iPhone 6 Lines and the Chinese Mafia

[5105973]

If you think it's wrong to make a profit, then go get your buddies and stand in line before them so you can sell them at face value to all your friends and family. Or petition to Apple to allow only one per customer.

As of now, they aren't really doing anything illegal. They're simply buying and selling at a price the market is willing to pay. It's supply and demand.

And that's fine if they don't cut in line. I had some friends waiting in line at an Apple Store and they said there were Chinese scalpers trying to brazenly cut in front of people, but fortunately nobody in the line would let them.

By the way I am Asian, not Chinese, though I am often mistaken for Chinese and have put up with real racist crap directed at Chinese and other Asians in this country. However, I don't consider these concerns about the Chinese scalpers p racist because I know if I were to stand in line waiting for an IPhone like a regular customer, nobody would treat me in a racist manner...as I've stood in line before for an IPhone and enjoyed friendly camaraderie with others around me. It's the behavior being disapproved of, and it happens to be perpetrated in the most noticeable manner and numbers by Chinese right now. Maybe some day it will be another group we will complain about.

If someone wants to stand in line and act normal like other customers and buy one or two phones to resell for a profit, fine. But I think most people draw the line at obnoxious shenanigans.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

The poor people of China are not buying these phones at a markup. At most they may aspire for a Goophone. There are a LOT of massively wealthy people in China, far richer than a normal American family who are willing and able to finance an international scalping operation for thousands of dollars for a few weeks or months of exclusivity.

The poor farm workers or assembly line drones are not paying $4000 for a phone. Just the sheer number of poor people overwhelm statistics about China and hide the number of people awash with fabulous amounts of money.

Move Manufacturing jobs and patents out of the U.S. and you have wealth transfer.

 

[uwdude]

So, here in the US, where the iPhone is currently being sold, we get up at 3:00am to try to preorder, the site is down, and then a lot of us end up later with a phone that's shipping in mid-October. Meanwhile, a wealthy person in China, in a country where the iPhone currently isn't even being sold, is right now sitting there with an iPhone. What is wrong with this picture.

 

[ijen0311]

So, here in the US, where the iPhone is currently being sold, we get up at 3:00am to try to preorder, the site is down, and then a lot of us end up later with a phone that's shipping in mid-October. Meanwhile, a wealthy person in China, in a country where the iPhone currently isn't even being sold, is right now sitting there with iPhone. What is wrong with this picture.

You could have one too if you paid probably twice the face value for it.

 

[andrewxie]

I don't know about other cities. Here in Washington, both Seattle and Bellevue stores were packed with Vietnamese, there might be some Chinese people there I don't know. As many threads mentioned, they all used gift cards to buy iPhones then they all handed to one particular person outside the store.
My point is, everyone can be lined up on launch day, if you are not preorder, first come first serve I get it. BUT those people were ****ing cutting the lines, it took us 2hrs for the lines to moved forward.
Everyone can buy iPhones, I don't care what you deal with your new phone afterward, but if you wanna wait in line then follow the rules and don't cut the lines!!

 

[Retired Cat]

Ok, so if the video is accurate and nothing's taken out of context, it seems to me that poor people are paid placeholders for agents of wealthy buyers overseas.

It doesn't sit right with me that this happens, but it's not against the law or Apple's rules. If people want things to be different is say people need to either petition Apple to change its policies, or political action is needed at the municipal level to ban this camping activity.

 

[5105973]

So, here in the US, where the iPhone is currently being sold, we get up at 3:00am to try to preorder, the site is down, and then a lot of us end up later with a phone that's shipping in mid-October. Meanwhile, a wealthy person in China, in a country where the iPhone currently isn't even being sold, is right now sitting there with an iPhone. What is wrong with this picture.

The irony is that the phones come from China in the first place.

 

[iPhoney Baloney]

This is true (first hand experience) but it's clear that the reason why they are paying cash is because these people on the lines are just professional line sitters being paid by big organized Chinese reseller (aka the guy who are collecting the phones towards the end of the video). The people lining up don't actually have money to buy/order the phone either with cash or credit card.

Exactly!!! This is an organized operation.

 

[realeric]

Americans buy guns or drugs. Chinese buy iPhones. If the Chinese are mafia, who are the Americans?

 

[ScubaCinci]

Interesting thread. I went to the Apple store near Dayton OH today and there was a lengthy line. I'd say 85% of the people in line were Asian and many were speaking Mandarin or other non-English dialects. I thought it was odd because there isn't really a large Asian population in the area AFAIK. Then I saw this thread and it made me think...

