Apple at Office Depot

[rockandrule]

Hey all,

I've been working at Office Depot (with a break for college) for the past year and a half and I've noticed some changes in the scenery. A year ago Apple had it's own tab on the TechDepot website, which was prominently placed as the first tab on the website and in bold. Through there they sold everything Apple imaginable. Then about 10 months ago that tab was taken down and the products were slowly dwindled down to nothing after about 6 months. Now just two days ago I was surfing around the site while they had me stuck in the Copy and Print Center and I noticed that we have begun selling one model of the MacBook through the site again. Now when this page comes up it has absolutely no details or pictures, a little evidence of a rekindled friendship IMO. Now what's even weirder was I just looked at the new software plan-o-gram and we have 12 new Apple-only software suites to be filling their place on the shelves as soon as we get this massive revamp done (it's supposed to take at least 5 hours to set this new one, YIKES!). Now this wouldn't have phased me, but the fact is we only sold one title for Apple in stores (Quicken 2006 for Mac), but now we are supposed to be carrying Photoshop CS2, Office for Mac, Toast, and plenty other titles. I was just wondering what everyone else thinks. Q3 is coming up here in just a few weeks and we're supposed to have a whole new line of computers hitting the floors, I'm excited to see if we get in a Mac or two!

 

[lu0s3r322]

hmm...i dont know about that. Apple is already focusing on expanding their products to Best Buy and they already have Compusa store sections. I can definately picture Mac software there, they already have some online. If they do sell Macs there, they'll probably hire their own people. Is there an Apple Store nearby?

 

[thegreatluke]

Sounds awesome!

Finally, a somewhat close store near me that'll sell Mac software! What a thought!

 

[Sun Baked]

It is time for Apple to start pushing their newest "PCs" back into marketplace, since they are now a direct alternative to other machines being sold in stores.

They just lack the Windows software, which is easy to remedy -- just toss a Windows box in the cart.

They are poised for a major comeback with computers, one of the few PC makers poised for this growth potential.

 

[williamh]

Hey all,

I've been working at Office Depot (with a break for college) for the past year and a half and I've noticed some changes in the scenery. A year ago Apple had it's own tab on the TechDepot website, which was prominently placed as the first tab on the website and in bold. Through there they sold everything Apple imaginable. Then about 10 months ago that tab was taken down and the products were slowly dwindled down to nothing after about 6 months. Now just two days ago I was surfing around the site while they had me stuck in the Copy and Print Center and I noticed that we have begun selling one model of the MacBook through the site again. Now when this page comes up it has absolutely no details or pictures, a little evidence of a rekindled friendship IMO. Now what's even weirder was I just looked at the new software plan-o-gram and we have 12 new Apple-only software suites to be filling their place on the shelves as soon as we get this massive revamp done (it's supposed to take at least 5 hours to set this new one, YIKES!). Now this wouldn't have phased me, but the fact is we only sold one title for Apple in stores (Quicken 2006 for Mac), but now we are supposed to be carrying Photoshop CS2, Office for Mac, Toast, and plenty other titles. I was just wondering what everyone else thinks. Q3 is coming up here in just a few weeks and we're supposed to have a whole new line of computers hitting the floors, I'm excited to see if we get in a Mac or two!

Hail to Office Depot employees!!

I'm working @ OD too, but in Canada

unfortuantelly, we are NOT going to carry any Apple computers..damn!
However, I always recommand my customers about Apple and send them to Best Buy for it..haha!

Anyway, we should all work at Best Buy..or Apple store!!

 

[rockandrule]

Well, I work down in Florida where we have a Compusa just down the road 45 minutes away and two Apple Stores an hour away. I don't think it would be a bad move for Apple to throw them into ODs though. They are the largest business supply store in the world. I really hope Apple starts taking up some adventures like these. I always have people coming into the store asking about if we sell Macs, and I always point them away. I doubt Apple would have anything to do with hiring staff. Compusa doesn't go through Apple for their hires. They just have Compusa managers pick who they think would best sell Apple's products.

 

[iSaint]

I swear I read this rumour here over a year ago. I've yet to see it happen.

But, we have an OD here, so it would be cool to see some Macs there.

 

[rockandrule]

I swear I read this rumour here over a year ago. I've yet to see it happen.

I didn't realize this was tlked about before, haha. If there's anytime to do it, it's now. We keep getting in information about Vista that our Microsoft rep keeps bringing and it doesn't look good at all for what we have in stock. Only about 3 of our desktops will be able to handle any of the Vista's above Home Basic. It's really looking awful for Microsoft because I keep having people come in talking about buying a computer, but they want details about Vista. Being that I don't lie for a sale, I tell people that there will have to be upgrades made to most of our models if they would like to run Vista at a decent speed, and also they will probably have to largely upgrade a computer that they have already had for 3-4 years if they would wish to keep that and run Vista on it. It's making sales of Windows based machines go down hill right now, and the trend will obviously continue since no one wants Vista in their machine until it's been out for at least a year.

 

[pianoman]

don't get too excited...

it seems that office depot is just realizing that macs are becoming very popular and they could potentially benefit from carrying the mac version of some software titles. the addition of more software does not mean that there will be new hardware.

as for the website and the addition of the macbook, that might be a fluke or apple really is reaching out to other retailers. but wouldn't that defeat the purpose of creating the apple store? does apple really want to take the focus away from its products by placing certain machines next to windows-based machines, or other PC equipment. part of what makes apple what it is, is it's exclusivity. the apple store was a good way to do that... do you really think they're ready to branch out for real this time? (unlike the best buy stint a few years back.)

 

[rockandrule]

Apple isn't stupid. They would pay the big bucks to gain control over some endcaps in the technology department, I'm sure. Right now we have a Sony endcap (it's been that way for over a year) and an IBM/Lenovo endcap which is to be switched over to Intel Viiv. If Apple were to enter the store it would certainly end up being something like Compusa. They still sell Macs right next to the PCs. Why is this so farfetched? Purchase three endcaps and they will grab the customer's attention with the signs. All the store would need is an "Apple Authorized Reseller" sticker on the front doors and people would be interested.

Also, Intel really needs to get some computers into the stores. Four of the five computers that I put on display yesterday were AMD, and we only offer four Intels out of the fifteen plus desktops that we sell. Intel may be pushing this, also.