...than if they sell it direct through the online store, perhaps. I would imagine the overall margins to Apple on an iPad sold in a Best Buy and an iPad sold in

...than if they sell it direct through the online store, perhaps. I would imagine the overall margins to Apple on an iPad sold in a Best Buy and an iPad sold in an Apple Store are similar, because Apple Stores are typically located on extremely expensive real estate and have much higher running costs than Best Buy stores. Apple obviously would prefer you to buy it in an Apple Store, because they have more control over the consumer relationship and experience - but running a physical retail store is not cheap, and that's a cost Apple has to cover if they sell direct, which they don't if they sell via Best Buy.