This Story Posted:
May 4th, 1999

[4:14 PM]
Apple Goes Upscale As Neiman Marcus Sells iMac

MacWeek is reporting that Neiman Marcus is now selling iMacs! The report says that the company is offering a bundle that includes a 266 MHz iMac (Rev. C), an Epson Stylus printer, and a MicroTek SlimScan USB flat-bed scanner. The bundle is priced at US$1699 and is only available through their mail-order catalog. Read the MacWeek story for more details on this bundle. The Mac Observer Spin: Neiman Marcus may not have the kind of massive retail electronic presence that Best Buy or CompUSA has, but this is still a very important agreement for Apple. For those Observer who may not know, Neiman Marcus is an upscale department store from the old school. It adds to the image of the iMac as being a cut above the competition as Apple's hardware competitors struggle with prices falling faster than Mac fan Rush Limbaugh's pants after a heavy meal of fried pork rinds and strawberry cheesecake. MacWeek tells us that the product is only available through their online catalog, at least for now. That catalog's mailing list includes a wealthier slice of America among its members and the iMac bundle will probably fare very well. While we do not yet have details of the agreement between Apple and Neiman Marcus, a successful catalog run could possible lead to Neiman Marcus selling the units in their retail stores. This would once again not only increase Apple's exposure, it would also add further to their image. Lastly, this development certainly lends credence to the rumors that say Apple is in the process of finalizing a deal with Sears for that retailer to sell iMacs. It's great to see that Apple is in no way resting on their laurels of success and are actively pursuing ever more opportunities to increase their still sparse retail presence. Way to go Apple! Apple - Neiman Marcus