AppleCare Pricing

[bobw]

From MacFixIt;

AppleCare price negotiable? Reader Tim Flight notes his experience in purchasing AppleCare directly from Apple, which indicates that Apple's price is flexible:

"I had an interesting experience with Apple Tech Support today. I called to ask about a hardware problem I had with my PowerBook and found out I was just a few days past the complimentary 90 day phone support. The tech asked if I wanted to purchase AppleCare. I said I was planning on it but an Apple Reseller in my area usually offers it cheaper than Apple does and that I would purchase it through my local reseller instead. The tech then asked how much they were selling it for. I told him my local reseller normally sells it for $299 but occasionally has it on special for $279. (It is $349 from the Apple Store.) He then said he could sell it to me for $239. Seems like if you want $110 off the price of AppleCare all you need to do is ask."

[serpicolugnut]

$239 is the Education price, which they are not really checking on. My guess is that you got the Education discount. I just bought AppleCare for my Powerbook the other day, and got it at the education price. They never asked for verifiable proof that I was a student.

[bobw]

I didn't get it. That is an article from MacFixIt. Apple gave a lower price after hearing he could buy it cheaper from a local dealer. Nothing was mentioned about education.

[ElDiabloConCaca]

What serpicolugnut is saying is that Apple does not require proof of eligibility in order to get educational pricing. All you have to do is go to the online Apple store, click on education, and order away. I've done this many times and they've never required proof of anything from me -- even though I am a registered, full-time student at a university -- therefore, fully qualified for the educational pricing structure.

The Apple tech on the phone may have offered the educational pricing of $239 to a non-student by mistake, either by thinking that $239 was for anyone and not just students, or by mistaking the person on the other end of the line for a student for one reason or another.

Either way, or for whatever reason, it's certainly is a coincidence that the "discounted" pricing offered to the person in the story was exactly the price of AppleCare with an educational discount. It's be interesting to see if a non-student with a tower machine could get a "discounted" rate of $199, or $119 for an iMac/eMac.

[bobw]

The local dealer normally sells it for $299. but occasionally has a special on it for $279.00. Not the same as the educational pricing of $239.00.

Seems like if you call Apple for it, and tell them you can buy it cheaper, they'll go lower for anyone to get the sale.

[ElDiabloConCaca]

It'd be interesting to see if someone can get Apple to go lower than the educational price...

[metro10]

Originally Posted by bobw

From MacFixIt;

AppleCare price negotiable? Reader Tim Flight notes his experience in purchasing AppleCare directly from Apple, which indicates that Apple's price is flexible:

"I had an interesting experience with Apple Tech Support today. I called to ask about a hardware problem I had with my PowerBook and found out I was just a few days past the complimentary 90 day phone support. The tech asked if I wanted to purchase AppleCare. I said I was planning on it but an Apple Reseller in my area usually offers it cheaper than Apple does and that I would purchase it through my local reseller instead. The tech then asked how much they were selling it for. I told him my local reseller normally sells it for $299 but occasionally has it on special for $279. (It is $349 from the Apple Store.) He then said he could sell it to me for $239. Seems like if you want $110 off the price of AppleCare all you need to do is ask."

Thanks for the info- I was wondering why a local Apple independant store was selling AppleCare for $187 on a G5.

[metro10]

I was wondering why a local Apple reseller was offering AppleCare for a G5 for $187. But what about a Cinema Display purchased later and seperately from the G5? An Apple Tech sort of suggested that I might be able to "work something" out with the reseller. Any ideas or suggestions?