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Amazon Quietly Yanks Discount for Mac OS X 10.2

Posted by pudge on from the easy-come-easy-go dept.

WCityMike writes "Amazon has quietly revoked the $50 rebate for Mac OS X 10.2 it was supposedly offering through September 3. The rebate form was updated to reflect this a few hours later. While theories as to why abound (including supposed involvement from Apple), some have reasonably pointed out that Amazon may not have expected as voluminous a response as they got, making the rebate a potentially major cash loss had it continued at that volume. People who already placed their orders should probably contact Amazon, while the rest of us can simply continue hoping Apple will offer its own 'rebate'." I think maybe it was a mistake; the rebate form I saw originally never had Mac OS X 10.2 on it.

10 of 102 comments (clear)

  1. the rebate was there by kelly_hirano · · Score: 5, Informative
    the rebate was there, but according to macminute :

    "Customer response exceeded our wildest expectations so we're not continuing the rebate at this time," Ling Hong, an Amazon.com spokesperson told MacMinute. "But obviously all the pre-orders that we received during the time that the rebate offer was posted on our site will be honored." Hong said all orders placed up until 19:00 PT yesterday will be eligible.

    1. Re:the rebate was there by Sentry21 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Basically what that quote means is 'we thought we'd try a stupid publicity stunt to get more people to come to our website and look around, but then we decided that maybe we shouldn't lose our shirts'.

      Rule number one of marketing: let the suppliers do the rebates, unless you have a ton of stock that you NEED to get rid of, but don't want to just mark down. The only reason to ever sell for less than you buy at is amortization, depreciation, or cutting your losses. Selling pre-orders at less than cost is the mentality behind most dot-com businesses - bleed red ink, but make up for it in added services.

      Dumb dumb.

      --Dan

  2. Re:Why don't you just get a REAL operating system. by chump+daddy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    apple also provide free bug fixes.

    10.1.1
    10.1.2
    10.1.3
    10.1.4
    10.1.5

    all free

    plus software update... all free

    10.2 you pay cos there's new features.

    microsoft have windowsupdate same as software update. that's it. all versions between updates are chargeable.

    arguably service packs are free versions, but 95 - 98 - 98 second edition - ME - XP... all cost money.

    and more than OS-X upgrades too..

    BeOS also charged. they only released a Personal Edition of BeOS when they got to version 5 to try and promote usage..

    guess what? they went under..

  3. Re:Why don't you just get a REAL operating system. by ceejayoz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Apple's main mistake was calling it OS 10.2 - they should have learned from MS and called it OS 11, then no one would have complained.

  4. Re:Fucking Steve Jobs by Triv · · Score: 3, Informative

    The aquafiles rebate is for Amazon. Nice try tho. :)

    Triv

  5. Apple has spoiled the diehard Mac crowd... by MalleusEBHC · · Score: 4, Insightful

    and somewhat shot itself in the foot by continuously spoiling the Mac faithful for years. Mac users have gotten great free products (iTunes, iTools, etc.) that can be and are flaunted in the faces of Windows users. But after so much of this, Apple has created a situation where many of the diehard Mac users no longer realize that Apple is a company that is trying to make a profit, just like other companies out there such as *gasp* Microsoft. That means that when they release new products, especially quality ones such as Jaguar, they will most likely charge for them. If they offer something sweet for free like iPhoto, the Mac community should be happy but not unfairly raise expectations for more free products. If it really bothers people to be paying for a point release (which as many have pointed out would be a whole new OS by Redmond's standards), think of it as buying a suite of new applications and features: iChat, Sherlock 3, Quartz Extreme, etc.

  6. For only $70 more.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Sign up for the Apple Developer Connection mailing. You'll get OS 10.2 plus a year's worth of developer tools, SDKs, and updates.

  7. Re:Apple Pudge Fackers by BitGeek · · Score: 4, Insightful



    Funny, I'd love to hang out with a bunch of gay apple users. Most of the gay people I know use macs-- they are far too picky about things being stupidly done and so they go for superiority.

    what's the big deal? You think anyone is going to feel bad because you said apple users are gay? Sheesh.... it only tells us that you're insecure about the size of your weenie.

    Who cares who's gay and who isn't... anyone worthy posting on slashdot doesn't.

    --
    Yeah, and you guys panned the ipod too: http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=01/10/23/ 1816257
  8. Re:Why don't you just get a REAL operating system. by ellem · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You idiot.

    10.1.1..5 were fixes.
    And what you think 10.2 is a whole new OS?

    No, you dimwit! It is another fix.

    I'll give them 20USD but that's all it is worth.

    --
    This .sig is fake but accurate.
  9. I wonder what happens if you order from this link? by dpbsmith · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail /-/software/B00006F7S2/rebates/02/002-1732681-4549 637

    As of five minutes ago...

    This link DOES show a rebate coupon, the coupon DOES list "Mac OS X 10.2: Jaguar," and the coupon DOES say it is good for purchases made between 7/29/02 and 09/03/02.

    --

    "How to Do Nothing," kids activities, back in print!