Frequent Buyer Points

Usually I am fiercely loyal to Apple. I forgive them much because of the ‘difference’ their insanely great products have made to my life. I’ve watched suffering colleagues with their dumb Windows machines and thought, “There but for Apple go I.”

But sometimes I wish Apple would notice me … and all the other people who have not strayed from the Macintosh path for umpteen years. In ’87 I spent all my inheritance from my mother’s estate on a MacPlus and LaserWriter, and I’ve been buying Macs for home and work ever since, as well as influencing others to do the same. My devotion to Apple has kept me poor in other worldly goods. I know I am but one of many.

And sometimes, I get just a little annoyed that Apple makes ME pay for remaining loyal instead of REWARDING me.

So I’m going to make one of my rare whinges about Apple.

I have never minded paying more for the greatest computer in the world, but I think it would be nice if they were to reward frequent buyers in the little
things – the things that don’t actually cost them much.

You know how it is … you go to an expensive restaurant. You don’t mind paying more because the food, the presentation, the service, and the ambience are excellent … except, there’s not quite enough food. It would cost them very little to give you enough food and if they did, you’d go away feeling absolutely delighted. Instead, you leave with a slightly sour taste in your mouth – they didn’t put the icing on the cake.

GREAT businesses delight their customers. GREAT businesses reward their loyal customers.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’ll remain loyal to Apple as long as I can manage to raise the funds (and it’s funny how I always seem to find the money to stay more or less up to date), but Apple falls short of being a great business.

Take the case of .Mac subscribers, and specifically those outside the US/Canada.

I was a little taken aback at the price of iLife 05, and looked in vain for an upgrade price or something. Would it hurt Apple, I ask, to at least give .Mac subscribers a DISCOUNT on iLife 05, especially if they already own iLife 04? (The price in Australia is $119)

Would it hurt them, too, to give non-US/Canadian .Mac subscribers some sort of concession on the .Mac fee? We can’t even access the iTunes store, and
we can’t get those iPhoto books printed (not that I want to – I prefer
the ones I make myself).

I made these comments at the Apple site. But I don’t expect to get a response. For a start there is no ‘appropriate’ place for such comments. And there’s all this guff about not wanting any ‘unsolicited’ suggestions, and warnings that if you do make a good suggestion (even one that makes them heaps of money, apparently) you won’t get any credit for it. The idea will become Apple’s.

Grumble … grumble … grumble