Save Two Bucks: Buy Your Next iPhone at Wal-Mart
As expected, iPhones can now be purchased at 2,500 Wal-Mart locations throughout the U.S. This won’t come with Wal-Mart’s signature markdown, as speculated. The 8 gigabyte model will sell for $197 — only $2 less than those sold at Apple and AT&T stores.
But this will be more about accessibility and sales reach than price. It should accelerate the iPhone’s march to mainstream penetration. Wal-Mart meanwhile hopes to benefit from drawing more (and different) customers into its stores. See a video report at ABCnews.com.
Am I the only who thinks that the iPhone will lose its “hipster” appeal the second it shows up in a Walmart. To add insult to injury, Walmart can’t even offer it for a steep discount; it’s only like two bucks off. This seems like a lose lose situation for both companies — iPhone degrades its own brand image by selling in Walmart, and Walmart can’t even wield its power to buckle the phone into a lower price.
Comment by Brian — January 9, 2009 @ 11:25 am