Computer Store Ad Uses Picture Of New MacBook Pro To Sell Old Ones
Andrew sent us this picture of a CampusTechShop ad that he says is all over his college campus. The ad trumpets reduced prices on the previous edition of MacBook Pro, then illustrates it with a picture of the new MacBook Pro.
We agree that this is deceptive, although we're not sure whether using the new picture was intentional. If it was an accident, we'd advise against not taking your computer there for any sort of repair.
This is a test using rich text formatting and html links. It's the generic "company" ad that should appear on all posts with the Company category if they don't have an ad attached to a specific company.
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Comments:
I don't think that's remotely deceptive. If you're willing to drop $1600 on something without doing the ounce of research required to find out what the "previous Macbook Pro" refers to, you deserve what you get.
Especially since, from that picture the laptop looks exactly like the old one except the beveled edges. I'm not really sure that someone who didn't know the difference would even notice. Anyone who did wouldn't be confused.
Anyway, it's a college campus, and I don't see them having much motivation to swindle their students since the student discount and software suite pretty much sell the product themselves.
Oh, good old University of Waterloo, what would I do without you? I shall miss you so ... eventually.
Really, that whole shop is a ripoff - it caters largely to the students living in the dorms - if you're in the area, the guys at Carbon Computing just down King St are far, far, far more helpful.
@aguacarbonica: Mmm. It's a university campus - the University of Waterloo. With a heavy, heavy Computer Science presence - we share parking lots with RIM (Mike Lazaridis was our Chancellor for several years, Bill Gates visited campus a few times to give talks, and we just scored Stephen Hawking to the Perimeter Institute. Really, if anyone was going to know better, it'd be students *here.* This, I think, was just plain laziness.
@aguacarbonica: Advertising one product while displaying another is misleading, period. Just because a consumer is much less likely to be tripped up by this misleading ad doesn't make it any less misleading.
Probably an unintentional mistake. Here's what a previous generation of the MacBook Pro looks like for those that were wondering: [store.apple.com]
I guess the main different is the black border on the display.
How is it deceptive? It's clearly stating "previous" and states the difference in price as well! And it looks my MacBook which I bought about 3 years ago.
@TruthAndTheory: But its not. Its the current MacBook, which is what makes it deceptive.
It does clearly state "previous" but by showing the new one they're either trying to deceive or they don't know/care about the difference.
When I see articles like this, I always get the image of Professor John Nerdelbaum I. Q. Frink, Jr. as the submitter.
Apple makes minute cosmetic updates with each new generation. I really don't see the difference between the new one pictured in the sign and the previous one. Is it the glossy screen?
does andy rooney edit this site now? was owning an onion belt part of the requirement to take it over? the new consumerist gets pettier with each "GOTCHA!" post.
I walked into my campus computer store yesterday and picked up a brand new (literally) 2.5 previous-gen Macbook Pro (matte screen) for $1199. I've been watching the refurb store like a hawk to purchase that same model for $1499, but I snagged up that deal immediately.
One could argue that they're showing what you'd be saving money _against_. That's kinda the theme of the ad.. "Want one of these, but can't afford it? Here's a solution!"
Doesn't seem deceptive.
Of course, Apple sells Macs based upon looks, not specs, so on that basis it is deceptive.
@aguacarbonica: I'll slightly disagree. It's merely the 'standard' level of deception. It's no worse than using pictures of 'art-studio-perfect' Big Macs to sell the actual greasy smut you'll get. The keys to me are twofold:
1: The advert clearly states "previous" MacBook pro.
2: The qualifier ("previous") is given equal prominence to what it qualifies. It is in the same sized font, same emphasis, and placed directly beside the qualifying phrase. If "previous" was put in a footnote on the bottom where both "previous" and the footnote signifier were printed in faint Flyspeck 3 font, it would be extremely deceptive.
On a side note, to my understanding, U of Waterloo is about as close to a Canadian version of the great hallowed halls of Computer Science in the US (MIT, Stanford, Berkeley and so forth) as one will get. As such, I think the shop's clientele will not be fooled. :)
@LatherRinseRepeat:
First is the black bezel
Next would be the 'just a mousepad'
Another would be dual graphics... just to name a few
@aguacarbonica: I don't see how the argument "people should know better" means the ad is not deceptive. It advertises a price for a item, and shows a picture of a better item. That's deceptive. Whether people should know better, whether it actually makes a difference in sales, whether you are colorblind and think black and silver look the same, these questions are irrelevant. They are describing one thing while picturing another.
Wow, 20-something posts in and nobody has yet commented that a "previous model" Apple still costs more than a PC?
Well then! This really IS the "new" Consumerist!
@triscuitbiscuit: You can see the dual graphics and mousepad in that photo? Clearly I can see why you were disappointed to discover that's not the one they were selling.
There's also the fact that when you go into a University bookstore (like the one where I went to school), it's usually one guy who works there (who is sometimes there, sometimes isn't) and is behind a small glass case that has the basic Apple stuff (but can order anything for you).
