« Apple Store’s Still Sizzling | Main | Does Anyone Use Trackbacks Anymore? »
Why Consumer Love..and Pay More for Macs
By Mark Evans | August 6, 2008
Having just purchased a new MacBook, Joe Wilcox’s article on why people are willing to pay twice as much as for a Mac than a Windows PC caught my attention.
He makes some great points in doing some apples to oranges comparisons between a MacBook and an HP laptop, and an iMac and a Dell Inspiron 518. When you look at the machines side by side, you pay a lot for more a Mac but get less.
Why is that? How can Apple demand and get premium prices while PC makers battle it out with prices as one of their biggest weapons?
Wilcox provides fiver reasons but I think it comes down to Apple’s ultra-strong brand and the perception it makes high-quality machines. Putting aside the aura that surrounds Apple’s approach to design, where Apple thrives is its marketing/advertising.
There are few companies in the world that do a better job of convincing consumers that if you buy their product, you’ll be smarter, hipper, cooler, more productive and part of the “in” crowd. When you buy a MacBook, an iPod or an iPhone, you’re not just buying consumer electronics; you’re buying a lifestyle and making a personal statement.
When it comes to the MacBook, there’s no doubt the Mac OS is user-friendly with all that drag and drop magic. But truth be told, Windows isn’t that far behind, although I’m still not convinced about Vista.
From a hardware perspective, MacBooks are far from perfect despite their beautiful design. And while Apple has good customer service, quality control may be its Achilles Heel. Of course, Mac users don’t complain too loudly when their beloved machines stop working because, after all, Apple is good and cool. And you don’t hear much kvetching about the high cost of buying Mac accessories such as power connecters.
That’s the dividend Apple gets from doing such a good job on marketing. They’ve convinced everyone their products are so cool and good, no one wants to point out that sometimes the emperor has no clothes.
Links: Technovia wonders whether Macs are really over-priced and whether tougher economic times will hurt sales. “Even though I can’t imagine buying another Windows PC (except in markets where this is no Mac, like ultraportables or tablets), I would be reluctant to buy an Apple at the moment, as the hardware you get for the money just isn’t that great.” Zoli makes a great point that TOS (total cost of ownership) needs to be taken into account when considering Mac vs. Windows.
Technorati Tags: Apple, iPhone, MacBook
Topics: Apple/iPod |