How Apple sets its prices

Marco Tabini, Macworld:

Both iOS devices and Macs seem to be impervious to the discount game. In fact it’s so rare to find a significant price variance between retailers that, when it does happen, the event usually draws considerable press coverage.

Many times over the years I’ve had discussions with friends and family about why you can’t find the same “deals” on Apple hardware that you can from other computer companies. Tabini does a good job of breaking down why, exactly, Apple is different, through more stringent control of its distribution network and incentives to retailers to maintain certain prices.