Dun have to OT too much, ultimately we are all trying to help the poster....
I just bought a ipod from Apple store direct, reason being :
1. they give discounts, talk to a apple phone sales person and you will know. You need not be cheapo to act as a student or ask favours from children from aunts and uncles.
2. Buy together with accessories and you get even better discounts.
3. Free technical support even after 90 days, just call your sales person for a favour.
4. Laser engraving. Personalised your very own. Unless you want to sell away later which I think the prices will tumble since a newer touch screen ipod is speculated to come out anytime. Also you will have a lot of convenience when you send it for repairs. Do a search on other ipods forum and you will know that they often give you a used ipod as replacement while if yours is a personalised one, you will most likely get a new one if yours is beyond repaired. Don't quote me for it, I saw other forums mention it.
5. Better quality and fresh from oven. Mine is made a couple of days after I ordered it. They are not displayed at stores where you don't know when they are made or shipped and the store owner show them to many people only to be rejected for cosemetic flaws which you may not have noticed.
6. Improve repair time and convenienced. Ordered from apple, you have any problem, they drop down to your house, grab it from you, send it back to repair and return to you at your door step. Not happy, reject it let them do the running, you stay at home blow aircon no sweat.
For 1st 7 days, if you get from others, you need to bring down to the shop, convince the store owner and he press here and there a bit to verify then they send to apple then apple take some time to repair, send back to store and you make another trip there to pick up. Not happy, repeat process....if after 7 days, make a trip to the super friendly apple repair centre and you will know how sweet their apple taste. 9 out of 10 people who went to apple repair centre comment their service is :thumbsd: :thumbsd: :thumbsd: . Good luck.
7. Very convenient if you intend to give it as a present, the warranty part is more pleasant for the person who receive it. Especially your GF, BF. Don't need to keep stupid thermo paper receipt that fades away after 3 months. Apple centre had your purchasing record.
All these convenience is merely SGD 50 difference from the cheapest price you pals posted here. Think about the cab fare, bus, MRT and time spend to and fro to purchase, send for repairs, retrieve it after repairs etc especially if its for a love one. Save them the trouble and a more sincere and thoughtful gift.
I got it for my wife as a present and I use it also
, so I think its worth the convenience and the consideration for the person who used it, whether its you or the one who receive it from you.