TMO Reports - Confirmed: Office Depot to Not Stock Apple Products in Retail Stores

by , 5:40 PM EDT, July 13th, 2004

Office Depot, Inc. will not stock and sell Apple products over the counter at its 800-plus retail stores in the US as part of its new authorized reseller agreement, but that policy could change in the future, a company spokesman told The Mac Observer, Tuesday.

"The extent of our relationship with Apple will be determined in the future," company spokesman Brian Levine told TMO, from the company's Delray Beach, Florida, headquarters, Tuesday. "For the time being, customers can order Apple products through our online store and through ordering kiosks in our stores across the US. But at this time, stores will not be stocking Apple products."

Mr. Levine said the relationship with Apple had been in negotiations for a number of months and that it began selling Apple products in just the past few days.

Word started surfacing Monday that Office Depot had become an authorized reseller of the full range of Apple products including PowerBooks, Power Macs, iBooks, iMacs, iPods, XServes, displays and accessories. Late Monday Mr. Levine would neither confirm or deny the report.

At present, Apple products are listed on Office Depot's online store, as well as its associated technology retailer, TechDepot.