Is Apple getting too greedy?

[Sparky2012]

Over the past several years I've noticed that Apple has been decreasing its sales and discounts on its products - anyone remember iTunes 12 Days of Gifts/Christmas? - Also Thanksgiving where there were small amounts off the prices of some of their main products like Mac's and iPads. Sure they weren't anything great but it was still something.

Fast forward to today and what sales/discounts are we getting? Back To School and that's about it for something notable.

There is really no excuse for this, Apple is making more money than it ever has but in return gives us less for being loyal customers who buy their expensive products (albeit incredible products that I love and will keep buying).

What are your thoughts? Do you agree/disagree?

 

[appleguy123]

Yes, but not because of the lack of sales. More because of 16gb iPhones and 5400rpm drives and $170 keyboards.

 

[OLDCODGER]

It is not a question of Apple's greed, but of our gullibility.

As long as we keep buying, they'll keep charging - simple as that. Business is business.

 

[iKeith]

I unapologetically say yes. Apple is greedy. I don't say, or vote, that way in anger or in a tantrum, but according to my own opinion and how I see it.

The genius that's gone into creating Apple and making it a success has long since received it's reward... and then some. Now, it's a matter of staying relevant. While that still takes genius and initiative, it too is being rewarded handsomely.

I think Apple is greedy because they don't seem to care about their loyal, die-hard customers that got them there. The Apple Customer has yet to be rewarded for their contribution to Apple's success: Brand loyalty, repeat business, word of mouth advertising and more.

THAT makes Apple greedy. And their lack of sales because they don't want to be seen as a company with discounted products, makes them snobby. I like Apple products. I don't respect the company or the way they do business though.

 

[gkarris]

Not greedy, just not stupid. Apple is not going to leave "money on the table".

People will buy their products at their stores for retail prices.

 

[keysofanxiety]

It is not a question of Apple's greed, but of our gullibility.

As long as we keep buying, they'll keep charging - simple as that. Business is business.

Not gullibility by any stretch of the imagination. Arrogance. We know we're getting overcharged and a lot of recent stuff (as mentioned, spinning HDDs in expensive iMacs, still 16GB phones, Mac Mini with the exact same body but soldered RAM) does leave a bad taste in the mouth. But a lot of people are invested in the ecosystem and it still works for us, so we don't really have much of an alternative.

Though eventually they run the risk of going the way that RIM did. Taking advantage of their consumers because they knew people weren't really in a position to switch – that being, until something better came along. Just a year before the iPhone, RIM's revenue grew by over 50% and their customer base had nearly doubled from the previous year. And look at them now.

Apple are on track to consistently make 40 billion dollars profit a year. We shouldn't be getting HDDs in a £2000 iMac. Especially with the hyperbole about "we only care about the consumer", "profits aren't important, products are", and "we don't ship junk".

 

[OLDCODGER]

Not gullibility by any stretch of the imagination. Arrogance. We know we're getting overcharged and a lot of recent stuff (as mentioned, spinning HDDs in expensive iMacs, still 16GB phones, Mac Mini with the exact same body but soldered RAM) does leave a bad taste in the mouth. But a lot of people are invested in the ecosystem and it still works for us, so we don't really have much of an alternative.

Though eventually they run the risk of going the way that RIM did. Taking advantage of their consumers because they knew people weren't really in a position to switch – that being, until something better came along. Just a year before the iPhone, RIM's revenue grew by over 50% and their customer base had nearly doubled from the previous year. And look at them now.

Apple are on track to consistently make 40 billion dollars profit a year. We shouldn't be getting HDDs in a £2000 iMac. Especially with the hyperbole about "we only care about the consumer", "profits aren't important, products are", and "we don't ship junk".

Anyone who believes your last sentence is gullible. But, you are correct about the lock-in - even I don't want to move from OS X. Now, if I could only get Snow Leopard to run on a stock standard box .....

 

[keysofanxiety]

Anyone who believes your last sentence is gullible. But, you are correct about the lock-in - even I don't want to move from OS X. Now, if I could only get Snow Leopard to run on a stock standard box .....

I know, it's just the way Apple have their own heads lodged in their posterior that rubs people the wrong way, when they're quite obviously stiffing the consumer – is what I mean. Nobody bats an eyelid when HP cut budget on their stuff, of course. But they don't go around acting like Apple do, like they're the second coming. No wonder people hate Apple users.

Some decisions/products of late certainly hasn't helped people 'see the light', and if it does, the new consumers be sorely disappointed with the price/performance factor if they didn't buy the right product. Just bucks their loyal customer base a little more while reminding naysayers that the Apple tax is getting ever steeper.

 

[maflynn]

I'm hesitant to say too greedy, but I think their actions have been over the top to protect their margins. For example the new 1TB fusion drives only have 24GB of flash storage. The old unit has 128GB. Seems like penny pinching at its worst. Yet with that said, I don't know if its pure greed as much as doing what it can to ensure its margins are healthy.

 

[kdarling]

I get the feeling that Tim Cook is trapped in some sort of "every quarter must be better than last year's!" Twilight Zone of investor expectations.

With major markets reaching saturation, greed over littler things is the only way to make sure profits rise every year.

 

[AFEPPL]

Apple don't care about customers, they care about profits and shareholders.
The state of the eco system and software quality for the last few years tell you everything you need to know.

 

[Gav2k]

Over the past several years I've noticed that Apple has been decreasing its sales and discounts on its products - anyone remember iTunes 12 Days of Gifts/Christmas? - Also Thanksgiving where there were small amounts off the prices of some of their main products like Mac's and iPads. Sure they weren't anything great but it was still something.

Fast forward to today and what sales/discounts are we getting? Back To School and that's about it for something notable.

There is really no excuse for this, Apple is making more money than it ever has but in return gives us less for being loyal customers who buy their expensive products (albeit incredible products that I love and will keep buying).

What are your thoughts? Do you agree/disagree?

We get a free gift every day of the week now?

Am I gullible for buying there products and being an 'isheep'? Nope. The ecosystem works for me and it's as simple as that!

 

[dk001]

I get the feeling that Tim Cook is trapped in some sort of "every quarter must be better than last year's!" Twilight Zone of investor expectations.

With major markets reaching saturation, greed over littler things is the only way to make sure profits rise every year.

Apple don't care about customers, they care about profits and shareholders.
The state of the eco system and software quality for the last few years tell you everything you need to know.

TC has a serious "visibility" issue. Major investors and Wall Street brokers are not in his list of people he can successfully influence. This makes the "must make $$$" aspect of Apple even more critical these days. You want to see Apple get better? Replace TC and JI (on software) and bring in someone with serious Wall Street cred. Then add someone who really has the power to say "NO" when the quality isn't there.
Do that and Apple could really go places.

Cash is the band-aid and consumer loyalty is the glue. Something will give and not in a good way. I'd rather not see that happen.

 

[Designer Dale]

They are expensive but the premium in Apple products is earned. The cases are machined aluminum, not stamped or molded and those SSDs are pci drives not sata. Apple could drop platters from all it's computers but it would be seen as offering hobbled machines unless the internal capacity was !TB, so the price would have to stay the same. If they cheapened the process and materials so that they sold licensed hackentoshes at cut rate prices, the brand would loose it's polish and the company would suffer.

Note that IBM has been migrating to Macs at a price premium and finding that between lower support time, quicker set up and increased reliability they are saving money in the long run.

I'm writing this from my wife's "good" HP laptop and it's a piece of junk. Stamped case, noisey HDD, slow start up, Windows updates. An iMac or MacBook Pro might not be worth the price, but neither is this. At least the Mac is a pleasent experience.

Dale