Apple Feel-Good Marketing

Joe Wilcox | January 26, 2005, 06:47 PM

This afternoon, several Mac news sites posted stories about Apple offering partial refunds to customers that placed build-to-order Mac minis within the last 14 days. Yesterday, Apple responded to critics (yes, I was one of them) that complained Mac mini looked less attractive when configured with extras like more memory, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. My dream Mac mini would have cost $903 under the old pricing. Now, it would be $773.

Apple did the right thing by extending the lower component pricing to excited, faithful early buyers; assuming the news sites are right, those folks can ask for refunds on the difference. Or if Apple's sale people are really good, buyers could spend on something else. The money's already gone, right? Why not pick up something else?

The best marketing is good customer service. In one quick move, Apple softened the attack on Mac mini pricing and gave something back to people that already placed orders. More importantly, the move renews the Mac mini buzz (there are new news stories today) and takes Apple from the position of potentially overstating Mac mini's value (that could be construed as taking something away from customers) and instead offering valuable component-upgrade price reductions (that's giving something back to customers).

Apple is a master of feel-good marketing, as in giving people good reason to feel good about the company and its products. Other high-tech vendors, you should understand the formula isn't secret, like that for Coca-Cola. Clients, if you don't understand, please call one of the analysts; I'm certainly available, as are my colleagues, to assist you in your marketing messaging.