Apple's Black Friday Sales Begin Launching Internationally with Gift Card Deals

Apple's online stores for several countries including Australia and New Zealand have launched their Black Friday one-day shopping events, also giving an idea of what promotions will be like as the event launches in a number of other countries over the coming hours.

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As rumored, Apple is offering offering gift cards with purchases rather than direct discounts on most items. While many customers would prefer discounts over free gift cards, others may appreciate that the gift card offers typically represent better deals than seen with discounts in past years.

Gift cards are available with the purchase of the following items (prices from Australian store):

- iPad Air: A$ 75 gift card
- iPad mini: A$ 50 gift card on non-Retina models, no gift card on Retina models
- iPad 2: A$ 50 gift card
- iPod touch: A$ 50 gift card
- iPod nano: A$ 25 gift card
- MacBook Air: A$ 150 gift card
- MacBook Pro: A$ 150 gift card for both Retina and non-Retina models
- iMac: A$ 150 gift card
- Apple TV: A$ 25 gift card
- AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule: A$ 50 gift card
- Various accessories: Gift card amounts vary

Gift card amounts for customers in the U.S. and other countries should be similar and cover the same products. Sales in Apple's U.S. store should begin at midnight Pacific Time.

Some third-party retailers such as MacMall may be offering even better deals than Apple, particularly when sales tax difference and discounts vs. gift cards are taken into account, and we've put together several overviews of deals for Macs and iPads. Additional deals are summarized in our Black Friday roundup.

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Top Rated Comments

j.moreno271 Avatar
158 months ago
What?? No discount on the retina iPad mini?? Thats dumb.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KPOM Avatar
158 months ago
What?? No discount on the retina iPad mini?? Thats dumb.

How so? They can't make them fast enough to sell right now.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jeaz Avatar
158 months ago
So, if I buy say an iMac, I get a gift card I can't use right away, but rather have to spend at Apple at a second occasion?

Quite crappy offer if you ask me. Sure, it's a bit more value than before, but would rather have had to discount up front.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BJMRamage Avatar
158 months ago
bah humbug.

now, Apple never did have Great Black Friday deals but these deals seriously SUCK!

I totally understand though, why discount when you can just have them buy more from you later. gets you coming back. I HATE these "deals"

oh well
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bluush Avatar
158 months ago
weakest black friday offer ever. lame
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tribbs Avatar
158 months ago
when you make an average of what. 45%+ pure profit margin on your devices, and the BIGGEST sale you can muster up is a measly 5% discount....

you're greedy.


There are two sides to this supply/demand equation.
You obviously flunked Econ 101 and would likely go bankrupt if you became an entrepreneur.

Anyone want to buy a Surface?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)