[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Wal-Mart iPhone Sales: Where's the Discount? here

[coastie65]

My guess is that Apple has left very little discretion in pricing. If there is a little more wiggle room, Wal Mart will come down on the price. With game consoles, the price is set by the manufacturer and there is no dealer discretion in pricing. Not really good for the consumer. coastie65

[Forcemaster2000]

A lot of people don't realize it, but Walmart doesn't dictate the prices of the products they sell. Walmart is actually run like a consignment boutique. The manufacturers/suppliers set their prices, and Walmart takes a percentage of their profits as their share for providing the sales outlet. So look to Apple for why the iPhone is selling for what it is.

[Ralahamy]

Neither Apple nor Wal-mart announced discount pricing. The article is a whole-lot about nothing.

[sk33t3r]

I have dealt with Wal-Mart in the past and I won't set foot in one of their stores - I don't care if they are giving away iPhones.

The reason they can advertise "Always the Low Price" is because they demand that their suppliers drop their prices year after year if they want Wal-Mart to continue to put their product on the shelves. They are a huge reason that somebody outside the US has your old job.They have, no doubt, figured out a way to get a little more of the profit from the sale on this deal.

Shame on Apple for stooping to the lowest common denominator so that all the trash dragging their kids around by their arms can have an iPhone.

[coastie65]

I think you missed the boat on that assumption. WalMart gets good prices is due to the sheer bulk of items that they buy. It is called "Bulk Rate". The larger the quantity the lower the cost per item. WalMart has been a blessing to those with a lower income. As for the iPhone, I don't see where there is any savings and their Computers seen to be in line with pricing at Circuit City or BestBuy. If other retailers bought items in the same quantity as Walmart, they would get the same per item price. I have beat WalMart prices on a PS3 Dual Shock 3 Six Axis controller. Walmart had it at $48 and change. I got one at Amazon.com for considerably less. As a Disabled Veteran on a limited fixed income, I shop at Walmart, because of the pricing. coastie65

[sk33t3r]

coastie... I agree that for some they are a blessing - no doubt. We all have our own little "economy" and we have to make decisiosn based on that.

It was no assumption though. It is an unfortunate fact that they treat their suppliers that way I described in my previous posting. I was one of those suppliers so I have first hand experience. We could not continue to comply with their request, so they moved down the road to the next supplier. For that reason, I will not set foot in a Wal-Mart.

While they are a blessing for some, I'm sure you would also admit that they have changed the face of big and small town America and for some small shop owners, that has been no blessing.

[coastie65]

Hi, Yeah I agree that Walmart has been anything but a blessing to a lot of Mom and Pop businesses. I have been in retail sales management at the store level so only know a little about that level you were at. Thanks for qualifying your statement. I shop elsewhere as well as I can beat their prices online in a lot of cases. I am an equal oppertunity shopper, but yes, I do shop at WalMart too. coastie

[number6]

I try to avoid Walmart when I can because most of their merchandise is made in communist-China and they get subsidies on top of that.

[sk33t3r]

A large portion of our refund earlier this year went into the Wal-Marts aroound the nation. What did people buy??? Goods made in China. So the reason the stimulus package didn't work is because it was nothing more than a Wal-Mart/China stimulus package. What good did it do for me and you???

Back to the iPhone discussion - Who benefits from buying an iPhone at Wal-Mart? The underpaid greeter, the women who are paid at the rate of 75% of their male counterparts? The underpaid Chinese or Indonesians making the iPhones?

Buy local folks. Demand that it made in the USA.

[Pearla]

Are any cell phones actually manufactured in the US? TV sets? DVD players? PCs?

[beehive808]

Well, if you look at Att themselves offering a REFURB 3G iPhone 8gb for $99 with a two year contract (natch!) Walmart's anemic "discount" looks even worse. http://apple20.blogs...is-a-99-iphone/

[Kyladanielle]

Let me get this right...."trash dragging kids by arms" SO IF YOU SHOP AT WALMART AND YOU HAVE KIDS YOU ARE TRASH?? People like you make me sick. You think that is someone is "beneath you" they are trash. You need to crawl back in your gold lined hole and get over yourself. You arent BIll Gates, nor Doland Trump.

[sk33t3r]

Sadly, PearlA, very few if any are made in the USA.I believe Sharp was, maybe still is, making TV's here. They may have moved there facility to Mexico.

How did we get to this point???? We've gone global at the urging of the people we elected into public office. In an effort top "spread democracy" to the world, we have given them the jobs that our own people have been forced out of.

Apple and Wal-Mart both are a big part of this. Where is their corporate responsibility??? Their shareholders are the only ones they think about.

[sk33t3r]

Sorry to offend Kyla. If that doesn't describe you then it doesn't apply.

Obviously, it doesn't describe most of the people that shop there. My comments are more focused (or should have been) toward the corporations themselves.

[Konkrypton]

If you want a deal on any Apple equipment, get a refurbished item from their web store. Just look at the bottom left of the main store page for "clearance" or "refurbished." I just bought my second ipod nano this way and only paid $79 for it instead of 149 bucks. konkrypton

[colloquor]

Since practically nothing is manufactured in the USA anymore, why attack Wal-Mart for selling Chinese-made goods? They're not alone, as many perceived high-end stores do so as well! Once, the USA "owned" the consumer electronics manufacturing sector, but we gave that all away to the Asian manufacturers in the '60s and '70s.
When "sk33t3r" stamps Wal-Mart patrons as "trash," that's going far beyond acceptable levels. I have a Ph.D. in electric engineering with a very decent income, and my family and I shop at Wal-Mart. Why not? Unless one enjoys spending more for less, why not shop at a retailer who offers the best price. Much of the "anti-Wal-Mart" verbiage is espoused by elitists.

[BudinOK]

It is all about Big Business,(such as Walmart), Professional Politicians(our government, yes including the President-elect) and Special Interest Groups(like the China Trade Deal). It is pretty simple, folks.

[coastie65]

You've got to take into account that the Unions have driven the businesses out as well. At one time, we had a thriving Steel Industry, and then the Union demands forced the companies out of business. We could get some of it back if they just opened the shops across the country by passing a National Right To Work Law at the Federal level, which would override the State laws. coastie

[Win7]

I agree with the post that walmart has been anything but a quick fix with lower prices that has messed up our economy.

The only store that is making record profits while production in America has almost shut down.

Now we are in a position where people have to shop at Walmart. Walmart CEO's and admin are making enormous profits

while the whole country suffers. Something needs to bring down the kingdom