Apple partners with best buy for expanded repair service.

[GreyWolf]

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2019/06/apple-partners-with-best-buy-for-expanded-repair-service/

Seriously I have no comment on this for once too many scenarios on this one dunno if I have to thank apple for lowering their stocks.

 

[Sky-Knight]

You mean after they drove all the repair shops out of business, they've decided to anchor themselves to a failing big box chain to "improve service"?

 

[GreyWolf]

@Sky-Knight Exactly... The bite out of that poison apple is finally setting in, I'm waiting for a top designer to build a system at least at this point you'll end up with a Gucci,Channel, or a Christian Dior piece with some type of resell value. But seriously Best Buy? Whatever they are smoking at their head offices ain't good for them.

 

[mraikes]

No, it's a good move for apple.

BB probably moves a lot of Apple merch, they're almost everywhere, they'll either buy overpriced Apple certified parts or ship out many repairs to actual Apple service centers. It helps Apple dodge anti-trust or similar problems related to killing off the 3rd party repair market.

It takes some pressure off the geniuses at the apple stores (there's only one store here in ABQ, and they're often swamped, but there are two best buys in other parts of town- so good expansion and coverage).

And finally, Geek Squad and Apple customers are both accustomed to overpaying for routine stuff, service and parts, so it's a good market to combine.

I really think it's a win-win for apple and best buy. And really for any apple customer not near an actual apple store.

 

[GreyWolf]

Well all I can say if they are careless with their repair tools we'll see them online with a quick google search xD

 

[phaZed]

It's perfect for BB and Apple. BB will F'up the repair and sell them a new device... I mean, that's what they do for laptops and everything else.

All kidding aside... Apple is getting sued left and right by individuals and Countries with one of the main sticking points being that ONLY Apple can do it.... now, with BB in cahoots with Apple, Apple can claim they are not the only guys in town to do repairs... alleviating that argument in court. Make no mistake, Apple was forced into this.

Best Buy sees the writing on the wall as far as retail is concerned... They just touted the fact that they are changing management again (Just changed in 2012) and in this silly article "Why Best Buy Will Keep Growing", they miss reality.

Now, on Jun 19, 2019 they have announced that they will be taking up extremely valuable floor space for exercise equipment, not kidding.

The big box retailer will start selling a variety of fitness equipment like touchscreen rowing machines and Nordictracks. They hope this initiative will continue to keep them relevant in the online shopping world.

They hope? Staying relevant in the online shopping world? But I thought these were not problems since everything is going great!?

That's a press quote from Best Buy. Let me ask 'you' something... do you think that Best Buy, if they were doing "great" would be resorting to excercise equipment? A market that is seeing declining/flat sales in the Retail market? A product that takes much room and is oft too expensive for many to buy?

Institutional exercise product sales were higher in 2017, but sales in the consumer exercise product sales were down, which left the overall fitness product sales category flat, according to a report from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.

Hmm.

 

[timeshifter]

Exercise equipment doesn't seem like it's straying too much. They sell computers, phones, TVs, stereos, car audio, and refrigerators, dishwashers, ranges, microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners, fans, etc. All items are expensive things found in a modern home. Makes sense too now that a lot of the equipment is potentially "on the Internet". A loss leader so that Geek Squad can come out and fix your WiFi by installing an Orbi system.

 

[phaZed]

@timeshifter I don't necessarily disagree with BB straying too far... but one must remember that the vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, etc... those were the "straying"... now they are just furthering themselves from their namesake even more. IMO of course.

When you look at the sales figures for appliance sales, it does not instill confidence:

Lowes: $7.72B
Home Depot: $6.5B
Best Buy: $3.18B
Sears: $3.04B
Sears Hometown: $1.27B

So, basically, according to the 2018 Top 50 Major Appliance Retailers Report they place Best buy in 3rd place, but really, it should be in 4th place considering Sears and Sears Hometown are one in the same... the money flows to the same place and they share the same name.

Now, consider Sears is about to go belly-up, even with $3.04B in appliance sales, and I think you can see some potential issues.

Lowe’s, Home Depot, Best Buy and the two Sears entities — the majap top five — together command nearly 76 percent of all Top 50 majap dollars, while the two home improvement chains alone accounted for nearly half (49.6 percent) of the home appliance pie.

EDIT:
We just got a new Washer/Dryer and we price shopped.. BB was $50 higher than Lowes and Home Depot and it would have been a week before delivery. Lowes had next day delivery for $50 cheaper..

 

[Sky-Knight]

The idea of all those more money than sense upper middle class / upper class Apple idiot owners clogging up a Best Buy trying to get their Apple fix gives me the giggles.

 

[RetiredGuy1000]

The real question is who will Amazon go to for repairs?

 

[GreyWolf]

Amazon just doesn't care https://www.directliquidation.com/liquidation-102/buy-amazon-customer-returns-pallets-online/

 

[JoeTech]

I thought making a $999 pc stand was a bad decision, but teaming with Best Buy is even worse. It's going to kill their high end customer service quality image as well. I mean Apple Stores were created because Steve Jobs didn't want his pc's sitting next to lower quality pc's and ruin their high end luxury image.

It seems like the techs in the actual Best Buy stores do only minor repairs and services. Everything else is sent to a warehouse for repairs. I wonder if Best Buy will just do minor things in store and ship the rest back to Apple for repairs? That helps Apple keep control of repairs as well.