Interesting Staples marketing - Win7 and 8.1

[whs]

Staples sells the exact same computer for $299 if Win 8.1 and $499 if Win 7 - interesting get the sucker marketing.

HP Pavilion Desktop Computer (500-336) | Staples®

HP Pavilion Desktop Computer (500-281) | Staples®





HP Pavilion Desktop Computer (500-336) | Staples®

HP Pavilion Desktop Computer (500-281) | Staples®

 

[Brink]

I guess it comes down to licensing cost.

 

[whs]

A $200 difference in licensing cost. Is that possible and plausible.

 

[Brink]

Partially, but not for all of that.

 

[whs]

It was my understanding that the OEMs pay appr. $40 for a license (or less).

 

[PSCO2007]

Staples is a joke anyway - ever see any customers in their stores?

Maybe that's why they're in the process of closing loads of stores.

I ordered my Hp 4540s Probook from them for $299.00 with a $100 coupon.

I waited a week after I got the confirmation email for further notice to pick it up.

They said "out of stock/discontinued" even though I received the confirmation and wouldn't honor the coupon either.

They said the coupon was expired, although it wasn't when I ordered the laptop.

I told them that the comp was not discontinued, as many sites had it for sale - they couldn't care less.

Customer service is terrible and the way they cheat customers with their "tech service" is horrible.

They sold a comp to an older couple who thought it had a virus ( after a week)- it was just bloatware slowing it down, and instead of cleaning it, they charged them $300-"to fix it" for a comp that cost $300.

I'm sure they'll go the way of Circuit City and others of their ilk.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Stapes is closing stores because their recent merger with Office Depot, cause many stores to be redundant.

Demand is the major reason for the price difference between Win 7 and Win 8.1 machines. Few people want the 8.1 machines compared to the Win 7 machines.

 

[jumanji]

How much does Microsoft make from PC makers with Windows 8.1? | ZDNet

"Summary:Microsoft is making Windows 8.1 available to its PC partners for anywhere from 'zero dollars' to $15 per copy, according to recently disclosed OEM licensing information."

"According to Microsoft OEM pricing information -- a screen capture of which is embedded above in this post -- Windows 8.1 with Bing is listed at $10 per copy for "small" Intel-based tablets under nine inches in screen size. But after a "configuration discount," of $10, OEMs get that SKU for those tablets for free. For tablets with screen sizes of smaller (not greater, as I originally mistyped) than or equal to 10.1 inches, the Windows 8.1 with Bing SKU is listed at $25 per copy, with the same $10 "configuration discount," resulting in a $15 per copy cost for OEMs."

 

[PSCO2007]

Stapes is closing stores because their recent merger with Office Depot, cause many stores to be redundant.

Demand is the major reason for the price difference between Win 7 and Win 8.1 machines. Few people want the 8.1 machines compared to the Win 7 machines.

Stapes is closing stores because their recent merger with Office Depot, cause many stores to be redundant.

Office Depot merged with Office Max last year and their profits are down even more than Staples.

So, even though they have more name recognition, they close the Staples stores and keep Office Depot?

I see.

The times in the last ten years that I have been in a Staples store, you could play flag football in the aisles and never hit a customer, much less an associate.

Compare that to Fry's - they never have less than 200 customers at any time.

 

[Layback Bear]

It's simple to me.
The market place want Windows 7 and Microsoft wants the market place to use Windows 8 and then Windows 10.
Because of the demand for Windows 7 the price is higher and worth it.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Stapes is closing stores because their recent merger with Office Depot, cause many stores to be redundant.

Demand is the major reason for the price difference between Win 7 and Win 8.1 machines. Few people want the 8.1 machines compared to the Win 7 machines.

Stapes is closing stores because their recent merger with Office Depot, cause many stores to be redundant.

Office Depot merged with Office Max last year and their profits are down even more than Staples.

So, even though they have more name recognition, they close the Staples stores and keep Office Depot?

I see.

The times in the last ten years that I have been in a Staples store, you could play flag football in the aisles and never hit a customer, much less an associate.

Compare that to Fry's - they never have less than 200 customers at any time.

In my neck of the woods, Office Max has far more stores than Stapes or Office Depot combined.

 

[whs]

I think there is no logical explanation for the price difference - only marketing. There can possibly be no significant difference in the Windows license fee. And if Windows 7 is in higher demand, then it should be cheaper - volume lowers price. I think they are just taking advantage of those people that want Windows 7 - and that for the wrong reasons.

My wife's friend for whom we bought this $299 machine had never seen Windows 8.1 but she had no trouble at all using it after I had set it up (including the installation of a SSD). And I did not use any of those vintage setups like classic shell - only pure 8.1. The lady is no computer wizard, just a normal end user. I did, however, explain a few things and she still calls me off and on for advice.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...There can possibly be no significant difference in the Windows license fee. And if Windows 7 is in higher demand, then it should be cheaper - volume lowers price...

Methinks you are confusing supply and demand. When demand exceeds supply, prices go up. When supply exceeds demand, prices go down. In this case, Win 8 machines have very little demand, so the prices are lower in attempt to get the merchandise to move whereas Win 7 machines are far more popular, increasing demand (supply doesn't increase because no manufacturer in its right mind wants to increase supply enough to cause prices to come down).

 

[whs]

I would think that MS keeps a lid on the supply side and that the OEMs are only allowed a small number of 7 systems. That is the modern form of free marketing.

But given that there is apparently a considerable market for 7 machines, things could be different if monopolies would not control the market..

 

[ThrashZone]

Yep just another method of discouraging buying win-7 is raising the price of it,
Still worth it but I wouldn't buy from any of the three mentioned places although there's plenty of parking

8 sucks 7 rules it's just that simple.
Jury is still out on 10 but it isn't looking good looked better a couple of builds ago but now wrong direction.

 

[whs]

I actually like 8.1. Yes it took a few days to explore all the corners, But with the disturbing charms and corners disabled, I have no gripes at all. And I especially like that it is so easy to setup the high contrast themes. That is more difficult in Windows 7. Look how pretty and readable that is:

 

[ThrashZone]

Pretty is in the eye/ s of the beholder

 

[Dude]

Looks good WHS, I too like 8.1

 

[ThrashZone]

Sells shows many more do not

 

[whs]

Pretty is in the eye/ s of the beholder

Don't forget, I have only 40% eyesight. Pages without high contrast are very difficult to read for me. I usually have to engage the Magnifier.