Apple's Retail Problem

Why PC people tend to leave Macs out

- 2000.02.17

Apple's computers and other products have been grossly underrepresented by PC reviewers since before PCs were called "IBM compatibles" (remember that?). When they do get around to discussing or reviewing them, they barely mention the products, or the article seems like a report from Mac Bash Fest 2000.

Their excuses are reasonable: they could think that Macs are some sort rare cult computer (and their presence at nearly all big retail chains except CompUSA amplifies that illusion) or, if it's a magazine article, the magazine's publisher could be anti-Mac, like Ziff-Davis.

Whatever the reason, we Mac users must take action. The Mac indifference and bashing is not beneficial to Apple sales whatsoever, and it isn't limited to magazine and internet reviews - it can also exist at retail stores. I was in my local CompUSA once, and a couple were asking why there were two sets of speakers on the iMac. The salesman responded "Uhhhh, I don't know about these computers." As he wandered off, I took action!

"I have one of these at home and the built-in speakers are great, Apple codeveloped them with a very prestigious speaker manufacturer and the sound is really clear. However, the external speakers right here are a lot louder, and if you need that sort of sound performance, they're a great deal. They plug in right here on the side," I said.

A little difference between the salesman and my own response, eh? See, if Apple could get young people like myself, who have a tough time finding jobs (I'm 14 years old), to work at the Store-Within-a-Stores at CompUSA, think of the possibilities! Or at least allow us to volunteer in the Apple Demo Days program.

As far as the magazine reviews problem, I suggest that if you want to stop it, start complaining, because in almost every issue of PC Magazine and similar publications, I see at least one letter protesting a Mac's exclusion from an article. At least the magazines print them, and if many more people would protest, they might actually listen. But most of us don't really care what they publish, because we have three Mac-dedicated magazines of our own, and we just love to read articles excluding and bashing PCs!

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