• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less

1

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
TechApple

Apple Conspicuously Absent from Black Friday, Cyber Monday Deals

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 30, 2015, 2:16 PM ET
Apple To Report Quarterly Earnings
The Apple logo is displayed on the exterior of an Apple Store on April 23, 2013 in San Francisco, California. Photograph by Justin Sullivan — Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Anyone who looked for discounts during the extended Thanksgiving holiday may have noticed that one major company ignored the deal-saving frenzy: Apple (AAPL).

Apple Stores, as well as the company’s e-commerce site, failed to cut prices on Black Friday and have no deals available on Cyber Monday. The move is just the latest example of Apple’s unwillingness to follow a crowd.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are among the two best days for U.S. shoppers to find deals for everything from electronics to toys. Depending on the day and the retailer, customers can usually find steep discounts to get more customers in the door or on their websites.

Apple’s decision against following the pack was telegraphed earlier this month by retail chief Angela Ahrendts. In an interview with Fast Company this month, Ahrendts said that Apple has stopped Black Friday deals as part of its mission to be “good to…employees” and not force them to work the long hours and brave the massive crowds so common on Black Friday. Ahrendts added that she had hoped other retailers would “knock off” the Black Friday tradition, according to a tweet from Fast Company’s Harry McCracken.

Apple declined comment to Fortune for this article.

Of course, for Apple is doing just fine without Black Friday deals. The company generates billions of dollars in quarterly profits, and its retail stores are a sales juggernaut. In March, research firm eMarketer revealed that Apple generated $4,799 in sales per square foot of retail space. Its closest rival, luxury jewelry maker Tiffany & Co. (TIF), could only muster $3,132 per square foot. Those figures seem to clearly show the company doesn’t really need to offer deals on special holidays.

“The company sells premium products, differentiated by their design, ease-of-use, and social,” says Yory Wurmser, retail analyst at eMarketer. “Apple doesn’t compete on price and rarely discounts. When it does, it has a specific purpose, such as the Apple trade-in program.”

Still, Apple’s decision to detour from tradition is relatively new. Just a couple of years ago, the company put small mark downs on some of its products including Macs, iPods and other devices for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Last year, in lieu of those discounts, Apple donated a portion of its retail revenue on Black Friday and Cyber Monday to World AIDS Day 2014. Apple also offered up some free iTunes gift cards with the purchase of its products.

Despite this year’s Black Friday boycott, Apple didn’t force its retail partners to follow its lead. Indeed, many of the top U.S. retailers including Best Buy (BBY), Wal-Mart (WMT), Target (TGT), and others, are all cutting prices on Apple devices. Shoppers will find iMacs at $150 off, iPads with 15% discounts, and iPhones boasting small rebates through Monday.

“Apple has a fair amount of leverage over retailers and is letting retailers cut into their own margins to sell more iPhones and iPads,” Yurmser says of Apple’s retail partners offering discounts.

Yurmser argues that Apple’s decision to not offer sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday—in addition to being better for employees, as Ahrendts argues—is best for business. The company has no issue selling its wildly popular products at full price. Therefore, there is no financial benefit in dropping prices to lift demand.

“Right now, Apple has what are generally regarded as the best products out there, and is selling about as many iPhones as it can make,” Wurmser says. “It has little incentive to undermine its brand with lower prices, even in the case of iPads or Apple Watches.“

So, as long as Apple is doing well and Ahrendts is in charge, don’t expect a shopping bonanza on Black Friday and Cyber Monday—Apple simply has no reason to follow the crowd.

For more about Apple, watch this Fortune video:

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Man in a suit and tie
InvestingAmazon
Bill Ackman, David Tepper, and other billionaire fund managers are quietly piling into Amazon
By Amanda GerutJune 25, 2026
4 hours ago
A college graduate in regalia rests his chin in his hand.
Future of WorkGen Z
Gen Z graduates are blaming AI for their unemployment woes when they should be looking somewhere else
By Sasha RogelbergJune 25, 2026
4 hours ago
Getting past the pilot: Why so many AI test projects have trouble scaling
SuccessBrainstorm Tech
Getting past the pilot: Why so many AI test projects have trouble scaling
By Alexei OreskovicJune 24, 2026
12 hours ago
‘Godmother of AI’ and tech entrepreneurs draw investors by pivoting from chatbots to ‘world models’ saying AI has to read the room, not just books
AIRobots
‘Godmother of AI’ and tech entrepreneurs draw investors by pivoting from chatbots to ‘world models’ saying AI has to read the room, not just books
By The Associated PressJune 24, 2026
14 hours ago
‘We are in agony’: Today Show host Savannah Guthrie begs public for help as reports surface her missing 84-year-old mom might be dead
North AmericaMedia
‘We are in agony’: Today Show host Savannah Guthrie begs public for help as reports surface her missing 84-year-old mom might be dead
By The Associated PressJune 24, 2026
14 hours ago
Asia’s defense boom is rewiring the global arms supply chain
Commentaryarms, weapons, and defense
Asia’s defense boom is rewiring the global arms supply chain
By Chris OberoiJune 24, 2026
14 hours ago

Most Popular

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
Economy
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
By Jacqueline MunisJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
Retail
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
20 hours ago
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
2 days ago
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
Asia
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
22 hours ago
Trump’s international student crackdown kicked off a domino effect that could shave nearly $500 billion off the economy
Economy
Trump’s international student crackdown kicked off a domino effect that could shave nearly $500 billion off the economy
By Tristan BoveJune 24, 2026
17 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.