Top holiday sellers so far? Look to Apple…
Nine iPods are on the Amazon Electronics Top 25, as well four MacBooks in the notebook Top 10. There’s lots of seasonal cheer for our favorite fruit company as Christmas shopping gets under way in earnest.
As holiday shopping started on Friday morning, according Fortune, Apple’s 8GB iPod touch was the number one seller in electronics, but quickly fell to and has held at number four since. Of the Top 25, iPods took nine spots and of those five are tagged at North of $200 (average about $210), well above the list’s average selling price of about $189.
The only other media player in the Top 25 was a 4GB Sansa for $35, which has been marked down by over 50 percent just to reach the No 13 position—truly pathetic.
And, computers? As of this writing, four of the Amazon Top 10 spots were held by MacBooks, unsurprisingly including the plastic 2.1GHz model for $999 at number eight. Of particular note, however, is the 2.4GHz 15″ MacBook Pro, which occupied the number seven spot, ahead of the Apple’s least-expensive Mac.
More interesting still? The four Macs ($5,483.93) in the computer Top 10 are collectively more than twice as expensive as the six PCs ($2,459.98). Topping that is the fact that the only computers in Amazon’s Top 25 priced over $1,000 are Apple-branded machines.
According to Kaufman Bros analyst Shaw Wu, Apple could have done better had it cut its prices a bit more steeply, though third-party reseller discounts we considerably more aggressive. However, given the above facts, it seems rather apparent that the Cupertino, CA-based Mac and widget maker didn’t need to aggressively discount with its products placing highly, as they have consistently since at least the phrase “iPod halo effect” entered the lexicon.
To this pundit, these facts mean that PC makers can only sell at low-ball prices and that Apple’s taking the lion’s share of the profits. The bottom line is still that PCs, and media players other than iPods, are crap at any price and Apple’s offerings, though few in number, dominate in mind share and market power.
Although the economy’s said to be in a poor state, people buying Macs and iPod are definitely in a festive spirit this holiday season…
What’s your take?
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December 1st, 2008
People are sheep and driven by peer pressure and a need of approval?
People were robbed and even killed for $150 sneakers. Numerically speaking, Titanic is the best film ever released. Riots have occurred for Tickle Me Elmo, Pet Rocks and Wii. The Boy Bands and Hannah Montana outsold many acts with actual talent.
Not saying Apple products aren’t excellent, innovative or worth the price.
But it’s amusing to see people who a few years ago were bleating a small market share simply meant the masses were ignorant sheep are now trumpeting a big jump in percentage increases means world domination.
This pundit sees that 90% of computers purchased aren’t Macs and Big Box stores will sell more PC’s in a week than Apple will in a month. Direct Sales should be figured in with retail if you want to be accurate.
December 1st, 2008
America isn’t nearly as strict as a place like Japan to be the same with the majority of people. In Japan, conformity is is good thing. It’s really difficult to build societies based on non-conformity. Everyone would be doing their own thing and nothing would ever get accomplished.
I think most people want to be accepted by others, and it’s probably an easier path to take in life. Everyone used DOS and Windows at one time, but I never thought users were called sheep.
Isn’t it just possible though for people purchasing Apple products just because they’re good or have good customer support or is that totally unlikely? I was buying Apple products 20 years ago when hardly anyone was using them and I didn’t even care what other computer users had.
People kill for anything, any amount, any value, any reason.
December 1st, 2008
Looks like Santa likes Apples.
December 3rd, 2008
“Isn’t it just possible though for people purchasing Apple products just because they’re good or have good customer support or is that totally unlikely? I was buying Apple products 20 years ago when hardly anyone was using them and I didn’t even care what other computer users had.”
I was an Apple certified tech fixing them 20 years ago. Of course people buy them for those reasons. I would also say a high number of new users buy because of the cool factor or the beautiful design.
Apple’s dramatic increase in the market should stand on it’s own. This stupid parsing and mixing channels and stats is a long way from journalism.