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Don't know about today. Apple used to give discounts to churches that ran schools.
Steven Matthew David ran a computer shop in downtown San Francisco that sold Apple computers. He also ran "Matthew's Top of the HIll Stere and TV" in Daly City. The computer shop (Computer Connection?) was a sole outlet that specialized in selling Apple computers. It competed quite well with the chains that were opening.
The computer shop closed when Apple stopped selling to the company. The reason? Steven Matthew David was buying lots of Apple computers through a Catholic school (at a better price than Apple was giving to its retailers) and selling those ultra-discounted computers through the retail outlet.
http://www.tommcmahon.net/2006/09/matthews_tv_and.html
Third item down on the above link.
Todd's dusty-from-age keyboard
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Politics and personal beliefs aside, it makes good business sense. Anytime you can tap into thought leaders it’s wise to do so. These may or may not be your or my thought leaders, but they remain thought leaders none-the-less.
I suspect churches don’t order a lot of computers. Hence, for very little material impact you might access entire congregations. I’m guessing churches produce fliers, pamphlets, etc…
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[quote Todd's keyboard]Apple used to give discounts to churches that ran schools.
They got a discount because they are a school, not a because they are a church though. A school is a school, regardless if it's private, public, religiously affiliated or nondenominational.
So if the church in question is also a school, then I imagine they would qualify for the education discount.
But I agree with incognegro. They get enough breaks as it is. I won't cry for them if they are unfortunate enough to pay full price like most people.
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Even Home Schooled kids qualify for the edu discount.
BGnR
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"where would you have them draw the line will?"
I just can't understand why a student needs a discount on an iPod... that's a good place to start...
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Yes, Apple discounts new professional hardware (anything with "pro" in the name) by 5% and other hardware by 3% to churches. iPods, small purchases, and refurbs are not discounted. Talk to a business account member. Beware, getting the sales tax removed for non-profits is a bear. I've faxed the tax exempt four times and have yet to see a refund on sales tax on an order from last month. :-(
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[quote hal]I just can't understand why a student needs a discount on an iPod... that's a good place to start...
From a business perspective, it makes pretty good sense.
iPods are great money makers in themselves. They have the margins to let them discount it and still make a good profit.
Why students?
Get 'em young.
iPods are a "gateway drug" to Apple branded iPod accessories, expensive/newer iPods, and Macintoshes.
Apple and Mac users are a pretty loyal consumerbase. They come back to buy more Apple products. Often they become hooked for life. Young iPod purchasers soon become adult (not discounted) purchasers. Along the way they evangelize the product.
It would be nicer for the rest of us non-discounted buyers for Apple to remove the large discounts for some and spread the love by discounting the prices a tiny bit over all. But that's doesn't make much marketing sense. Discounts drive sales. I know my student discount made me purchase (Adobe) software and (Apple) hardware that I wouldn't have without the discount. I became hooked on them after college spending (undiscounted) money to those vendors ever after.
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Except Apple dropped the discount for iPods for the education market some time last year. So students have not been getting any discount on them for months.