It’s no secret that iPads are in great demand, and in some areas of the country, there is shortage. So when the news that Walmart will soon carry them, I suspect Apple sees a short honeymoon for premium pricing on these suckers, as they already have plans to mass market the first generation model through the U.S.’s largest retail giant. I’m sure teasers for an upgraded edition iPad will be in the works at the same time iPad hits Walmart shelves.
The Senior VP of Walmart has stated that the US mega-retailer will carry the hot product later this year. It could also happen that an iPad Walmart specific App emerges.
Walmart stores could be jam-packed with iPads before the year ends. Speaking to BusinessWeek, Walmart’s senior VP of entertainment, Gary Severson, said that he believes Walmart and Apple can hammer out a deal to bring the popular tablet to stores “later this year.” Despite his confidence that a deal will be reached, Severson was reluctant to comment on pricing or speculate on a possible release time frame.
One can assume Walmart would want the iPad on its shelves well before the Christmas shopping season, and perhaps more importantly before Black Friday begins. Currently only available from Apple Stores, select Best Buys and a limited number of resellers, over 1 million iPads have been sold to date. If Walmart were allowed to sell the device, it would undoubtedly accelerate sales of the tablet, especially in rural areas where authorized stores are hundreds of miles away.
