Apple charge over the odds
30th June 2008 by David North
With a title like that I’m sure to be walking straight into another load of comments claiming I don’t know what I’m talking about. However after reading an article today on CNET about how Apple are charging significantly more for upgrades I had to post something.
Now you might be thinking it’s because I want to shout from the hilltops “Rip off!” however the thing that’s actually wound me up is the comments from various Apple fanboys after the post.
I agree that not all hardware comparisons are like for like however the ones that are clearly show Apple are charging more to upgrade components within a system than Dell. Do I have issue with this? No not really - businesses will make the most margin they see fit and Apple can charge extra as the type of people that buy Apple are generally able to afford it and won’t question it. If you can get away with it why not? Apple leaning on their brand to get some extra cash isn’t wrong in any way.
However the outrage from Apple fans that such a thing can be reported is unbelievable! Comparisons can now be made now that Macs are on effectively the same hardware platform so why try and deny it?
Apple is a top end manufacturer so why be so worried when someone says they are making a better margin than a competitor?
I can’t in this case say it’s just the Apple fans that have stooped to insults - the PC fans too have decided to bypass sense in some of the comments. Does it help the argument? What do you think?
In the end it seems Apple fans are looking for every single argument to stick back at the PC fans and the fact there is a pretty solid one on price stick in the gullet a bit (this is not to say it wouldn’t be the same if the other way around).
There are bound to be points where people will disagree however on some occasions there should be the ability for a party to accept a point? I thought so but clearly I’m wrong?
Apple has had this reputation among Mac users for years. We’ve been adding memory from others for years. Hard drive upgrades are more difficult with new orders; but it prompts many to just buy the next model. What, I believe, led to some of the CNET article’s feedback is the comparison to Dell. Besides using different suppliers and variants in component quality, Dell’s operations favor low cost variations. Indeed, it’s the central feature of their build to suit production structure. It’s also a big factor in it’s getting customers to bite on low cost promotions only to add another $400 to the order. Apple’s 3rd party assemblers are not set up for custom production as effectively.
One thing that makes the CNET article seem like a hit piece is that this is hardly news. This sort of pricing has been common knowledge forever. After years and years of this behavior suddenly CNET discovers it?
Speculation is that this pricing policy gives the resellers room to sell RAM and hard-drive upgrades at lower prices as purchase enticements since the basic products are never discounted. It also makes room in the market for third party companies that can do authorized repairs and upgrades. It is probably in Apple’s interest to have a wider infrastructure of support and this is one way of nourishing them. Its not like Apple is sole source for these components. If you don’t like the price don’t buy it.
Although not news to much of the Mac community I think you are underestimating how much new customers don’t know this. So it’s of interest to them. Up to them if they want to get upgraded elsewhere then isn’t it?
I even think Dell charge over the odds for some upgrades not to mention dubious techniques (like using non-standard cages inside machines so upgrades have to be bought from Dell). Although I would dispute Dell favour lower quality variations I can see the argument that Apple’s 3rd party assemblers might not be so well setup for custom production. This still wouldn’t account for the massive difference in price however.
The issue I have is that this article does have a place. Yes it’s a negative article for Apple but one that is useful for prospective buyers. So why jump in trying to argue the case that it’s wrong or it isn’t balanced? Cold hard facts and I don’t even think anyone would say they blame Apple. In much the same way other manufacturers can lever their brand to claim higher maintenance costs etc.
oh…the Mac vs PC thing…will it ever end? No, never…competition is good! As a user of both Macs and PC’s, I see the benefits of both and I know I pay a premium for Macs, upgrades etc. The thing for me though is ‘Trust’ or should I say ‘Reliability’. I don’t know why, but I always feel a bit ‘tetchy’ when doing something on a PC, like I’m gonna’ do all this work and it will let me down…In reality, it rarely does.
Maybe it’s not the hardware, the platform, but the OS? And if I’m totally honest, Mac users are a clear identifiable community…much the same as a “Ferrari” club for instance…like tribal stone age man, we stick to our “own kind”…laughable i know, but an element of truth there. what you buy is what you get, but with a PC…well it’s a bit ‘Mix and match’. Nothing wrong with that, you have more freedom to customise than say an imac or powerbook….Thing is, does it do what you want, without twiddling for hours on end and getting nothing done!
In saying all this, I’m a Musician and use a PC for it, don’t know why, but it has been stable for years and won’t replace it with a mac…maybe the trust aspect isn’t the machine, but how it performs? Anyway, yes i don’t like paying more, but it’s a case of getting the right tool to do the right job…maybe a mixture of both!
Hi Jamie - I don’t think the PC Vs Mac thing will ever be over with people still so passionate about it!
It’s an interesting image that of reliability for Mac Vs PCs. Certainly in the dark days of Windows 98 it was a credible argument - I really don’t think it is so much now. I work in a building with about 60% Macs and 40% PCs and in actual fact we’ve had more hardware failures in the Macs. Also major software failure is higher for the Macs although very very low for both in comparison to say 8 years ago. PCs probably do have more occasional glitches although my view on that might be skewed by the fact I use a PC and the Mac users don’t bother me with the little stuff.
There is a definite club as you say with people defending their precious Apple to the bitter end. I don’t really understand why the emotional response to a computer which is probably why I get wound up so much by the Apple fans at times. It is a bit like football supporters at times!
One thing that can’t be doubted however is the awesome marketing at Apple - best in the World by far!