Does Best Buy Price Match Apple? (Education Pricing Today)

People ask, does Best Buy price match Apple?

Many stores, such as Best Buy, offer price matching to ensure customers get the best deal on their merchandise, preferably in-store. But there are restrictions on the price matching process.

Best Buy does not price match offers from competitor stores such as Apple stores, or online competitor offers that are not local stores. The price match applies to local competitors, and online offers from local stores.

This article explores the limits and rules of the price match guarantee as it applies to Apple technology.

Table of Contents

Does Best Buy Price Match Apple?

According to their policy, Best Buy does not price match offers from major competitive stores, such as Apple. But what precisely does that mean?

Best Buy will price match some Apple products, under certain conditions, but they do not price match special offers or prices direct from Apple stores.

Under What Terms Will Best Buy Price Match an Apple Product?

Best Buy will price match items under the following conditions:

Items that have a lower price online than in-store, or a lower price in-store than online.
Items on which the price has dropped within the standard return and exchange time since the item was purchased
The price found at another local retailer – including online pricing
Prices from locations such as Amazon.com and other major online retailers

For items which have had a price drop in the standard return and exchange period, price matching is likely to involve a refund of the difference in price.

These terms are good for new items, with a limit of one such item price match per customer.

What’s the Time Limit for Price Matching Against Returns and Exchanges Price Changes?

Best Buy’s return policy states that the item must be returned within 15 days of the purchase. If the item is something that requires activation, such as a cell phone, then the time limit is 14 days.

Within that period, if the price drops on an Apple product you’ve purchased, you can request a price match.

Under What Terms Will Best Buy Reject a Price Match on an Apple Product?

Under the following terms, Best Buy reserves the right to refuse to price match an item:

Pricing offered directly by manufacturers, such as Apple
Prices offered by third-party sellers, or sellers promoting resale items, such as those found on eBay or Amazon Marketplace.
Pricing offered to members of Special Programs, such as Membership Programs, Educational Deals, Business Deals, or Loyalty Programs
Pricing on offers that include contracts, such as cell phones
Prices applied as part of special Financing offers, or Bundled Offers

Best Buy also reserves the right to refuse to price match special promotional offers, such as:

Black Friday Sale deals, or specials given for other holidays.
Pre-Release and Pre-Order offers on newly released items
Daily or Hourly Special Sales offered by manufacturers
Rent-To-Own Pricing, or prices offered for Items that are being ‘Leased’
Liquidation and Clearance Offers, or special deals offered on ‘Overstock’.

Best Buy will also not price match more than one of a certain item per customer. For example, if you brought in 3 iPhones and requested a price match, you would only get the reduced price for 1 of those 3 phones.

Will Best Buy Price Match Online Offers for Apple Products?

Best Buy will price match online offers under the following circumstances:

Their online price is lower or has changed to be lower than the in-store price.
The price is quoted by a primary reseller, such as Amazon, Dell, or TigerDirect.
The price is quoted by a local retailer, such as Conn’s Electronics, a local Walmart, or Target.

Why Does Best Buy Not Price Match Offers Directly From Apple?

There are several reasons Best Buy doesn’t price match the competitive prices of manufacturers.

Profit Margins:

Best Buy prices are calculated to offer the best price while still covering the costs of purchasing and shipping from the manufacturer.

Apple, as the manufacturer, has less of this kind of cost to be concerned with.

Program Differences:

Apple, like Best Buy, offers promotions and special deals for Loyalty Programs, Educators, Students, and Businesses. However, Apple programs don’t have the same terms and conditions that Best Buy’s programs do, and may not offer the same deals.

Trying to keep track of different offers from multiple programs can be a major hassle. Instead of risking unnecessary confusion, Best Buy’s policy is to refuse price matches based on alternative programs.

This also prevents people from trying to ‘stack’ their deals by applying multiple loyalty or special program benefits to a single purchase.

Difference in Products:

Best Buy carries many different Apple products, but they don’t necessarily carry all the same products Apple carries. Apple may carry modifications or slightly different models than Best Buy does.

These differences may create price differences. The refusal to price match prevents these from becoming a consideration and causing unnecessary frustration.

How Do I Know if Best Buy Will Price Match a Certain Apple Product?

Do your research. Make sure the price you want to match comes from a retailer with local representation, rather than Apple itself.

Try to base price matches on Amazon, or nearby retail stores that sell electronics.

Don’t cite prices for used items that are being sold through an individual who is not an official retailer.

Do the Price Match Terms Still Apply to Opened Items?

Best Buy’s price match policy only applies to new items. It can not be applied to refurbished or used items.

What About Items Being Matched During the Returns and Exchange Period?

According to Best Buy’s policy, ‘open box’ items, or items that have been opened, are not eligible for Price Matching.

You may, however, be able to return or exchange the item, and request the current price if it is lower than what you paid originally.

Are There Any Specific Apple Products that Best Buy Will Not Price Match?

The policy does not specifically exclude any type of product, such as computers or cell phones.

It does, however, exclude items bought in a bundle. For example, if you bought an iPhone at a discount as part of a package for acquiring cell phone service, you couldn’t try to price match another iPhone to that price.

References

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/help-topics/best-buy-price-match-guarantee/