Is the apple store much cheaper than other channels?

[Lollypop]

After a week apple distributors here in South Africa finally acknowledges the existence of the Mac mini and iPod shuffle.

The thing that I would like to know is how much more expensive is non-apple retail channels that the apple store in your areas? The cheapest store I can find over here is http://www.zastore.co.za, it has the Mac mini listed for R4579, converting that back to dollar the smallest Mac mini cost $750. I know there are cost involved in getting it here ect, but $250, how does that work???

 

[robbieduncan]

In the UK the Apple Store is no cheaper than any other store (for Apple products). In fact all stores seem to charge within a couple of pounds of each other.

Apple products are more expensive in the UK than a direct $=>£ conversion from the US Apple Store would indicate. This is because of tax . Prices in the US are quoted without any sales tax (local or state). In the UK prices are quoted with all sales tax added (17.5% VAT). This accounts for a lot of the difference.

 

[virividox]

but if you go to oregon then theres no sales tax