iPods Are On Sale At Amazon!

Maybe it’s because of their guarantee, that if they come out with a new model within a month (I think), they’l upgrade it for you. Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge fan of Amazon and every time I see a friend looking for electronics on little websites so that they can save $7 on $150 electronics, I don’t let them do it. I just tell them that by the time they finish with everything, it’ll end up being a lot more expensive and they often need to drive the store crazy just to get what they paid for. Go for Amazon, it’s worth it.

Where did you see that guarantee?

Hi Dan, let start from tax. Sales tax has nothing to do with them, its tax, and not store fees. 2-as far as i know if the box is sealed there is no fee to restock, and other stores such as CircuitCity, have the same policy, if you return an unsealed box you need to pay a restocking fee (electronics only). 3-That guarantee dose not really exist (as far as i know). 3-people like to go to the Apple store, cause thy help you there, thy explain you every thing, and peaple like to get the item in there hand and not wait etc… The price on the iPod is tricky now, there has been an upgrade to the iPod touch, if you look on the Apples website it will say iPod touch 16GB with w small 1 by it, it’s for legal reasons thy did that, but sources are reporting a new iPod touch coming out, for less maybe with out the new features, like a said sources (rumors, so it dose not mean to much to any one. To all those who bought the iPod touch form Apple direct will get $20 back, do to the fact that the upgrade cost $20,(the iPod may have to been purchased within 30 days not sure on that).
Dan, in no way am i arguing that its not better to buy it online and not pay tax.

I think that it’s the snazzy bags they put the purchased items into. What would you prefer, a plain cardboard box that Amazon uses or a slick-looking bag that Apple uses?

Seriously, I think that it’s the in-store experience — being able to see and assess the actual item, touch it, and try it; being able to compare various products placed in a single showcase; and being able to obtain advice from “knowledgeable” salespeople.

Additionally, just as many people are willing to pay more to eat in a restaurant with a pleasant ambiance than they would be willing to pay to eat in a restaurant that does not have as pleasing an ambiance — even if the food served in both places is of equal quality and taste — so to, apparently, many are willing to pay extra to shop in a pleasant looking store.

Though for me the ability to purchase something without having to travel to the store and stand in line to pay is without equal.

I’ll echo what some of the people above said, at the Apple store: there’s ambiance, experience, sales people (in the apple store they are even emo yuppies…), you get to see what you’re buying etc. etc.

To top that all off, buying from apple directly gets you free engraving, some people go for that.

For the record, I recently purchased a nano on Amazon, great experience. I got $15 to spend at AmazonMP3 and a $18 credit towards a future purchase at Amazon (I complained because it took them 5 days to get it outta their warehouse when their site showed it was in stock). Another great online shopping experience.

I think what makes the most sense, which is what I usually do, is to go to the store (in this case Apple), pick out the model you want, and then go online to sites like nextag.com or pricegrabber.com and buy it there for the cheapest available price.

If your in NY, i just bought a 80GB i-pod for 235 +tax.