While it might be logical for Apple to push iMac inventory through independent Apple retailers, Apple is finding it more difficult to convince dealers to buy products that will soon be discontinued. Apple refuses to give me price protection on old models. They can't expect me to take that kind of risk. A number of years ago, Apple did grant price protection on certain Macintosh products, but it has since dropped the practice because it feels it is a money-losing proposition for the company. While Apple continues to improve its ability to control inventories and remaining stock, Steve Fortuna, Apple analyst at Merrill Lynch, said he thinks there will always be situations where Apple will use retailers such as Costco to clear inventories.
Business is business.
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