The old offers were much better. You could get a really nice free printer, an iPod, and a decent discount as well. Now they want to let you download some songs? What a rip off as far as back to school promos go. Bring back the free printer and iPod or at least let that $100 be used on hardware as well as digital content. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwmac 
The old offers were much better. You could get a really nice free printer, an iPod, and a decent discount as well. Now they want to let you download some songs? What a rip off as far as back to school promos go. Bring back the free printer and iPod or at least let that $100 be used on hardware as well as digital content. 

The printer was for everyone, so you can't judge that against a modern B2S program.

Apple feels that iPods have reached saturation point, so they're capitalizing on the fact that everyone always wants apps for their iPods.

Just ordered mine....

$1,239.00 1 $1,239.00 MacBook Air, 13-inch

Available to ship in 1-3 business days Delivers Within 5 days after shipping by Standard Shipping Part number: Z0NC

Configuration

1.8GHz Intel Dual-Core Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 2.8GHz 8GB 1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM 128GB Flash Storage

Backlit Keyboard (English) & User's Guide Accessory Kit

 

Recycle fee

 

$6.00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tallest Skil 

The printer was for everyone, so you can't judge that against a modern B2S program.

 

Apple feels that iPods have reached saturation point, so they're capitalizing on the fact that everyone always wants apps for their iPods.

Moreover, students, particularly first year undergrad students, are also likely to be buying a new phone for college. I'm sure apple doesn't want to discourage them from making that phone an iPhone. Giving them an iPod touch for free would open the possibility of getting a feature phone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwmac 

The old offers were much better. You could get a really nice free printer, an iPod, and a decent discount as well. Now they want to let you download some songs? What a rip off as far as back to school promos go. Bring back the free printer and iPod or at least let that $100 be used on hardware as well as digital content. 

Agreed. But this started even beforehand when Apple reduced the size of the student discounts on Macs and iPods. Once these things became ubiquitous Apple no longer needed to really help out students anymore. Once you become rich and famous the little guy means nothing.

i ordered a new retina display Pro... but it kept charging me $100 for the free $100 gift card it was putting in my cart.

I chatted with someone at Apple and they said to just remove the card and place the order and call back next week and talk to someone to have a free card sent out to me.

How many people wouldn't prefer an additional $100 immediately knocked off the order total instead of a gift card. I just don't see this gift card as much value as compared to it to being used for tangible goods from the Apple store as well. I know why they are doing it since they get a chunk for every app or song sold it costs them far less than $100 to offer this deal. Makes sense for Apple but not nearly as attractive for students or educators who might prefer a new bluetooth headset for example over music and apps. At least with an Amazon gift card you can choose between millions of actual items and not only digital content. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwmac 

How many people wouldn't prefer an additional $100 immediately knocked off the order total instead of a gift card. I just don't see this gift card as much value as compared to it to being used for tangible goods from the Apple store as well. I know why they are doing it since they get a chunk for every app or song sold it costs them far less than $100 to offer this deal. Makes sense for Apple but not nearly as attractive for students or educators who might prefer a new bluetooth headset for example over music and apps. At least with an Amazon gift card you can choose between millions of actual items and not only digital content. 

Asked and answered.  $100 really costs Apple $30 or whatever their cut is.  And if you spend all of it on Apple apps, they only forego a bit of revenue....but then you buy updates for the apps every year.

Jetz: "$100 really costs Apple $30 or whatever their cut is."

It costs Apple the full $100 that they give to you. Apple has to pay the developers $70 for their 70%, and Apple also loses that $30 which is their cut. Total, $100 out of Apple's pocket.

You are charged for $100 Giftcard. I purchased a 13" MBP and the computer is sold for $100 less. In a separate CC transaction is the $100 for the giftcard. The receipt Apple emailed me does not show how the charges are broken down, nor how I paid. It was only when I checked my statement that I realized I paid for the gift card. Yes, the computer was $100 less, however this poses a problem when I want to deduct the purchase of a new computer for tax purposes. Apple is charging me less than what I've really paid for the computer. Hiding the $100 in a giftcard for itunes I don't even want. I've been hung-up on twice by Apple to have the charges normal: price for the computer, one charge, that's it, no gift card charge.

So, they are not losing money on their apps with these "free" gift cards. 

Well played Apple.