Amazon and B&H Photo are discounting every model of Apple's 2020 iPad Air today, starting with the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad Air for $549.00 in all colors, down from $599.00. We've seen this particular model marked down by about $10 cheaper, but that sale hasn't re-emerged yet, making Amazon's price the best around online this week.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The 256GB Wi-Fi models are also on sale at $50 off, priced at $699.00. On Amazon, you'll find these models on sale in every color, while B&H Photo is only discounting the Green and Sky Blue options.
In terms of cellular options, the 64GB Cellular iPad Air is on sale for $679.00, down from $729.00 on Amazon and B&H Photo. If you're shopping for the high-end 256GB Cellular iPad Air, Amazon has this one at $829.99, down from $879.00. Both of these sales represent lowest-ever prices.
For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.
Top Rated Comments
Long answer, That's a big "it depends," both on the contract held between the vendor and the merchant, and the accounting basis they use for inventory. Remember, vendor and merchant are going to benefit from increased sales. So they will have to agree on how to split the cost.
Amazon has a checkered past with brands on this issue, but assuming they are working closer with apple than they did with say, wusthof, there will be a delivered cost and a retail point or range. And price changes will be aligned with the vendor, because the merchant wants to share the hit in the margin, in exchange for the increase in sales.
ie. apple sells 120 units instead of 100, after a price drop of 10% on a widget. They better give a cost decrease to offset the temporary shift in retail price, otherwise apple makes out like a bandit, and amazon loses margin. The goal is the vendor price supports the entire retail decrease, because the merchant may have a greater inventory risk.
Also, it depends on inventory accounting. This is less likely as Amazon doesn't carry inventory like a B&M, very JIT. I wasn't in role so I wouldn't know, but OTHER fulfillment based merchants used cost accounting because their inventory was so low. That's fine. But if it was RETAIL accounting, their finance department is looking at the value of inventory at retail. So if someone discounts the widget 10%, they take a hit on the balance sheet for that 10%. That's a loss. It needs to be budgeted, and hopefully vendor supported. Otherwise the incremental sales/profit on a discount item could cost the store MORE due to the inventory markdown, and a lack of a markup on reduced inventory at end of sale.