 

[desertrat23]

Even on day 2 they're scalping. In Bakersfield, CA of all places (not exactly a "flagship store") the first people through the door were buying six iPhones, and asking the Apple rep (or attempting to ask) if they would "hold" six more for them so they could come back in a few minutes and buy them. With a line of 50 people waiting to get in!

This really ****** me off. My wife likes Coach outlets and the one she frequents has bus loads of Asian tourists that come in and get huffy and mad that they're only allowed to buy two purses at a time. Why Apple can't do that I'll never know. Sure it's legal, but not very ethical for Apple to turn a blind eye to it.

 

[k2001]

These Asian are just there to buy the iPhone and resell it. Period.

What wrong with it?

It is wrong because they are making it difficult who those who truly deserve the iPhone. Right? They don't deserve to make the extra buck for sitting in line early then most hardcore fans.

This is how capitalism works. Deal with it.

 

[Retired Cat]

Maybe Apple management thinks the lines and drama increase the mythology and allure of the iPhone.

On the other hand, people sleeping in trash bags, and garbage piling up on the sidewalk outside the Apple Store is not a good thing for company image.

 

[Rafterman]

Simple solution. All iPhones must be activated before they leave the store.

 

[k2001]

Even on day 2 they're scalping. In Bakersfield, CA of all places (not exactly a "flagship store") the first people through the door were buying six iPhones, and asking the Apple rep (or attempting to ask) if they would "hold" six more for them so they could come back in a few minutes and buy them. With a line of 50 people waiting to get in!

This really ****** me off. My wife likes Coach outlets and the one she frequents has bus loads of Asian tourists that come in and get huffy and mad that they're only allowed to buy two purses at a time. Why Apple can't do that I'll never know. Sure it's legal, but not very ethical for Apple to turn a blind eye to it.

Apple limit two phone at a time, if you want to buy more you have to the back of line.

 

[kinster]

So, here in the US, where the iPhone is currently being sold, we get up at 3:00am to try to preorder, the site is down, and then a lot of us end up later with a phone that's shipping in mid-October. Meanwhile, a wealthy person in China, in a country where the iPhone currently isn't even being sold, is right now sitting there with an iPhone. What is wrong with this picture.

Nothing, he's rich.

 

[Retired Cat]

iPhone 6 Lines and the Chinese Mafia

These Asian are just there to buy the iPhone and resell it. Period.



What wrong with it



This is how capitalism works. Deal with it.

Camping like war refugees and having trash like food wrappers and cardboard pile up on a public sidewalk is acceptable?

That would've been considered wrong when I was younger, but it's the 21st Century now and things may be different.

 

[illutionz]

Americans buy guns or drugs. Chinese buy iPhones. If the Chinese are mafia, who are the Americans?

Mafia...

 

[k2001]

Camping like war refugees and having trash like food wrappers and cardboard pile up on a public sidewalk is acceptable?

That would've been considered wrong when I was younger, but it's the 21st Century now and things may be different.

Can you tell why it's wrong. Seriously I want to know.

 

[jlake02]

Simple solution. All iPhones must be activated before they leave the store.

This is what I've been thinking. 1 phone per customer. Must be activated to a carrier in that country or no sale. Simple solution.

 

[Retired Cat]

iPhone 6 Lines and the Chinese Mafia

Can you tell why it's wrong. Seriously I want to know.

People leaving trash on a public sidewalk is unacceptable behavior. That cop who complained about the smell may be expressing his opinion like a jerk, but what civilised person wants to be walking in filth and amongst unwashed people?

 

[AdonisSMU]

Some of these same people saying "its capitalism" will defend the no scalping policy of concerts and sporting events.

 

[desertrat23]

Some of these same people saying "its capitalism" will defend the no scalping policy of concerts and sporting events.

Exactly. I'm not questioning the legality of it, but it's a "letter of the law" versus "spirit of the law" thing.

 

[metsjetsfan]

Simple solution. All iPhones must be activated before they leave the store.

people would be pissed also people could claim they are only trying to buy for wifi. i think they tried one per apple id and that failed that launch.

 

[617aircav]

Next year, Apple should implement a system whereby you have to place a reservation with your Apple ID in order to secure an iPhone on launch day. This will surely stop a lot of scalpers?

Really. You don't know how organized these scalpers are. The guy in line with me gave myself and my brother $100 each to buy him 2 tmobile iPhones. I told him to get the verizon one since it was guaranteed to be unlocked. After we bought the phones (on our credit cards) he had the $1,110 for each of us already counted, all mint 100 dollar bills. Next year I'm definately going to get an extra phone to sell.