Last week, MacRumors received word that office supply retailer Staples would soon begin offering Apple products for sale. While the company has offered Apple products in international markets for some time, it had long been unsuccessful in striking a deal for the U.S. market.
We were unable to confirm the claim at the time, but 9to5Mac now reports that Apple products have begun appearing on the Staples website in the United States as part of an Apple Mock Up section. The section includes a number of products, including the Apple TV (listed at a remarkably low price of $49.99) and iPad Smart Covers, all marked with "Test" in the item description.
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While the products listed on the test pages are limited to accessories with the exception of the Apple TV, our original source had claimed that Apple's full lineup of Macs, iPads, and at least the iPhone 5 would be coming to Staples in the United States. No specific timeframe for an official launch of Apple's products at Staples beyond "in the coming months" has been shared.
Top Rated Comments
Actually, it carries the Surface. Not sure they are selling any....
You can buy Apple stuff at Wal-mart for cripes sake, how is the brand diluted ? If anything, getting more resellers involved strengthens and spreads the brand even more.
That was years ago when Macs were bought by like 1/10th of 1% of business folks. Now they are all over the place in offices. So it makes much more sense for Staples to carry them. Even for some stores that have service shops to Mac and mobile device certify a person or two. If only far enough to be able to facilitate mail in service for their customers after verify it is hardware (because they are trained to recognize software related stuff and fix it). There are still big pockets that don't have an Apple store but do have several Staples stores so such a move does make some sense. Both on the sales and service side.
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Well that makes sense given the low pricing of most of the electronics they sell
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Don't assume that will continue. Apple apparently wouldn't let Costco etc discount Apple stuff beyond a measly 10% off iTunes cards. So it's unlikely they would allow Staples to discount either
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No proof of any of that. But nice try at the trolling
They need them as loss leaders and to drive traffic. When was the last time your friends said, hey, let's go check out the cool manilla folders at Staples?
As the article states, U.S. Staples stores have not carried Apple products up to this point--so it is new. Though not terribly exciting.