The nation’s top-selling electronic gadget will be available from America’s top retailer, starting Friday. Wal-Mart will sell Apple’s iPad online, with orders picked up at stores, and will have the product on the shelves of 2,300 stores by year’s end.
But despite the megaseller’s ability to offer its inventory at a discount, early reports say the price won’t undercut Apple’s sales through its stores and web site. The iPad is also available at Target, where it recently went on sale; at Amazon.com; and at Best Buy, where it has been available since its launch in April. Target offers a five percent discount on the tablet computer for buyers using the chain’s credit card.
Leg Up on Rivals
The retail push will help Apple maintain its edge in the tablet field it broke open as competitors rush a slew of new devices to the market. Many of the rival devices use Google’s Android mobile operating system.
“With Walmart.com adding Apple iPad to its e-commerce offering immediately and Wal-Mart retailers stocking devices in the coming weeks, Apple is working furiously to make its media tablet product available in advance of holiday 2010 purchasing for U.S. consumers,” said ABI Research mobile-devices analyst Jeff Orr, who noted that the device sells for $499 for the basic Wi-Fi model and rises to $829 for the version with the most memory, 64GB, and both Wi-Fi and 3G. At that price, Wal-Mart’s best advantage is its ubiquity at the nation’s busiest shopping centers.
“In the first 90 days of shipments, the average selling price of iPad exceeded $650, a clear luxury item for most consumers worldwide,” Orr said. “With Wal-Mart not gaining any special pricing to attract consumers, the bet has to be on mere presence in more places.”
That strategy, he said, could backfire for Apple if it brings people into…