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Dubai Apple Store prices way too high

M

Macdeez

macrumors member
Original poster
May 10, 2011
94
0
Leeds, UK.
About a month ago an official apple store opened up in dubai, where i live. And I heard that this store should have the same prices that all other stores in america and around the world have, so I was really excited and went down to check it out. I was shocked to find that the prices are crazy and really over inflated! For a 15" 2.2GHz MBP it costs 10,300 dhs which is $2822. $623 more expensive than the price apple claims it is on their website.

Is this normal? Or should I email apple a complaint?
 
Macdeez said:
About a month ago an official apple store opened up in dubai, where i live. And I heard that this store should have the same prices that all other stores in america and around the world have, so I was really excited and went down to check it out. I was shocked to find that the prices are crazy and really over inflated! For a 15" 2.2GHz MBP it costs 10,300 dhs which is $2822. $623 more expensive than the price apple claims it is on their website.

Is this normal? Or should I email apple a complaint?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure about their claim to have "the same prices that all other stores in america and around the world have". Apple stores in different countries have different prices - supposedly this is just down to taxes applicable in each country, although I'm sure other factors come into play.. For example, here in the UK, that 15" 2.2GHz MBP is £1849, which is well over $3000. So I wouldn't complain about being charged $2822. Apple products will always be cheapest in the US Apple store.
You could try complaining but Apple will probably blame tax etc.
 
If you think that is expensive try using the duty free electrical store at the Abu Dhabi airport....

I think an iPad 2 was something like £1000 - with no warranty, was also looking at some sunglasses there which were £300 there, £100 in the UK. I suspect this just isnt the place to buy.....for those price differences you can go on holiday, buy, stick it in your bag and 'import'

Apple may try to have comparative prices but maybe the UAE has some crazy import duties on such items?
 
After I have been to the US I understood why they are a more consuming society than Europe and why they do like Apple stuff so much more. Everyday goods and electronics is just way cheaper.
If you are a US citizen and don't have to pay any import/export taxes and you can are used to the US keyboard layout it would be stupid to buy it anywhere but in the US.

I wonder how they justify the Dubai prices though. In Austria we have higher VAT and they act like the EURUSD is at 1.2 instead of 1.35-1.48 which it has been for years now.
In Dubai they have less taxes afaik but I don' know about USDDHD
They most likely charge so much because.
a) They can. Europeans, Dubaieans are more likely to pay more. Because they are used to a higher price level.
b) They need a low price in the US but not so much anywhere else.

If they would change EUR/UK prices to the same as the US including taxes. That would be a huge blow for most of the competition. They couldn't produce enough of their toys. Currently some competition does relatively better in europe simply because they have "more" equal prices (without taxes).
 
Hi, im from Slovenia. And here a MacBook Pro 15 2.2GHz is 2.239,00 € which is
3.224 US$.

Now consider the fact that the average monthly salary is 1000 euros.

How is that for pricey
 
Wow damn I didn't know you guys had such high prices in europe! I guess I must be kinda lucky heheh.

Well I'm going off to uni next year, bristol, and I was wondering if I should just buy a macbook now for the current price OR wait to get to bristol then buy it...
 
Macdeez said:
Wow damn I didn't know you guys had such high prices in europe! I guess I must be kinda lucky heheh.

Well I'm going off to uni next year, bristol, and I was wondering if I should just buy a macbook now for the current price OR wait to get to bristol then buy it...
Click to expand...

If you mean Bristol in the UK, then I'd wait and get a uni discount at ~14% which comes with a complimentary 3 year warranty (1 year phone support) and this rolls in at £1,572.00 (~$2580.00). Also, the 'back to school' promotion should be kicking in soon in the coming weeks.
 
Compared to European prices on Apple goods (Which i have noted on many trips), Australian prices are cheap only $2499 for the base 2.2Ghz. Apple can blame taxes all they want but im pretty sure Australia has the most expensive import taxes of Western countries (Or close to it!).
 
Macsavvytech said:
Compared to European prices on Apple goods (Which i have noted on many trips), Australian prices are cheap only $2499 for the base 2.2Ghz. Apple can blame taxes all they want but im pretty sure Australia has the most expensive import taxes of Western countries (Or close to it!).
Click to expand...

You've also got 15-20% VAT on the European prices.
 
-
Apparently Hong Kong has the cheapest Apple products. Even cheaper than USA. (by about $40)

Macbook Pro 2.2 GHz Quad-Core i7 = $16788 (HKD)
which is $2161 (USD)
The same type of Macbook Pro in the USA sells for $2199.
 
Skika said:
Hi, im from Slovenia. And here a MacBook Pro 15 2.2GHz is 2.239,00 € which is
3.224 US$.

