Walmart’s subsidary Jet.com has become an Apple authorised dealer which sets them aside from US rival Amazon who aren’t an authorised dealer.
On Jet.com, you can now buy the iPhone, iPad, Mac computers, Apple Watch, Apple TV, the new HomePod, AirPods, Beats headphones and a selection of cases and accessories knowing that they’re all genuine and direct from Apple. For the launch, the marketplace has a range of discounts and special offers when buying multiple Apple products. However, apart from the select discounts, Jet.com appear to be following Apple’s retail pricing and Apple products don’t appear to be included in their dynamic pricing engine.
This gives Jet.com access to the full range of Apple products which is something Amazon don’t have. Amazon do sell certain products directly including the Apple Mac and Apple TV, but they are reliant on third party merchants to make the bulk of Apple products available. This is a disadvantage as not only is stock restricted to what merchants have in stock and are willing to list, but also raises trust issues as to whether all products are genuine.
For merchants, you may now find your ability to sell genuine Apple products on Jet.com is restricted as the marketplace has a history of giving exclusivity to products where they are an authorised dealer.
If you’re not an Apple dealer, then Jet.com becoming an authorised Apple dealer will have little impact on you other than it making them a more attractive marketplace for Apple aficionados. However if Jet.com sign up a significant number of direct relationships with Brands then that could start to restrict the products that merchants can sell on the platform.
