Apple Cuts iPhone XR Prices for Third-Party Distributors in China

[MacRumors]

Apple has dropped the price of the iPhone XR by about $100 for its channel partners in China, reports Yahoo Finance. The price cut allows third-party vendors to purchase the iPhone XR more cheaply, which allows the device to be sold to customers at a lower price.

Apple is not offering direct discounts on the device in China, but third-party retailers implemented price cuts on Tuesday after Apple dropped purchasing prices.

An Apple partner that buys from Apple and sells to distributors and retailers dropped the iPhone XR's price from 5980 yuan ($881) to 5380 yuan ($793) with an additional 150 yuan ($22) coupon available.

According to Yahoo Finance, the partner in question was told by Apple to drop prices to boost iPhone XR sales.

Many vendors in China are now offering the iPhone XR at a discount. JD.com is offering customers a 400 yuan coupon that drops the price of the iPhone XR to 6099 yuan ($899), while Suning, an electronics store similar to Best Buy, now sells the iPhone XR for 6199 yuan ($914).

Both of those prices are cheaper than the 6499 yuan ($958) that Apple asks for the iPhone XR from its website and retail stores.

The discount comes just ahead of the Chinese New Year in February, and could spur additional iPhone XR sales. A report from China's National Business Daily this week suggested Apple has also implemented distributor price drops on other iPhones including the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, X, XS, and XS Max. The biggest price cuts are on the iPhone XR, however.

Another recent report suggests that Apple has cut production on the iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max by about 10 percent for the next three months.

The price drops and the production cut follow a recent Q1 2019 guidance downgrade, with Apple expecting revenue of $84 billion during the quarter. That's a year-over-year decline and a drop from the $89 to $93 million revenue guidance Apple provided in November.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said that a major reason for the earnings downgrade was a weakening Chinese economy, where Apple saw softer iPhone sales than expected.

Article Link: Apple Cuts iPhone XR Prices for Third-Party Distributors in China

 

[itsmilo]

Now the rest of the world needs to follow suit and just not buy it at those redic prices

 

[joshwenke]

Hopefully Apple will follow through with more price cuts for more models in more countries!

 

[Tech198]

Boosting sales is what Apple does best

 

[The Game 161]

Hopefully means lower prices for 2019 iPhones that’s all that matters going forward.

 

[paul4339]

>>JD.com is offering customers a 400 yuan coupon that drops the price of the iPhone XR to 6099 yuan ($899), while Suning, an electronics store similar to Best Buy, now sells the iPhone XR for 6199 yuan ($914).

$899 and $914 is the discounted price? wow.

 

[nfl46]

We'll take a $100 price cut in America as well.

$649 starting price is pretty good.

 

[Baymowe335]

Good. Let’s see if this works in China.

 

[The Game 161]

Not sure why this is only china...

 

[BaltimoreMediaBlog]

"Ho Ho HO!"

 

[Baymowe335]

Hopefully Apple will follow through with more price cuts for more models in more countries!

Don’t hold your breath. The revenue reduction was over 100% a result of China and many other countries set records, including the US, Canada, Germany, Italy, and Korea.

Apple will only cut prices where they have to and they still only did it at third parties in China.

 

[JPack]

>>JD.com is offering customers a 400 yuan coupon that drops the price of the iPhone XR to 6099 yuan ($899), while Suning, an electronics store similar to Best Buy, now sells the iPhone XR for 6199 yuan ($914).

$899 and $914 is the discounted price? wow.

The price includes 17% VAT, which is collected by China for non-domestic phones.

Pre-VAT, this price puts it less expensive than Canada, which was previously the least expensive place to buy it outside the U.S.

 

[sinsin07]

Apple cutting prices.
About freakin' time.
Must be a disruption in the RDF.
Please continue.

 

[Kanyay]

lets get that in usa pls thx

my last mixtape not selling so hot. i need to save dat $

 

[MacRazySwe]

Germany should be next.

 

[apolloa]

I like my XR I’m not sure if lowering the phones price in a China will help its sales though? I thought Apple was stirring as they use that app there and ANY phone will run it?

 

[rmoliv]

Biggest flop ever.

 

[5105973]

Not sure why this is only china...

Because it’s where they want to expand their market share.

However, I do find it odd they don’t seem to notice or care more people in the U.K. and Europe are having the same reticence over pricing and moving to Android.

 

[Nagy Dávid]

$899 and $914 is the discounted price? wow.

Here in Hungary the 64GB XR costs 300000 HUF that is around $1070.

 

[Sasparilla]

Not sure why this is only china...

That trade war thing going on over there...its resulting in public social pressure to buy Chinese...which is probably affecting sales there. So here this is.

 

[78Bandit]

Not sure why this is only china...

Because Apple's market share in China has dipped under 10% and is still falling. That is pretty significant in a country where the middle-class population is exploding and sales of exclusive phones should be increasing. They will try what they can to protect sales for now. It was also in Japan where they allowed Japan's biggest carrier to discount the retail price of the XR by $100 too.

In countries like the U.S., with a market share over 40%, there isn't quite so much incentive to boost sales through reduced pricing. Apple is going to have to look long and hard at overall profit numbers before deciding on U.S. pricing. It will take a lot of additional sales to make up for the lost revenue/profit on a $100 cut and I'm not sure the numbers are actually there as Americans have shown a propensity to buy the "best" regardless of price. I look for Apple to adjust prices in Western countries with the 2019 models if they do it at all.

 

[UndefinedxJoker]

Hopefully Apple lowers the price for 2019 iPhones without lowering bar for innovation. (i.e. lower quality materials or components)

The iPhone XR should have started at $649 and the XS at $849.

 

[78Bandit]

>>JD.com is offering customers a 400 yuan coupon that drops the price of the iPhone XR to 6099 yuan ($899), while Suning, an electronics store similar to Best Buy, now sells the iPhone XR for 6199 yuan ($914).

$899 and $914 is the discounted price? wow.

I wonder if this includes all taxes and fees. I bought an XR in November and had over $100 in sales taxes and fees on top of the quoted price.

 

[PlayUltimate]

Let's not forget that outside of the US, Sales tax (VAT) is included in the listed price. Albeit, that does not account for all of the price discrepancies. For example, Santa Monica, CA, the tax rate is 10.25%. (Boulder, CO is only 8.85%. )
Thus the 64GB Xr at $750 is actually about $816 out the door. Your taxes will vary.
In Hungary, the VAT rate is 27%. That translates to a comparable price of $842 pre tax.

 

[racerhomie]

Here in Hungary the 64GB XR costs 300000 HUF that is around $1070.

Buy from unauthorized sellers or 2nd hand(used)