Staples to offer iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus
The retailer is also trying to sweeten the deal with a couple of trade-in offers.
Staples is now officially on the list of retailers that will sell the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus starting Friday.
Announcing the news Thursday, the company said that both new smartphones will be available in limited supply at 250 Staples stores tomorrow. Staples added that the new iPhones can be preordered at any one of Staples' 900 locations. Staples is selling the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in store only, and an iPhone store locator will be available on Staples.com beginning Friday.
That adds Staples to the range of retailers selling the new phones, including Apple itself, the four major US carriers, Best Buy, RadioShack, Sam's Club, Target and Walmart.
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have been available for preorder since September 12 and racked up a record 4 million preorders in the first 24 hours.
Staples is dangling a couple of deals to try to get iPhone 6 buyers to its stores.
Customers who trade in a qualifying smartphone can earn at least $50 in the form of a gift card, which can be used to help pay for the new iPhone. For example, an iPhone 5 in good condition can score a trade-in value as high as $280. In a deal that sounds less enticing, customers can also earn at least $30 when they trade in a qualifying laptop.
Verizon subscribers who trade in their old model iPhone can receive a Staples gift card for $200. That card would then be used to buy the new iPhone 6, which starts at $199 with the usual two-year agreement.
The retailer also offers as much as 5 percent back in Staples Rewards for customers who buy tech products.
Staples didn't indicate how easy or difficult it might be to score an iPhone at one of its stores starting Friday. The retailer first began selling Apple's smartphone in store with the iPhone 5S. As expected, demand for the new iPhones has outstripped supply. Apple's website shows a wait time of seven to 10 business days for online orders of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and a wait of three to four weeks for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.
Staples customers should call their local store before dropping by to make sure the iPhone 6 model they want is actually available.
Update, 11:05 a.m. PT: Adds more details on buying the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus at Staples.