone Duo Apps: 30 New Picks to Try
42 minutes ago
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
Hands-On With Apple's New OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro
2 hours ago
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
Apple Store With All-New Design Opening Soon in Southern California
2 hours ago
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
Control the Glowing Apple Logo on Your New MacBook Pro
4 hours ago
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
Apple Shares New 'Apple Card: Apply and Use in Minutes' Ad
7 hours ago
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
Apple Says More Than 100,000 Apps Optimized for iPhone Duo, Here's What's Still Missing
7 hours ago
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
Early Black Friday Deals Kickoff With Steep Discounts on Apple Watch Ultras and More
7 hours ago
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
The MacRumors Show: iOS 27.3 Looks Like a Huge Update
8 hours ago
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
Best Buy's Black Friday Event Begins With Sitewide Savings on Apple, TVs, More
8 hours ago
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
Apple Releasing Yet Another Two New Products Next Week
9 hours ago
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
MacBook Air Drops to Lowest Price in Months With Amazon's $250 Discount
10 hours ago
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
Apple Rumored to Drop the iPhone's Action Button Next Year
10 hours ago
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
Apple's Extended Return Policy Now in Effect for 2026 Holiday Season
10 hours ago
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
Apple Music Classical Updated With New Icon and Refreshed Design
11 hours ago
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
OLED iPad Mini, M6 iMac, and New MacBook Pros Available From Today
13 hours ago
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
Apple Surveys iPhone Duo Buyers About Crease and Camera
1 day ago
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
Apple's First Touchscreen Mac is Now Arriving to Customers
1 day ago
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
Claude Gets Personal Finance Feature With Bank Account Linking
1 day ago
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
Apple Arcade Adds Crossy Road Rush and NBA 2K27
1 day ago
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
Apple's New HomeView Smart Home Hub: Here's How Much RAM It Has
1 day ago
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
iPad Mini vs. iPad Air Buyer's Guide: Now Just $50 Apart
1 day ago
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
First iOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Public Betas Now Available
1 day ago
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
Apple Announces a New Mac Sales Record
1 day ago
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
Paid $200 for Logic Pro? Apple Says You Won't Get This New Feature
1 day ago
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
Instagram's Edits Video Editor is Now Available on Mac
1 day ago
Prevent Siri and Search From Accessing Specific iPhone Apps
Prevent Siri and Search From Accessing Specific iPhone Apps
1 day ago
Best Early Black Friday Deals on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo
Best Early Black Friday Deals on iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo
1 day ago
MacBook Pro PROLED XDR Reviews Are In: Is the Touchscreen Worth It?
MacBook Pro PROLED XDR Reviews Are In: Is the Touchscreen Worth It?
1 day ago
Early Black Friday Accessory Deals at Amazon Include TVs, Headphones, and Charging Devices
Early Black Friday Accessory Deals at Amazon Include TVs, Headphones, and Charging Devices
1 day ago
Apple Creator Studio App Updates Rolling Out, Starting With Logic Pro
Apple Creator Studio App Updates Rolling Out, Starting With Logic Pro
1 day ago