APPLE HEADS WHAT THE F*CK IS THIS? IS IT REAL?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 12:09 am

I need an powerbook bad, anybody know anything about this? I found the ad at tgs

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 12:10 am

damn! i'm so excited i forgot the link

http://www.applepurchaseprogram.com

Alex Reynolds · Post by **Alex Reynolds** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 12:37 am

The prices are too good to be true. What's more, there's a non-refundable $250 deposit. Apple curtails "grey market" sales for a reason.

I smell shenanigans, but I'm just paranoid. If you get what you pay for, let us know!

-Alex

synfony_studios · Post by **synfony_studios** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 1:32 am

hmmm, didn't get a good feeling going through their site. They advertise themselves as not being Apple resellers, yet they plan on "negotiating" prices with Apple? A reservation fee of $250? What are you reserving!

Beware my friend.

J.

Anonymous wrote:damn! i'm so excited i forgot the link

http://www.applepurchaseprogram.com

burgessa23 · Post by **burgessa23** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 1:47 am

heres the text of the chat I had with their 'customer service' person

Please wait for a site operator to respond.
You are now chatting with 'Customer Support'
Customer Support:Hi there! Welcome to the Apple Purchase Program. How may I help you?
you:so what's the deal with the program
you:how long have you been at this
Customer Support:Honestly what we are doing isn't very complex. We simply bring multiple buyers together and negotiate volume pricing. Resellers benefit by moving large quantities of machines, so they are more than happy to discount the boxes.
Customer Support:
Customer Support:Also, remember, resellers aren't allowed to advertise prices lower than Apple. That is why you never see prices change from one reseller to another.
Customer Support:The Apple Purchase Program is very new (just a few months old), however, our parent copmany has been in business since 1992... about 10 years.
you:the powerbook i want says 12 units left to order, what happens if 12 people don't sign up?
Customer Support:That is 12 people TOTAL in the order... PowerBooks, iMacs, and PowerMacs. We have never had a reservation period yet where there were remaining computers.
Customer Support:In fact, we usually get too many people.
you:oh, I see, so I want an 867 15" powerbook, but the fine print says that I may be automatically upgraded, I don't want the 17" because it won't boot into os9, does the auto upgrade thing happen a lot?
Customer Support:No, it will never happen for the PowerBooks... not enough demand.
you:when is the next order reservation period ending?
Customer Support:Do you mean THIS reservation period?
you:yes
Customer Support:The reservation period closes when all reservations are in. So, once the remaining slots are reserved, the reservation period closes so we can head to the reseller.
you:what resellers do you use?
Customer Support:There are just over 500 resellers that we can pull from... we use whomever gives us the biggest disounts for that purchase.
you:thanks for the info, I'll think about it

got that from the "live person" link on the site

at least he didn't contradict the site

original guest · Post by **original guest** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 2:21 am

I don't know guys, I want to order but I don't want to be a sucker, I'd hate
to order and then get took and have to go down to florida and kick somebodys ass, its just too hot down there.

synfony_studios · Post by **synfony_studios** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 2:26 am

I've been asking around, but no one seems to know about them. They did say they were new. If you got $250 to kill, go fer it.

J.

original guest wrote:I don't know guys, I want to order but I don't want to be a sucker, I'd hate
to order and then get took and have to go down to florida and kick somebodys ass, its just too hot down there.

harb · Post by **harb** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 7:14 pm

Absolute scam. I know people that have been burned by sites like this.
Paypal?
You must have 1 million dollars of Apple sales/inventory, per year, to be an authorized online retailer. I don't see any negotiations being possible from a scam like this, selling product well below reseller cost.

harb

Schmidi · Post by **Schmidi** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 2:38 am

My friend just talked to him for about 20 minutes (he's a pretty savy biz guy too) At first we chatted online then he asked if he could call us and so we gave him the # and he did right away.
Here are my friends thoughts anyway:
The operation is legit was the feeling after talking too the guy. What the guy (Fred Lackie) said checked out as legit with US biz laws and basically this company acts much like a stock broker and finds about 100 people or so the best deal and purchases in large volume which benefits all parties involved. The $250 reservation fee is charged because apple charges a 10-15% restocking fee, if say 5 of those 100 people cancel their order, then the entire 100 people aren't screwed and neither is this company.
I think I'm gonna give it a try and I'll keep all of you updated on my experience.

ok But who are you? · Post by **ok But who are you?** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 2:46 am

this was your first post, for all we know you could be Fred Lackie, or his wife.

Schmidi · Post by **Schmidi** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 6:43 am

heh, your name is guest!
Anyway yeah I'm new onhere, think what you want, but I was thinking about it all a little more and I kinda have downgraded it to just a good deal as opposed to freakin awesome. Those prices are just estamates so who knows how much you'd really save.
I did find a post from somebody on a yahoo group who said they ordered something so I'll post any response I get.

Alex Reynolds · Post by **Alex Reynolds** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 6:48 am

Also note that, if you can make a purchase though an education reseller (if you have access to one), you can prices pretty close to these, usually with a 3 yr Applecare warranty thrown in if you shop around.

-Alex

burgessa23 · Post by **burgessa23** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 6:52 pm

edu pricing is not that good from apple $100 US discount on an 867 powerbook

Alex Reynolds · Post by **Alex Reynolds** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 6:56 pm

Ask your vendor about bundles.

-Alex

ApplePurchase · Post by **ApplePurchase** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 8:15 pm

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We hope that the following document will help answer any questions you have about the details of the Apple Purchase Program:

www.applepurchaseprogram.com/forumresponse.htm

As you will see from the page above, what we are offering is really not very complex. You are all invited to read the document and contact us with any questions.

Sincerely,
Member Support
Apple Purchase Program
Marbella Technologies, Inc.
www.applepurchaseprogram.com
info@applepurchaseprogram.com

APPLE HEADS WHAT THE F*CK IS THIS? IS IT REAL?

APPLE HEADS WHAT THE F*CK IS THIS? IS IT REAL?

We are on the phone with them!

lol

Immediately Release