I'm guessing they must also pay some sort of import taxes to get their products in the EU?
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Apple Launches New Online Stores for Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, UAE
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I'm guessing they must also pay some sort of import taxes to get their products in the EU?
Mostly taxes. Electronics are more expensive in Poland then rest of Europe especialle the West part
awesome news!
also for the pricing: it was much worse few years back, costing more than a double in some cases ... now its like US price + VAT (20%) + 10% (import tax?)
also for the pricing: it was much worse few years back, costing more than a double in some cases ... now its like US price + VAT (20%) + 10% (import tax?)
Dont know how exact is the information but I have heard that Bilkom, the premium apple reseller has got a loooong contract to be the only distributor of apple products in Turkey because they have helped translating Mac OS into Turkish..
I wish we also get apple stores and them cool return policies
Or exchange if it's broken. Now when you buy something off of iSpot and it breaks, they send it to the repair center which will eventually send you a refurb but still it takes a lot of time usually.....
BTW, one thing really bothers me, why in the heck apple is only giving 1 year warranty whereas in EU the legal minimum Warranty period is 2 years?
Or exchange if it's broken. Now when you buy something off of iSpot and it breaks, they send it to the repair center which will eventually send you a refurb but still it takes a lot of time usually.....
BTW, one thing really bothers me, why in the heck apple is only giving 1 year warranty whereas in EU the legal minimum Warranty period is 2 years?
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Great, finally Czech Republic has an Apple Online Store. Now just give me the iTunes Music and Video Store, the iBookstore, Photo Book printing, GarageBand lesson purchase, etc., and it will be magnificent
Exactly, waiting for this moment for a long time. However the iTunes store is a different story. It would require change in licensing by content providers. I don't see this happening anytime soon
Apple Store in Czech Republic
Hooray, it's finally here. I am so glad that we are not third world country anymore, even if we are in EU for 7 years already.
Regarding the online store. Prices are usually better than premium resellers have. So this is very good for us. The other side is that Apple offers only one year warranty. This is something against our law. Everything purchased in Czech Republic must have 2 years at least. The only exception is, when product is purchased by the companies. In such case there might be one year warranty.
The special case is an iPhone. The price is way better than unsubsidized price from our mobile carriers. It is even cheaper than subsidized price with "low price tariff plans" and contract for 2 years. Actually our "low tarif plans" are usually more expensive than "middle tariff plans" in other countries (for instance 20-25 Euro per month with 150 minutes in it). :-(
Yeah, our carriers tell us that Czech Republic is "Specific Country" with "special prices", which correspond to nationwide standard.
Sorry for (a little) off topic.
Also I am truly sorry for my poor English. You know, it is not my native language and i am still learning.
Hooray, it's finally here. I am so glad that we are not third world country anymore, even if we are in EU for 7 years already.
Regarding the online store. Prices are usually better than premium resellers have. So this is very good for us. The other side is that Apple offers only one year warranty. This is something against our law. Everything purchased in Czech Republic must have 2 years at least. The only exception is, when product is purchased by the companies. In such case there might be one year warranty.
The special case is an iPhone. The price is way better than unsubsidized price from our mobile carriers. It is even cheaper than subsidized price with "low price tariff plans" and contract for 2 years. Actually our "low tarif plans" are usually more expensive than "middle tariff plans" in other countries (for instance 20-25 Euro per month with 150 minutes in it). :-(
Yeah, our carriers tell us that Czech Republic is "Specific Country" with "special prices", which correspond to nationwide standard.
Sorry for (a little) off topic.
Also I am truly sorry for my poor English. You know, it is not my native language and i am still learning.
Finally Dziękujemy!
But, there is one thing - iMac prices are way higher than in Apple Premium Reseller stores - for example iMac (i7 3.4 GHz, 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD, 2GB Radeon 6970M) costs 10999 zł in Apple Store and about 9400zł in Premium Reseller.
$1 = 3.15 zł
Now, how about iTunes and iBooks in Poland?
// Yep, we still can't buy songs.
Dziękujemy!But, there is one thing - iMac prices are way higher than in Apple Premium Reseller stores - for example iMac (i7 3.4 GHz, 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD, 2GB Radeon 6970M) costs 10999 zł in Apple Store and about 9400zł in Premium Reseller.
$1 = 3.15 zł
Now, how about iTunes and iBooks in Poland?
// Yep, we still can't buy songs.
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Agreed. Lion has an Arabic interface though, so maybe it's a matter of time..
Still no stores for Saudi Arabia, Jordan and other middle east countries
This comes up time and time again. There is no legal minimum warranty period in the EU.
Finally
But, there is one thing - iMac prices are way higher than in Apple Premium Reseller stores
Now, how about iTunes and iBooks in Poland?
// Yep, we still can't buy songs.
Why would you want one, especially now you have seen Apple's pricing? Do you like paying more or something?
Apple Polska! Yeah!!!!
Now let's wait until we get a physical store to shop and enjoy in person.. hands-on. Dzieki!
Now let's wait until we get a physical store to shop and enjoy in person.. hands-on. Dzieki!
You're right, there is no minimum warranty period in the EU or Poland, I've did some reaserch ;P
As for iTunes if I would have the chance to buy music from it believe me I would as I am buying apps which is no problem for me whatsoever.
con
But then again, the EU constructed a directive obliging manufacturers to give consumers a 2 year Warranty, so how does this go against what you're saying?
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Import duty, VAT, etc.
Many nations imose a hefty penalty to import goods from foreign lands.
In some cases firms eat this cost, or it is built into the market.
However Apple hisorically does not do this, so they pass along the import to the customer.
That said, competing imported goods are subject to the same duty, so a similar Sony or Acer machine would be more expensive. That said, some companies maybe willing o cut their margin to gain market share in a nation while Apple may not be.
Add in tax implications, the need for home office staff and over head and you get the idea why foreign goods can be more expensive in other nations. Then you have currency exchange. Apple doe snot usually fluctuate it prices, so it probably pegs the MSRP at a safe exchange rate for every model release.
Many nations imose a hefty penalty to import goods from foreign lands.
In some cases firms eat this cost, or it is built into the market.
However Apple hisorically does not do this, so they pass along the import to the customer.
That said, competing imported goods are subject to the same duty, so a similar Sony or Acer machine would be more expensive. That said, some companies maybe willing o cut their margin to gain market share in a nation while Apple may not be.
Add in tax implications, the need for home office staff and over head and you get the idea why foreign goods can be more expensive in other nations. Then you have currency exchange. Apple doe snot usually fluctuate it prices, so it probably pegs the MSRP at a safe exchange rate for every model release.
Also I am truly sorry for my poor English. You know, it is not my native language and i am still learning.
Most Americans don't write as well as you do. Don't apologize.
Umm, the Polish one makes no sense. I was born in Poland, immigrated to the United States almost 20 years ago. My knowledge of Polish grammar is limited (I was only 8-years-old), but I'm certain that's not right!
As someone already wrote and as I am not sure about the rest of EU, but there is a legal 2 yrs warranty on any new (not used) product sold to the consumer (not B2B) in the Czech Republic (there are certain exceptions like products on sale, etc.).
I am looking forward how will Apple go around it.
20+ percent markup for VAT (Hungary just passed a 27% VAT!
)Plus somewhere along the "value" chain the price differential is paying for someone's healthcare, 5+ weeks of vacation, subsidized lunches, 3-6 months notice before you can lay off employees, 2-year mandatory warranty, etc. Those are all real costs of social programs (doing business), ultimately paid for by the customers.
25 years, guess it was about time. Its good to know there are apple fans around the glob.