The vast majority of people that work in the bookstore know little to nothing about Apple products other than iPods and simply put out the displays that came in the mail that their manager hands to them.
Your best bet is to stick to the bookstore for sweats, hoodies, the university mug for your dad, and the student-discounted software. Use the online Apple Education store to get your discounted hardware.
Not to concerned about the photo, it spells it out in black-n-white. But...
Does anyone know if there are any of the old macbooks available in the LA, California area? Or the Hartford, CT area too (for my sister-in-law).
@triscuitbiscuit: You do realize that the fact that the ad is not at all misleading as to the fact that new MBPs have dual graphics and old models do not, right?
Same thing at my campus, however, it's for the bookstore and not a repair site.
I think it's mainly about ignorance and or apathy. The web site/poster nerd who works there with me (I'm the computer sales/hardware nerd with previous experience, but not with their site/software). He's by no means stupid, and is in fact a graphic design major at the school so he tends to stick to that aspect of it, while I browse MacRumor help forums to keep me sharp and avoid any actual work..... Anyway, our MacBook posters show off the new MacBook yet advertise the EOL model at $899.
Same with the MBP's yet they aren't quite as large as that one. (By the way, our 2.5, 512vram MBP is selling for $1,400) So I don't think it's at all an intentionally deceptive design, just that they had a picture of the new model possibly for some other poster and just used that and changed the text around to advertise the pricing of the old one. It's pretty much what we do, but that's cause we're lazy college students (I initially wrote "stupids" there, lol).
@weakdome: Wrote something out for you but it really doesn't matter. You can say what you want and people will still buy Macs, and they can say whatever and you'll still use Windows, so who cares?
@shorty63136: The ones where I went to school and then worked for a bit had really very knowledgeable folks working in the computer sections of the bookstores. I'm sure it varies greatly at different schools.
However, the more I look at that poster, the more it reminds me of the large collapsible posters that Apple provides us with...
The way the ends roll up is a giveaway that it might be, and was sent in Apple's tubular poster shipping box that bears our campus name.
@madog: Sorry, posting again. But by collapsible I mean a poster display setup that Apple also provided to us a long time ago that you can attach whatever new poster they send to you, and roll into itself. Sort of like an upside down projection screen in which the rolling part is self contained inside the unit and has a bar you use to prop it up and hold the top end of it in place.
They don't look they are using the same unit, although it could have broke like ours did (until I fixed it, I am good for something...) and they could be using something of their own.
However, I don't how Apple personalizes it other then adding your campus information to it or if you can request any information. Mainly because our unit is selling for $1,400 like I mentioned before, but our campus store is run by a non-profit group so that might be why.
"If it was an accident, we'd advise against not taking your computer there for any sort of repair."
Okay, so we _should_ take our computers there for repairs.
UConn Storrs bookstore (Co-Op) has the MBP previous gen for $1300 and the MBA previous gen for $999, if you're interested.
from the time I went to school there (and worked at the bookstore) you didn't need to be a student to buy clearance items. May have changed since then, but give them a call (I do believe they ship for $20 or so)
My account is somehow broken. My password recovery just recovered someone else's account for me so I'll have to be a guest.
I'm glad this was posted but I'd like to say that as silly a marketing mistake/deception this is, they're GREAT at doing repairs. It's a small shop with a couple techs, but the experience I had with replacing my original Macbook's Hard Drive was nothing more than pleasant.
This was taken in the South Campus Hall. The bookstore that is behind the camera sells books only. Elsewhere on campus is the "TechShop" that sells nothing but computer stuff, with well-trained employees.
Please separate judgment of marketing vs. how TechAble they are. =)
"we'd advise against not taking your computer there for any sort of repair?"
@krunk4ever: The only visual difference is the display bevel... but the picture also represents a computer with nicer features such as a faster processor, larger hard drive, multi-touch track pad, etc.
I just bought a prev-gen MPB for exactly that reason. Very similar specs for a lot lower price. And the little touch pad mouse trick is software that works fine AND I have a button.
@Mackinstyle: Really? You feel they're well trained?...
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(PS: the flooring gives it away that it's SCH - I was referring to the CampusTechshop (rather than Techworx, who I've actually found quite helpful)
@ugly:
God knows I couldn't tell the difference between the two other than color, and I would have thought that was customizable. It's hard to argue deception when the average person couldn't even tell the difference.
OMG! they posted the picture of the car with the deluxe cupholders that you can see if you stare through the windshield instead of the economy version that doesn't have cupholders!
This seems pretty nitpicky, though I guess applenerds can tell the difference at a glance.
@ccbweb:
It ebbs and flows. I dunno if it's some sort of new work ethic or the fear that the new overlords will simply fire people if they don't look industrious, but posts per day have about doubled since the transfer of ownership. There's only so much real news out there. Eventually, it's like how cable news runs stories on Paris Hilton. You have to fill the bandwidth with something.
admittedly, it's right there in bold: it's the PREVIOUS macbook pro.
Reminds me of an old Volkswagen billboard-
image of a volkswagen beetle. copy: "How to save up for a porsche"
except, this isn't anywhere near as clever