When the iPad went on sale in the US on April 3, the whole world was watching. Not Hong Kong. They were preparing their illegal iPad launch.
The Hong Kong shops planned it out: they had groups of students ready to buy, workers waiting to pack and people set to fly back to Hong Kong. Add that all up and they were selling iPads only a few days after Apple.
Plus an iPad in Hong Kong sells for $US971 for 16GB, $US980 for 32B and $US1080 for 64GB. That’s nearly double the US price! Heck, the Hong Kong shop’s profit margin might be higher than Apple’s.
On a side note, the 32GB version is only $US9 more than the 16GB in Hong Kong, it’s a $US100 difference here. Oh Apple, even people in Hong Kong know an extra 16GB isn’t worth $US100. [micgadget]
Ju
Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 11:06 AMThats the reason why Apple Products should not be made in China and made in the USA
Joe
Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 12:41 PMWhat, so they’re even more expensive?
Richard
Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 2:44 PMWhat does this article have to do with apple products being made in China…
Cyrus
Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 8:08 PMGotta love patriotic-protectionist-like comments, obviously didnt think it through..
Joe & Boydy hit the nail on the head. This has nothing to do with “where” the product is manufactured (100% moot) but rather “when” it is released in specific countries. And if it was manufactured in the USA it would cost at least twice as much..
Agreed with Robert as well. Ive never heard of it being illegal to buy something in one country and sell it in another for more — thats basic arbitrage. (exception: drugs? lol)
Zac
Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 8:59 PMThey are made in China, just designed in Cupertino.
Boydy
Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 11:59 AMActually, maybe it its more of a reason to release it at the same time everywhere?
Robert Smart
Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 12:44 PMI dont believe what they are doing is “Illegal”. Done without Apple’s blessing sure. “Grey market” maybe. “Illegal” I dont think so.
col
Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 2:05 PMHaven’t you heard? Anything Apple doesn’t bless is illegal now.
Nicholas
Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 3:19 PMHow is this illegal?
They are not breaking any laws in Hong Kong.
It’s the hype that people create that pushes Apple products over the top.
Articles that you publish are read by many, misleading articles are just pushing it.
Ward Paterson
Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 5:56 PMHow the h3ll is this illegal? Does that mean by buying an over priced one from the US on ebay is illegal as well?? Have a look on Ebay will you, they’re going for $300-$400 above RRP as well – and people are buying them!
The only difference here, is that there were Hong Kong people buying them in the US, then flying back to Hong Kong to stock the shelves for sale.
Sure the prices are expensive, but they have to take into account the costs for travel, accommodation, etc. I reckon if they have the desire to do this, then let them. If someone actually buys them in Hong Kong at the higher price, then let them.
I lived in Hong Kong for 7 years. This happens all the time – it even happened with the first gen iPhone – which I had in my hands thru a Hong Kong shop I regularily bought from, less than a week after being released in the US
LOL @ Casey Chan, you got a lot to learn about reporting, ebay and the world for that matter…
Phil Ingram
Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 2:56 PMIllegal? How illegal? Someone buys something and sells it second hand. There is nothing illegal about that whatsoever. There are no laws about selling something you own (are you going to say it is illegal to buy a second hand computer next?) and there are no laws about what price you can sell something you own at. In fact this is third hand. Individual buys, shop buys, someone buys from the shop.
If that is illegal then you have just declared every second hand shop illegal.
There is absolutely nothing illegal about this whatsoever.
Did it occur to you to seek comment from a legal expert to back up your choice of words? Probably not. That is something a journalist would do.