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Low Turnout for iPad Mini Launch in China, But Scalpers Still Hoarding Supplies

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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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The Wall Street Journal reports that turnout for the launch of the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad in China today was fairly low, with Apple's lottery system and two-per-person limits for in-person sales of the iPad mini said to be making it more difficult for scalpers to run their operations.

beijing_sanlitun_ipad_mini_launch.jpg
iPad mini on display at Apple's Sanlitun retail store in Beijing​
The scalpers were still present, however, as the report notes that a number of them were set up some distance away from Apple's Sanlitun store in Beijing to collect units purchased by others.
On Friday morning, Apple's Sanlitun store opened to no crowds, but a large group of scalpers was standing a hop and skip from the store entrance collecting iPad Minis from Chinese customers in exchange for cash. Behind them, on a nearby bench, sat tall stacks of the devices.
Click to expand...
A Wall Street Journal reporter was accosted by the scalpers after he tried to film the scene, but Apple and mall security declined to intervene in the situation.
Li Yongqiang, 18, said he wasn't picked in the lottery to purchase the iPad Mini but still arrived at 8:30 a.m. to observe the atmosphere. Mr. Li said scalpers met with a crowd of about a hundred outside the Apple store to discuss the process of purchasing the iPad Mini. The crowd appeared to be predominantly made up of customers there to purchase the product on behalf of scalpers, he added. It's not clear how the scalpers were able to get so many of their people selected for the lottery.
Click to expand...
Apple continues to hold a dominant share of the tablet market in China as it does in many countries around the world, and with China now responsible for 15% of the company's revenue, Apple is no doubt hoping for strong sales of the latest devices heading into the end of the year.

Article Link: Low Turnout for iPad Mini Launch in China, But Scalpers Still Hoarding Supplies
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/12/07/low-turnout-for-ipad-mini-launch-in-china-but-scalpers-still-hoarding-supplies/
D.T.

D.T.

macrumors G4
Sep 15, 2011
11,050
12,460
Vilano Beach, FL
A local resident was interviewed about his interest in an iPad Mini, and said, "I build the things all day long, I sure as hell don't want to see one at home..."
 
D

digitalhen

macrumors regular
Jan 10, 2006
219
64
This sounds very familiar. In Hong Kong, scalpers were there on launch day for the iPhone 5, and iPad Mini, with "collectors" waiting right outside the door with stacks of them. Nobody did anything about it.

No one I know has been able to win the "lottery" for an iPhone 5, despite playing it every single day.

But scalpers... they always win.
 
thelink

thelink

macrumors regular
Jun 29, 2012
114
10
Mr. Kappa over there looks like he's pretending not to use one of those minis. Lol
 
puckhead193

puckhead193

macrumors G3
May 25, 2004
9,570
852
NY
what I don't get is how do you have thousands of dollars worth of apple products just sitting there and no one comes up and tries to rob them....
 
L

Llebnoj

macrumors newbie
Dec 7, 2012
1
0
They cleaned out every store in the US, so they have gotten their fix. Some regulation would have been nice.
 
R

rollzst

macrumors member
Apr 10, 2011
98
8
D.T. said:
A local resident was interviewed about his interest in an iPad Mini, and said, "I build the things all day long, I sure as hell don't want to see one at home..."
Click to expand...

Erm no because they are not even build in Beijing!
 
T

tzeshan

macrumors regular
Dec 12, 2009
205
3
Why are the prices much higher in China?

16 GB WiFI iPad4 sells for 3688 RMB $593. This is higher than in Hong Kong.
 
SockRolid

SockRolid

macrumors 68000
Jan 5, 2010
1,560
118
Almost Rock Solid
MacRumors said:
... The scalpers were still present, however, as the report notes that a number of them were set up some distance away from Apple's Sanlitun store in Beijing to collect units purchased by others. ...
Click to expand...

At least there were 1. no riots and 2. no legit customers being turned away.

And seriously, doesn't Apple China advertise how and where to pre-order?
And isn't shipping free in China? You'd think pre-ordering would stop scalping.

Attention citizens of China: http://www.apple.com.cn
 
I

iRCL

macrumors 6502
Nov 2, 2011
284
0
SockRolid said:
At least there were 1. no riots and 2. no legit customers being turned away.

And seriously, doesn't Apple China advertise how and where to pre-order?
And isn't shipping free in China? You'd think pre-ordering would stop scalping.

Attention citizens of China: http://www.apple.com.cn
Click to expand...

There *were* legit customers being turned away, you just don't see it because it was done via a lottery that was rigged. Why bother coming in when you know there are none available to buy?
 
Icaras

Icaras

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2008
6,344
3,393
puckhead193 said:
what I don't get is how do you have thousands of dollars worth of apple products just sitting there and no one comes up and tries to rob them....
Click to expand...

Probably because this is China, a very strict communist country with probably more severe criminal penalty laws than your average western nation.
 
ghost187

ghost187

macrumors 6502a
Mar 18, 2010
965
2,042
I have a solution for scalpers. Why dont apple sell high end (64gb) iphone in majority for the first couple of months so u pay 200 extra weather you need the storage or not and apple makes money hand over fist. That way, instead of paying premium to a scalper you at least pay for storage.
 
M

mabhatter

macrumors 65816
Jan 3, 2009
1,022
388
ghost187 said:
I have a solution for scalpers. Why dont apple sell high end (64gb) iphone in majority for the first couple of months so u pay 200 extra weather you need the storage or not and apple makes money hand over fist. That way, instead of paying premium to a scalper you at least pay for storage.
Click to expand...

That makes sense. So if the scalper was dealing with loan sharks and can't unload inventory fast enough.... Make the scalpers take a loss. Not Apple's problem and everybody gets cheaper iphones. They aren't the ORIGINAL owner, so Apple doesn't have to honor them returning 20 at once either. That should get some legs broken when the scalpers can't pay the loan sharks... That's always fun to see.

Do that just once and the scalping will stop. And you are not cheating legit customers in any way... They get the BEST phone ... As Apple limits cheaper models to 8GB the 64GB models hold value longer even when a new model is released.
 
thewitt

thewitt

macrumors 68020
Sep 13, 2011
2,102
1,523
The Chinese don't queue very nicely, so this lottery pre-order system is a very good way for Apple to control the crowds.

I don't believe it was rigged - two of my staff in China were able to get units - but the scalpers were buying units from those who purchased them legally for a tidy, immediate profit.
 
somethingelsefl

somethingelsefl

macrumors 6502
Dec 22, 2008
461
204
Tampa, FL
puckhead193 said:
what I don't get is how do you have thousands of dollars worth of apple products just sitting there and no one comes up and tries to rob them....
Click to expand...

Probably the exact same reasons that people don't steal them in other countries.

MR moderators must have their hands full trying to keep out racism in every single China-focused post. It's unbelievable.

----------
thelink said:
Why is there so many asians at that store? :confused:
Click to expand...

What value does your comment add to MR? Is it even related to Apple in the slightest?
 
J

Jimrod

macrumors 65816
Jun 24, 2010
1,199
659
Meanwhile, back in England, the iPad Mini my girlfriend ordered last week with a "2-week" lead time has a scheduled arrival of December 28th... If China don't want 'em, we'll have 'em. :)
 
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