Apple is far from the only company suffering as a result of underwhelming flat-panel iMac shipments. According to c|net, many independent dealers — especially those located near one of Apple’s own retail stores — have received just a handful of new iMacs, while Apple’s own stores have received hundreds. This significant imbalance goes against what Apple had told dealers when the company first began rolling out its own stores. Apple may have little choice, however, as the constrained shipments force the company to favor its own stores, which carry higher margins than independent dealers, in order to appease Wall Street’s earnings expectations this quarter.
