Hong Kong iPhone 4S Pre-order?

[gloryunited]

Never second guess Apple, they will do anything to sell more phones.

If they really want to sell more phones, they can simply start selling in China early! They can even set a high mark-up price and people will still buy.

They now allow 10 phones per customer in HK and most of them end up in China anyway. I don't think any real users will need 10 phones in a transaction!

 

[michacle]

If they really want to sell more phones, they can simply start selling in China early! They can even set a high mark-up price and people will still buy.

They now allow 10 phones per customer in HK and most of them end up in China anyway. I don't think any real users will need 10 phones in a transaction!

not real users,but illegal retailers..

 

[imacdaddy]

I was very surprised to see max 10 per customer. I guess you can buy all 10, sell 9 to pay for the 1 to keep.

I guess there will be a huge line up at the Apple store next Friday morning.

 

[thelookingglass]

I was very surprised to see max 10 per customer. I guess you can buy all 10, sell 9 to pay for the 1 to keep.

I guess there will be a huge line up at the Apple store next Friday morning.

Yeah, I'm debating whether to go to the Apple store or someplace more remote. Everyone and their mothers will be at the Apple store, although I'm sure they'll have more phones in stock as well.

 

[gloryunited]

I was very surprised to see max 10 per customer. I guess you can buy all 10, sell 9 to pay for the 1 to keep.

I guess there will be a huge line up at the Apple store next Friday morning.

Everyone is doing just that, and Apple sees no problem in this whole "buy 9 get 1 free" special deal for HK.

I might just have a friend get me one from overseas.

 

[festerfeet]

I was in the UK but on business but returned to China just before the 4s launched in the UK, will be in HK on the 11th on business but fly out in the afternoon. My old phone seems is barely working and really wanted to replace with the 4s but it seems Apple is happy to sell to profiteers rather than genuine customers. I suppose I will have to wait until it hits China and pay the premium!

 

[Roger24]

Change from Apples fair play policy / change in management?

I'm new to HK and bought Apple products in the UK before where it seemed straight forward i.e. customers were given information, and if there was a iphone shortage there was a limit on the amount you could buy.

HK gets excluded from the announcement, when asked about a date for HK Apple ignores its customers. Now pre-orders where you can pick the colour and memory but can't proceed further ....all with no information and apparently dishing out 10 each to the "lucky Few" which just seems wrong.

I called in to the store ifc mall to ask the staff what was happening (don't bother) they just said you have to book on the internet.

I like the idea of Siri but I'm getting annoyed with Apple, I'll be looking at Samsung when I'm out at the weekend.

 

[ICEBreaker]

Interestingly - it stated 1 customer could buy 10 units. My bet is they'll be out on the grey market the day after delivery, with a couple of thousand $ marked up.

Sounds to me like the local Apple unit at Hong Kong has been compromised. 10 phones per customers and website going up "live" at random times? Sounds like some syndicates will be making a lot of money, both by selling website units in the grey market, and also by buying out all phones to protect the spot price of the existing units in the grey market. Nice to see corruption spirit still going strong.

 

[thelookingglass]

Sounds to me like the local Apple unit at Hong Kong has been compromised. 10 phones per customers and website going up "live" at random times? Sounds like some syndicates will be making a lot of money, both by selling website units in the grey market, and also by buying out all phones to protect the spot price of the existing units in the grey market. Nice to see corruption spirit still going strong.

I don't know about all that. If I were a scalper, I'd be real wary of pre-ordering too many units. Keep in mind that estimated delivery times are anywhere between 2-4 weeks. Apple could flood the market with phones starting next Friday. Scalpers would SOL.

 

[TheMacBookPro]

Just an update- got my 4S 'fix'. Paid 7950 for a 64GB.

Scalpers: you win.

 

[thelookingglass]

Just an update- got my 4S 'fix'. Paid 7950 for a 64GB.

Scalpers: you win.

Damn, couldn't wait for just another 6 days? Where'd you get it?

 

[TheMacBookPro]

Damn, couldn't wait for just another 6 days? Where'd you get it?

Even if I'd waited until the 11th I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to get one till next year
I'm not signing a new contract (I signed a 2-year Three contract last year) so carrier stores are out of the question and I'm not lining up for 12 hours at the ifc Apple store

Got it in one of those stalls in 先達 in Mongkok. Asked a few stores yesterday and was quoted $8100, but went with someone who knew someone there today and got it for a bit less.

It's a Canadian model. Did a bit of calculating: $849 (64GB) + $127.35 (approx 15% tax) = $946.35 (CAD), which, at the current conversion rate, is $7454 (HKD). $500 profit, before subtracting the shipping cost. It's high compared to Hong Kong prices, but they're not exactly profiting hugely.

 

[festerfeet]

I don't know about all that. If I were a scalper, I'd be real wary of pre-ordering too many units. Keep in mind that estimated delivery times are anywhere between 2-4 weeks. Apple could flood the market with phones starting next Friday. Scalpers would SOL.

Even with Apples amazing production capability, they would find it impossible to flood the Hong Kong market. The reasons are simple, there are literally 10s of millions of Chinese across the open border waiting to get their hands on a 4s and they know that Apple will be charging more in mainland China when the become available "before the end of the year" because of taxes and other price altering factors. Therefore it is no problem for the profiteers to find eager buyers over the next few months.
Apple/Foxcon et al do not have the ability to fulfil the craving in China yet!
I have been offered serious money to go and stand in line overnight at the HK Apple store and return with 9 extra units. It would more than pay for my flight, hotel and time and my own 4s.
It just isn't my bag to be a scalper or to pay one either!

 

[haruhiko]

I was very surprised to see max 10 per customer. I guess you can buy all 10, sell 9 to pay for the 1 to keep.

I guess there will be a huge line up at the Apple store next Friday morning.

Unfortunately the line will be filled up with our beloved South Asian residents

 

[imacdaddy]

I don't know about all that. If I were a scalper, I'd be real wary of pre-ordering too many units. Keep in mind that estimated delivery times are anywhere between 2-4 weeks. Apple could flood the market with phones starting next Friday. Scalpers would SOL.

Keep in mind Apple needs to roll out to different countries from now till end of the year. There's not enough units to be sold. Apple won't flood the market and still no release date for China. Also, buyers from other countries like buying iPhones from HK as they are unlocked and tax free = cheaper.