14 DAY TRIAL // Celebrating Father’s Day in the United States, Canada, and Europe, Apple has announced a free-shipping initiative that enables gift buyers to order an item cheaper than the minimum $50/€50 and have it delivered anywhere for free. Of course, you can also use the promotion to buy something for yourself.
The announcement reads: “Free shipping on everything. Now through May 29.” The initiative is to encourage people to buy their fathers Apple gifts, with the iPad being marketed front and center as the perfect present for Dad: “A Father’s Day gift he’ll open every day. Give him iPad Air or iPad mini with Retina display.”
Apple offers the usual engraving service for free, allowing inspired customers to add a custom motto or tagline to the back of the device. People who want to receive the gift before Father’s Day (June 15) are told to see the checkout page for the most accurate delivery dates.
Other “Top gifts for Dad” include bags and cases, various accessories, Philips Hue bulbs that you can control from an iDevice (color, intensity), web cams, a smart grilling thermometer for the BBQ fanatic (whose dad isn’t one?), wireless blood pressure wristbands, all kinds of headphones and soccer-themed iPhone cases, soccer balls with sensors in them, etc. And to think Pele got his formal training with an orange.
Apple regularly launches special promotions whenever there’s a holiday or celebration just around the corner, including Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and the upcoming Father’s Day. On occasions that are special for the entire globe, such as Christmas and Black Friday, the Mac maker goes the extra mile and offers additional benefits, including discounts. Sadly, its discounts are among the smallest in the industry.
Customers can get next-day delivery on most products (depending on whether or not they’re in stock), with the company bragging that “Apple uses the best carriers in the business to make sure your order gets to you on time. From the Secure Checkout page you'll see your item description, price and Ships time.”
“Items ship as they become available. Once the item leaves our warehouse, the shipping method you choose on the Checkout page determines when shipped items will deliver to your shipping address. You can ship each item to a different address, and choose up to 15 different addresses per order,” adds the Mac maker.
Buyers can select an Apple Retail Store from the map and pick up most items purchased on the Apple Online Store. Product pages will display products that are Available for Pickup with an availability link that users click, enter a zip code (for where the pick up location), and then check availability via the Search Stores button.
Once they are ready to make the buy, customers simply select the Pick up button on the Checkout page and, if they decide to change the pickup location at the last moment, the Change store link is there to assist them.
Visit Apple’s online store at http://store.apple.com/ to review your options for Father’s Day.