Pure Marketing Fluff: The Apple Store Pro Card
“As if getting a G5 wasn’t cool enough.” That’s the tagline of The Apple Store Pro Card. According to the Apple website, “The Apple Store Pro Card is your passport to a world of benefits and privileges designed exclusively for the professional Mac user.” And here’s what you get:
1. Complete transfer of your existing files to your new Power Mac G5.
We’ll do it for you in 24 hours. Make an appointment with a Mac Genius. Then bring in your current computer. We’ll transfer all your files to your new Power Mac G5 and have it ready for you the next day.
2. Your own Pro Day at the Apple Store.
Save 10% on software. Pick a day, any day. Then come in and select from a wide range of professional applications. Show your Pro Card at the register and get 10% off your purchase. Buy your Power Mac G5 right now and your Pro Day could be today.
3. Free installation of any software purchased at this Apple Store.
Want to save a little time? Let us install the software you buy on your Power Mac G5. On you’re Pro Day or any other day.
4. Guaranteed next-day appointment with a Mac Genius.
Have questions or issues with your new Power Mac G5? Want insider tips and ways to get your work done faster? Just want to talk Mac? Call any store and make an appointment with a Mac Genius. Then come in, grab a stool and talk with one of Apple’s great minds. Need another appointment? Give us a call and we’ll pencil you in.
5. Special events.
Since you make your living on a Mac, you’ll want to stay on top of the latest news and technology. You’ll be the first to know about upcoming events and exclusive offers for our Pro Card members.
The best part about it? It’s free when you buy a new (not refurbished) G5 at the Apple Store (retail location only) while supplies last.
So, does that convince you to go and buy a G5 now? For me? No. Let me be clear: I think the idea of a “Pro Card” is a great idea. It is a way for Apple to help “professionals” to not only buy a G5 but to demonstrate through the benefits of the card all that the retail stores have to offer. But when you break down the benefits, it really does not amount to nearly enough.
Complete transfer of your files within 24 hours?
So I would have to lug my old computer to the store, leave it there for 24 hours and then have some “genius” mess with all my files? I don’t think so. First off, 24 hours to a small business owner or self-employed professional can be a long time. Secondly, who would feel comfortable enough to have their files handled by someone who does not know the difference between your 400 page screenplay and your to do list? Finally, the Pro Card is clearly geared towards the knowledgeable and capable user. Transferring your files through a network, archived discs or even your iPod is pretty basic.
Your own Pro Day at the Apple Store?
Ooh. What a transparent way to get people to spend more money. And to top it off, you can only do this for 1 day! And it has to be within 30 days of purchase! You just dropped 3 grand on a new machine; the least they could do would be to give you 10% off for 30 days.
Free installation of software.
Come on. Are we to believe that you would then bring your computer back in just to have Keynote installed. Apple is banking on you not taking the time. It’s a hassle. You know it. They know it. They shouldn’t even mention this benefit. It’s insulting.
Guaranteed next-day date with your friendly Mac Genius.
How many times have you walked in to the Apple Store (not including the holiday season) and have seen no one sitting at the Genius Bar? Until people start lining out the door for help from a genius, this is not a compelling benefit either.
Special Events.
What constitutes a special event? The Night of the Panther? iPod Live? Well all of us non Pro Card holders knew about those. Exclusive offers? What? $50 off Keynote? Sorry. Knew about that also. Please.
Apple is missing a huge opportunity here. They are trying to present exclusivity to professional users, thinking it will sway people to buy the G5. The G5 does not need any help swaying. Maybe they should offer the file transfer benefit to switchers. Transferring PC files to a Mac is a task fit for a Genius. Maybe they should offer the 10% discount to anyone who has bought a new computer. Maybe they should advertise the trial .Mac membership more prominently. All I know is that Apple is trying once again to give us stuff we should be getting for free anyways, regardless of computer purchase. Give me a true benefit or don’t offer it to me at all. The G5 sells itself.
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Comments
Yes, the G5 sells itself. But just like everything Apple makes, the Pro Card is not for everyone. You are one of those people that have no use for it and want to complain that Apple didnt give you enough. Does Apple ever give the true Mac lover everything he wants? Of course not, because our thirst can never be quenched. The Pro Card is great for those who use it the most. If that is a niche market, its ok, Apple is used to it. Its not like they actually wanted people to use the cards anyway.
I am not complaining that Apple didn’t give enough. I am complaining that Apple missed an opportunity to make this benefit more compelling to more people.
“The Pro Card is great for those who use it the most” is a true, valid statement. The point is it it should be, “The Pro Card is great for most people and they will use it.”
I am a Pro Card holder - #1 in fact (Mayfair Mall) - and the truth is that the dogtags that they handed out for the Panther event are more useful than the card.
It looks cool, but that’s about it.
it is just marketing fluff. and that is just the point of the Pro Card.
let’s get over ourselves here: I know many of you must have worked with the marketing department at some point. and come to the realization that marketing’s prime directive is to generate the most sales leads with the least amount of money.
That directive does not include marketing campaigns that require spending resources and money on useful, quality services. If the Pro Card was a real service - then it would be being sold out of the Professional Services department of Apple.
The pro card may be an insult to long time mac users, but it might come in handy for those switchers. Which brings me to a question. Can the Mac genius transfer files from a PC to a G5? In that case, a person such as a graphics professional who had never used a Mac might appreciate such a service. When I first got my Mac, it took me a while to figure out where to stick things (I was so used to windows). In windows, I had a separate folder that I created for images. Upon switching, I did not know that iPhoto organized all my Images. Here I was with duplicate folders all with the same images. Deleting the images folder freed up 6 gigs.
Currently, the card should be given to all switchers, but for current mac owners, we need more. For example, have an exclusive night just for G5 users, free Photo shop filters, priority service just for G5 users, etc. It’s a work in progress that I think will get better with time.