Now consider the fact that the average monthly salary is 1000 euros.

How is that for pricey
Click to expand...

Slightly cheaper :)

Here is the price in Croatia.

MBP Pro 15" 2,2GhZ 2.388,75 EUR (3.434,90 USD)

And the average paycheck is 700 Euros.
Wonna move to another country :(
 
In Thailand it's not that bad, definitely more expensive than US stores... but only by about 10-15 percent.

a base model 15 goes for around 2000USD
 
On Apples UK site, the 2.2 15" MB Pro that the OP quoted is £1849 including tax and that works out to $3042, that $843 difference! But you have to take US tax off that but still it won't be anywhere near $843.

So no, Dubai is not expensive. It's cheaper then the UK. In fact here in the UK it's getting more expensive for everything every day now :( time to migrate me thinks.....
 
Macsavvytech said:
Apple can blame taxes all they want but im pretty sure Australia has the most expensive import taxes of Western countries (Or close to it!).
Click to expand...
Actually in Austria there are Zero import taxes on computer stuff. The only tax there is is the VAT of 20% which is something but nowhere close to justifying the price.
I have heard voices that it is more expensive to manage the whole stuff outside the US but that is nonsense there are no Apple Stores and all you can is buy it online. And shipping in and to Europe is not that expensive.

They can charge the price because we are used to it.
In the US everybody I met had some big flat screen TV and in stores like Walmart they sold the cheap ones for pretty much nothing. In European electronic stores like Saturn (kind of like BestBuy) you cannot find a screen of similar size even in € for what they cost in $ which is ridiculous considering the exchange rate.

The politicians can complain all they want about Germans not buying enough stuff and exporting too much. When the prices are so high Germans will continue to think about what they buy with there money and won't buy loads of crap from somewhere else.
 
I'm pretty sure that Dubai is duty-free

thus wonder how Apple can justice the massively inflated costs of their porducts in the Middle Eastern market

oh yes - they must just want to exploit the fact that of the large number of wealthy individuals who either live in in the UAE or travel there for their shopping needs - Dubai used to be really good for consumer electronics - when i first went in 2003 - Gold, Electronics and clothes were so so cheap - however, since it has become a shopping mecca - with more and more consumers coming in to shop till they drop, prices have risen to extortionate levels - i guess apple is no exception.
 
Honestly, if you are living in EU zone (same prices with where you live I suppose) $450 plane ticket to USA and buying from there costs less, sadly. Extra cost + VAT + this + that, eh.
 
bigjobby said:
If you mean Bristol in the UK, then I'd wait and get a uni discount at ~14% which comes with a complimentary 3 year warranty (1 year phone support) and this rolls in at £1,572.00 (~$2580.00). Also, the 'back to school' promotion should be kicking in soon in the coming weeks.
Click to expand...

+1

I got a substantial student discount (courtesy of my girlfriend) on my new iMac as well as a load of peripherals. Saved nearly £400 in total.

If you want the latest model when you move, wait until you start uni and get a discounted one. If you want to save money - buy one before you leave home or stick with your current one. If it ain't broke, etc..
 
Chazn said:
-
Apparently Hong Kong has the cheapest Apple products. Even cheaper than USA. (by about $40)

Macbook Pro 2.2 GHz Quad-Core i7 = $16788 (HKD)
which is $2161 (USD)
The same type of Macbook Pro in the USA sells for $2199.
Click to expand...

japan has competitive prices too, macbook pro 2.2ghz quad core i7 is 145,999 yen or around 1800 us dollars

i got my macbook pro i5 13.3 model for around 1000 us dollars
 
chazn said:
-
apparently hong kong has the cheapest apple products. Even cheaper than usa. (by about $40)

macbook pro 2.2 ghz quad-core i7 = $16788 (hkd)
which is $2161 (usd)
the same type of macbook pro in the usa sells for $2199.
Click to expand...
:D
always buy in HK, no matter where you are
 
Dubai Apple store is an Authorized Reseller

Hi - back to the original OP's question. I just arrived in Dubai and went looking for this "Apple Store". It is not an "official" apple store - you don't get genius bar support, etc and if you were to buy a one-to-one package somewhere else, they would not be honored here like in other "official" apple stores because it is an "authorized reseller" - different company from Apple and therefore can set their prices as they please.
This authorized reseller has a store within all Virgin Megastores in Dubai....Some of them have a look and feel of an Apple Store but it is not an official store. :mad:
 
johnnyturbouk said:
I'm pretty sure that Dubai is duty-free

thus wonder how Apple can justice the massively inflated costs of their porducts in the Middle Eastern market
Click to expand...

Rest assured, Apple can justify anything. High prices are part of the "Apple" experience. My fully loaded 15" 2011 MBP was $3,200 USD.
 
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