Apple freezes Australians out of its annual sale for the first time in seven years

THIS may be the year Apple kills Christmas for its Australian customers, excluding the land Down Under from its huge annual one-day sale.

Apple denies Aussies big yearly sale

APPLE has frozen Australian customers out of its annual sale for the first time in seven years, ignoring its loyal Down Under audience while offering rewards to customers in the United States.

The technology giant also abandoned product discounts for the second year running, ditching the Black Friday and Cyber Monday discounting tradition.

Apple began discounting its products on just one day each year in 2005, adopting America’s Black Friday trend to hold sales following the country’s Thanksgiving holiday.

It extended the sales to Australia in 2008, offering as much as 10 per cent off some products, and discounts on a wide range of items from MacBooks to iPods.

But the company has ignored Australia for the first time in seven years this year, failing to offer sales or even incentives for Apple purchases.

Apple customers in the United States also missed out on discounts for the second year running, but were offered iTunes gift cards up to the value of $US100 with their purchases.

Apple declined to explain why Australians had been excluded from the annual sale this year.

The company is supporting the Global Fund to Fight AIDS in Australia, however, pledging to donate “a portion of all purchases” on today, Cyber Monday to the charity.

Originally published as Apple freezes Australians out of its annual sale for the first time in seven years