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iPhone 5 Hits Grey Market in Hong Kong Starting at $1100
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Yeup, plenty of rich people willing to pay $1000 or $1500 for a brand new iphone 5. As you stated, to them that amount of money is simply nothing.
3rd world dirtbags
Scum like this is why the market is flooded with fakes and scams. That part of the world is off the charts in terms of just plain bad mojo. Then again, if you're stupid enough to pay 11 bills for an iPhone, you deserve it.
Scum like this is why the market is flooded with fakes and scams. That part of the world is off the charts in terms of just plain bad mojo. Then again, if you're stupid enough to pay 11 bills for an iPhone, you deserve it.
Very few people in Hong Kong would actually pay $1100 but Hongkongers aren't Mr Lo's market. What most people mistakenly assume is that HK = China, which is technically right but in terms of markets, they are separate. The folks in China won't see an iPhone 5 release anytime soon.. Especially with the island row with Japan going on. See http://www.techinasia.com/china-japan-island-dispute-iphone-5/
So many people in China would be very willing to pay an inflated price to receive an iPhone 5 months in advance of their launch date. Remember that guy that sold a kidney for an iPad and iPhone? There are many apple fanatics over there.
So many people in China would be very willing to pay an inflated price to receive an iPhone 5 months in advance of their launch date. Remember that guy that sold a kidney for an iPad and iPhone? There are many apple fanatics over there.
Iphone 5 grey market units
Now that's the proof why there are huge line in Apple store in the US... not because of the US demand but to send the units to asia particularly China.
Now that's the proof why there are huge line in Apple store in the US... not because of the US demand but to send the units to asia particularly China.
It depends on the manufacturer, some provide world wide warranties and some only for the country or region you bought the product (or the one it was produced for).
Pretty certain Apple is a world wide no questions asked warranty - so no problems if you take your US bought iPhone in to an Apple store in China.
I'm surprised, that's not too expensive considering the markups last year and the year before.
A 16GB 4S imported from Australia or Canada was roughly US$1600 on the day of launch (their lottery system basically meant very few people could get their hands on one), and a 16GB 4 the year before was around 2k even- and that was for a locked AT&T model which you couldn't use as a phone.
And to the people who say 'why not just waltz into the Apple Store and get one in two days when the official ones launch'- yeah, good luck with that. You couldn't get one easily last year, the year before, the year before that, or the year before that. What makes you think this year will be any different?
I've actually bought several phones from this guy about 4-5 years ago back when he was just another tiny stall selling Japanese import phones. Funny to see his face plastered all over the web and on (HK, at least) newspapers nowadays.
A 16GB 4S imported from Australia or Canada was roughly US$1600 on the day of launch (their lottery system basically meant very few people could get their hands on one), and a 16GB 4 the year before was around 2k even- and that was for a locked AT&T model which you couldn't use as a phone.
And to the people who say 'why not just waltz into the Apple Store and get one in two days when the official ones launch'- yeah, good luck with that. You couldn't get one easily last year, the year before, the year before that, or the year before that. What makes you think this year will be any different?
I've actually bought several phones from this guy about 4-5 years ago back when he was just another tiny stall selling Japanese import phones. Funny to see his face plastered all over the web and on (HK, at least) newspapers nowadays.
How do you know? I don't wear them so I wouldn't know what to look for? If they were trendy 6years ago maybe they can get them cheap now there?
Chinese always finding a way be first. Why you thinking so many iPhone 5 cases on market? They knowing how
Sorry to keep straying this thread off-topic, but to clear up some misconceptions, Hollister's target consumers are supposed to be in the 14-18 year old range (Mr Lo is obviously older than that, and yes, it looks tacky as hell on older people).
Perhaps 6 years ago, it may have seemed 'trendy' because you were of the age when it was appropriate to wear Hollister??? I bet it'll look like they're getting ready to film a commercial for Hollister if you go to any American high school, still today.
Actually grey market weren't predicting the pricing to be too high cause general public thinks the phone is not much of an upgrade and its launching in HK as well. Back then the iphone 4 and 4s's grey market price was way over 1100 USD in HK. Rich mainland Chinese people don't care about pricing as long as they get one to show it off. Who knows when the iphone 5 will be released in China since there is this one company is threatening to sue Apple cause they claim they had patented the design of the iphone 5 when the leaked case came out.
Me too. This bickering was embarrassing enough last year with the 4S, now people are acting like it's the end of the world all over again. Grow up. This guy hasn't bought any phones yet, he has 100-200 orders and plans on bringing phones through his contacts abroad. That phone in his hand is probably a fake.
His business model is one of the oldest in existence; Buy one commodity at one geographical location, transport it and then sell it at another geographical location. As far as I'm concerned it's as honest as you can get.
The only issues here seem to be supply constraints in various markets and Apple's own distribution plans. Oh, and any possible warranty infringements. That's it.
The comments about grey markets are ridiculous!! The grey market is absolutely fine. We import cars here in the UK all the time that are void of warranty and car manufacturers don't like it. Nothing new and definitely not illegal!!! How many people do you know who have imported a special edition Nintendo Gameboy, Vita, games console or another phone. Nobody cares apart from manufacturers who don't like dealing with muddled warranty issues later down the line.
And yet, this thread will be full of insults and people having breakdowns. Nobody is stealing from you. You don't own the US consignment of iPhone's.
It's as absurd as the notion of a Japanese guy getting upset at the sight of you playing your 3DS XL Hello Kitty edition while sitting in your imported classic JDM Skyline.
Why pay so much extra to get an iPhone 5 a tiny bit early? This is only useful if someone needs it for some obscure business reason.
Pretty much this. The indignation in this thread is quite surprising. I wonder if anyone who manages to get their device on Friday will still care then...
I'm all for the catching of criminals, but I don't care that much. And I don't think these guys are doing anything illegal.
Waiting in line on Friday and purchasing off-contract ATT for full price. iTunes converts off-contract full-purchased ATT iPhones into Unlocked iPhones, when firing up activation