Only two months ago, reports were flying about warehouse club chain Costco Wholesale feeling spurned by Apple after rival Sam’s Club got the iPad and Costco didn’t. Today, it appears the relationship is completely over.
MacRumors is reporting that Apple and Costco Wholesale are officially parting ways, with both companies arriving at a “mutual agreement” to end a long-standing relationship which included the sale of moderately discounted iPods and iTunes gift cards.
“The chain is phasing out Apple products, per a mutual agreement between the companies,” according to a report this week in The Seattle Times. “Costco had sold iPods and pre-loaded iTunes cards for years, although never at huge discounts; and Apple never allowed Costco to sell its products online like other retailers.”
A Costco spokesman claims, “In the past couple months, we agreed to wind down,” while Apple spokeswoman Amy Bessette gave the standard “no comment.”
Back in the middle of October, Apple ruffled Costco’s feathers when their rival Sam’s Club started stocking the iPad (presumably as part of the deal to get it into parent company Walmart), as did retailer Target. In the weeks that followed, reports claimed that Apple product gradually vanished from the warehouse club’s shelves, leading up to the semi-official announcement this week.
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(Image courtesy of MacRumors)
