Don't test drive a Mac Mini
Belay the last post, as within a day, Apple has pulled their test drive promotion. Arstechnica is where I saw it, and will echo their words...
Such an about-face is amateurish and risks drawing the ire of the very people they were looking to entice. A quick hop around the news sites shows that plenty of media outlets only reported on the new promotion in the last few hours, meaning that many people will only learn about it after its demise. If Apple was out for a buzzkill, I guess you could call this a success.
Basically, the whole thing is just bizarre. If you ask yourself what could cause them to cancel it but wouldn't be a factor in them deciding to go with it in the first place, the only thing I can come up with is that they came up with it internally but didn't run it by someone important who freaked out or was about to.
If we assume that anyone internally who would wield that sway would have been in the know, we have to look externally... Perhaps the legions of resellers, which includes everyone from small shops shops to large chains to catalogs... Who the hell knows, and we'll probably never know..
Any way you slice it, it just looks flakey.
Posted by drunkenbatmanAugust 31, 2005, at 11:13 PM
Comments (10)
Posted by: Pascale Soleil at September 1, 2005 12:38 AM
This is indeed truly bizarre. I wonder whether it was somehow launched prematurely... a campaign intended to link up with Sept 7 or Paris Expo?
Posted by: Oliver at September 1, 2005 12:40 AM
Another prime example of Apple's business-sense (or lack thereof).
Posted by: John at September 1, 2005 12:41 AM
You can do a 30 day trial by purchasing at amazon.com....
30 days, if you don't like it send it back (although you pay shipping back which is usually $5 o $10)... no questions asked
Posted by: whoknows at September 1, 2005 04:03 AM
Perhaps this wasn't to be released until the 9th of September? Does anyone know for sure where they actually meant to release it on the 31st of August?
Posted by: Morts at September 1, 2005 07:47 AM
Maybe they were overwhelmed by responses?
Posted by: Mike at September 1, 2005 08:49 AM
If you look at what they were originally offering, it was a glorified return policy. A test drive doesn't generally require you to pay the whole price up front before going for a spin. John was right on the money with his comment.
Posted by: MacBiff at September 1, 2005 01:56 PM
Agreed it is strange, but to echo the comments it was a strange promotion. A test drive implies taking it home before you buy, this was "Pay for it, but take longer to return it". After you clicked it took you right to the customize your order page, and if you added anything you would not be able to return it.
Posted by: Jeff at September 1, 2005 06:09 PM
My guess would be that "someone from legal" realised that they hadn't limited people to one, um, bite at the apple.
ie, nothing would stop you from requesting a new test machine each month.
I'd imagine it'll reappear soon with a slightly different set of ts and cs.
Posted by: cameron aka desk003 at September 2, 2005 02:01 AM
I think I agree with the people that said the premature launch, and with Jeff, because, He's right.
Here's where the real innovation lies: In the PR Department!
Test-drive a Mac mini Promotion
Try it for one day -- send it back if you don't love it!
Well, guess someone didn't like the promotion. Sent it back.
K