Apple's Black Friday Promotion May Focus on Gift Cards Rather Than Discounts - MacRumors
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Apple's Black Friday Promotion May Focus on Gift Cards Rather Than Discounts

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Earlier this week, Apple teased its upcoming Black Friday promotion, which typically sees the company offering small discounts on a select number of products.

While Apple normally offers standard price cuts during Black Friday, this year’s event might focus on Apple Store gift cards with purchase rather than straight discounts, according to 9to5Mac. The promotion could see customers receiving an Apple Store gift card for later use when buying an eligible product.

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Gift cards will likely be offered with the flagship products that Apple typically discounts, including iPads, iPods, MacBooks, and some accessories.

The gift card amounts are said to fluctuate based on the product. For example, gift cards that accompany accessories will have lower amounts of money than Macs. We’re hearing that accessories, such as the Dropcam, will likely include a gift card worth around $25, and Macs could include a $100 card. iOS Devices like the iPad will include a $50 Apple Store gift card. Some more expensive third-party products will also include $50 gift cards.

Apple is expected to announce its Black Friday deals on Friday, November 28 at midnight Pacific Time in the United States, but more information should be available tomorrow morning when Black Friday deals go live in Australia provided the gift card promotion isn't limited to the United States. Last year's discounts included $101 off MacBook Pros and Airs, $41 off the iPad with Retina Display, and $31 off of the iPod touch.

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Top Rated Comments

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Zwopple
162 months ago
Apple will never do big sales as such it would devalue the brand and likely see a huge portion of users only buy products on the single sale day of the year given the savings of 25%
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thelonelylimo Avatar
thelonelylimo
162 months ago
*removed*
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BillyBobBongo Avatar
BillyBobBongo
162 months ago
I've never seen an Apple gift card that could be used toward hardware.

http://www.apple.com/gift-cards/

"Use your Apple Store Gift Card for the purchase of a new iPad, iPhone, Mac, or anything else at the Apple Online Store or Apple Retail Store. Gift cards are available in stores, by mail, or by email."
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C
Cavepainter
162 months ago
Very smart move by Apple.

Instead of taking $100 off the price, savings which can be spent anywhere you want (including an Apple competitor), you'll instead get a gift card that can only be spent with Apple. Very clever way of still getting you to pay full price for a device and still have to do further business with Apple when using the gift card.

It's a brilliant strategy, really :D

My thoughts exactly. Thats why I give this idea a thumbs down, and I see it as yet another greedy move by a company that I'm having an increasingly hard time defending anymore. (Yes I used to drink the Kool-Aid, now I'm a recovering addict.) All those MBA's are thinking hard how they can separate us from more cash- and somebody got a big promotion for coming up with this idea. Apple will make millions more on that day because of it. Naturally, the consumer (yes, thats you and me) loses in the end.

Its like a 10 percent off deal, but you have to buy two. That's not as good as a 10 percent off deal on one item because you have to spend more money to get the deal.... lots of people don't really realize that.

Why not just give us a discount like almost all other companies will do on this big sales day? Is that really so hard?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
C
Cavepainter
162 months ago
Please don't act like Apple started this. Walmart and Target having been using this approach for years. Apple has only started doing this recently

I don't think he ever said that Apple invented the concept. But if you want something from Walmart or Target that's on sale tomorrow, you will receive that item for less money. No gift card requirement.

Wouldn't you rather just get something cheaper instead of paying more up front and getting handed a gift card for later?

You know, as a customer, you have the right to criticize ANY company if they are doing something that's not in your best interest. Even :apple:.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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BruiserB
162 months ago
I've never seen an Apple gift card that could be used toward hardware.

I think you're confusing Apple gift card with iTunes gift card. It's true that an iTunes gift card can't be used for hardware (or any store merchandise), but an Apple gift card can be used for anything in the Apple Store.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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