Computers & Tablets

[boswd]

I was out last week to pick up the Motorola Xoom's Wifi version.    I was walking around my local best buy and could not find it all.   I finally had to ask a sales rep who pointed me to some bizarre obscure area.   The device was unplugged, uncharged. It was off on it's side, etc   I said half jokingly   "I bet the iPad would never get treated like this"   the Sales rep said without breaking a smile, No no it wouldn't

Now Best Buy has Mac stations iPad stations  iPod station and everything else is thrown about scattered.    It's almost as if Best Buy is in bed with Apple to discourage competion.

I actuall went next door and gave my money to Staples for the Xoom.  

I understand apple has the sheep and everything but come on this is WAAAY over the top. 

It's too bad, I wanted to rack up some rewards points but,  I don't think I'll be doing much computer shopping at Best Buy, it's become  Apple's lap dog.

so much for encouraging competition.

[MichaelHWG]

Apple just pays more for its product displays.

[usawrestling]

Actually, Gizmodo posted an article which counters your whole statement.

http://gizmodo.com/#!5790127/did-apple-really-blacklist-best-buy-for-withholding-ipad-2s

[MichaelHWG]

articles like the above are just posted to drive traffic and create rumors. They offer no proof they even say its hearsay. But it worked you read it and have now linked to it.

[CrystalWoW Community Veteran]

It also sometimes contributes to the display quality when the stores have an Apple rep in the store to maintain those displays. Most of the Apple stores have an Apple rep every day where Motorola or other vendors might not come in very frequently so it falls to the busy store staff to maintain them which they should anyways.

[boswd]

actually Cnet just had one that confirms mine  and plus real life experince,  go into a BestBuy and come away telling me they don't give special treatment to Apple

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-20051946-64.html?tag=cnetRiver

[CrystalWoW Community Veteran]

I agree that it would probably be set up differently if they had like a Motorola or a Samsung center or something like they have Apple centers in the stores. Who knows.

[Kabong30]

Pfft.  Wow, troll much?  I'd say Xoom (really?  "Xoom"?) is probably generating about 1/4 the press that the iPad is and I'll tell you something from my experience working for a now defunct competitor of BB back in the day.  More than likely Apple pays BB for the dedicated space they have and they also pay a person to go and make sure that their products are displayed properly.  Now, Motorola probably doesn't have a guy that goes around and makes sure all the "Xooms" (Xoomx?) are plugged in.

As far as Apple having the "sheep" or BB being it's lap dog.  Don't think that Staples wouldn't jump through their own rear ends to be Apple's lap dog.  Companies like making money and Apple makes more than any other tech company, so an alliance of any sort with them pretty much equals $$$$$.

I love how you dump on Apple but they're the reason your tablet is being made at all.  History repeats itself.  Apple is never the first to do a thing, but they come in and make that thing something people want and then all the "competitors" jump on the band wagon.  How many decades has that been happening now?

[CrimsonRain]

Best Buy needs Apple as much as Apple needs Best Buy. Apple is all about market share and I don't think their 236 stores in the U.S. can accomplish that alone. Best Buy, on the other hand, commands approximately 1100 stores across the U.S. Apple needs that coverage and have been paying handsomely for it. I read a few of those articles and it seems like Tim Cook (Apple's COO and acting CEO) have jumped into the fray to try and resolve this issue.

Personally, I was in a Best Buy a few days ago to have lunch with a buddy of mine, who is still employed there, and I raised this issue with him. He said there was no memo whatsoever about halting any Apply product sales... So, either my buddy is lying to me or people are just taking rumors for fact or blowing something else out of proportion.

[usawrestling]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-08/best-buy-temporarily-restricts-non-reserved-apple-ipad-2-sa...

Guess either your buddy is a liar or Bloomberg is...