The holiday season deals kicked off this weekend and for large parts of today due to Thanksgiving, and with more festivities coming up during the next couple of weeks, it’s a great month to be a tech fan. In the spirit of things, Apple has announced that it will ship items for free up until and including December 22nd, without any minimum spending requirement. Also, the company revealed the latest dates one can order certain items for receipt before December 24th, while extending its returns policy to January 7th for items purchased from November 1st to December 25th.
With there always being such a rush in the run-up to Christmas, things must be spaced out to cope with the load and meet demand, so if, for example, you’re buying one of the new models of iPad, you’ve only a few days left to place your order. Those opting for standard shipping of the new iPad mini with Retina display in time for Christmas will need to have their order placed by December 5th – only three days away – while those wanting the comfortably-stocked iPad Air will still need to get their backsides into action by December 9th.
Of course, worst case scenario is that you have to head down to an Apple Store to pick one up, but whilst this is a harmless enough pursuit in normal terms, it’s actually a painful experience around this time of year. The longer you leave it, the busier it will be when you do, and the harder to find the gifts you want, so if you’re thinking that somebody (or even yourself) would like a gadget bearing a bitten Apple logo this holiday, it would be advisable not to delay.
The new iPads aren’t the only products that must be ordered early to guarantee shipment, either. The highly sought-after iPhone 5s must be purchased online by December 12th to arrive by 24th, and with the gold model having been the most popular so far, those in search of this particular variant should probably order as soon as feasibly possible.
Usually, Apple requires a $50 minimum spend for free shipping, but by relaxing this, the company avoids a virtual siege on its Retail Stores.
So, what are you picking up from Apple this holiday?
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the Web.