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Wholesale iPhone

J

JavaWizKid

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 18, 2008
572
1
Is it possible to buy a genuine iPhone 3G from a wholesaler or will it be some cheap rip off iphone with custom branding? I can get it for a significantly cheaper price from a wholesaler and I'm wondering if I should buy one from them. Thanks
 
think about it this way.......

what are wholesalers?

they sell to retailers so they can sell to the masses. They are the "middleman" between the retailers and the manufacturers.

who are the retailers?

for the iphone....... it would be ATT, walmart, and best buy (at least in the US)

and they all purchase from Apple directly.

because the supply chain is so tightly controlled, i don't think there is a such thing as a "wholesaler" for iphones because they all go straight from the manufacturer to the retailers.

ipods? yes, there are wholesalers because you can buy them ANYWHERE and so there has to be a supply chain in place to distribute them all.

the only "wholesaler" of iphones i can imagine is if groups of people are buying them in bulk (from regular retailers) in order to resell them as "unlocked" phones.

does that make sense?
 
uicandrew said:
the only "wholesaler" of iphones i can imagine is if groups of people are buying them in bulk (from regular retailers) in order to resell them as "unlocked" phones.
Click to expand...

Just before the intro of the 3G iPhone, ATT sold refurb 2Gs without immediate contracts. I got two that way, but I can't imagine a scenario where bulk buying would be allowed, given the mega-tight control everyone is trying to exert.
 
techound1 said:
Just before the intro of the 3G iPhone, ATT sold refurb 2Gs without immediate contracts. I got two that way, but I can't imagine a scenario where bulk buying would be allowed, given the mega-tight control everyone is trying to exert.
Click to expand...

My biggest reason for wanting Apple to release a next generation iPhone is so that the used market for 3G's loosens up. :D Also hopefully they would stop updating the 3G baseband and then there would be a permanent unlock solution like there is for the original iPhone. :D
 
Is there anywhere where I an get a cheap iPhone 3G for? In the UK where I live, the contract is ridiculously expensive so I will use PAYG and the iPhone itself is £350 on PAYG!!!

I'd love to get an iPhone but I cannot afford it. :(
 
JavaWizKid said:
I'd love to get an iPhone but I cannot afford it. :(
Click to expand...

Yeah, you're basically SOL. If you're a kid, perhaps if you're lucky you can convince someone who's on long-term contract in your family anyways to get an iPhone, let you have it, and then resume using their old phone (so they get it under subsidy). But you don't have a lot of good options.
 
I have a touch which is great but I have to carry around my little brick phone with clunky keys to send txts and call people. I'd like an all in 1 device, the iPhone! Ah I guess I'll have to find money from somewhere :(
 
O2's prices are ridiculous though. O2 iPhone 3G

the £30 tariff offers 75 minutes and 125 texts... POOR
However the £35 tariff offers 600 minutes and 500 texts!

Why do you get so much more for £5???
 
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