Re: True cost of iPads overseas

"Lewis" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Summary: prices for iPads in foreign countries are remarkably close to
> the US prices.
>
> <http://j.mp/9TwzW7>

Apple's non-US pricing got MUCH MUCH better once they started cutting out
the middle-man local distributor in th ssmaller countries and opened up the
online webstores worldwide.

In the bad old days Apple used to ignore excahnge rates and simply swap the
US "$" symbol for the UK "pound sterling" symbol in front of the price
amount when selling in the UK, causing over-priced products in comparison to
US prices ... and some lazy, greedy companies still do this.

Here in New Zealand we have never had an proper branch of Apple itself, but
instead had (and still have) a local official distributor called Renaisance,
aka Renuisance. Once Apple opened the New Zealand online webstore and
allowed New Zealand resellers to buy direct from Apple Australia instead,
prices plummeted to more closely match US ones.

This change also means we also get the Black Friday sale pricing too. :-)

In article <hschk0$rth$>,
"Your Name" <> wrote:

> "Lewis" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> > Summary: prices for iPads in foreign countries are remarkably close to
> > the US prices.
> >
> > <http://j.mp/9TwzW7>
>
> Apple's non-US pricing got MUCH MUCH better once they started cutting out
> the middle-man local distributor in th ssmaller countries and opened up the
> online webstores worldwide.
>
> In the bad old days Apple used to ignore excahnge rates and simply swap the
> US "$" symbol for the UK "pound sterling" symbol in front of the price
> amount when selling in the UK, causing over-priced products in comparison to
> US prices ... and some lazy, greedy companies still do this.
>
> Here in New Zealand we have never had an proper branch of Apple itself, but
> instead had (and still have) a local official distributor called Renaisance,
> aka Renuisance. Once Apple opened the New Zealand online webstore and
> allowed New Zealand resellers to buy direct from Apple Australia instead,
> prices plummeted to more closely match US ones.
>
> This change also means we also get the Black Friday sale pricing too. :-)

A very good business idea on Apple's part.

If Australia weren't there New Zealand would be quite isolated. IIUC New
Zealand has a bigger percentage of its population in the rural areas,
but is much more densely populated.

--
A computer without Microsoft is like a chocolate cake without mustard.

"Walter Bushell" <> wrote in message
news:proto-...
> In article <hschk0$rth$>,
> "Your Name" <> wrote:
>
> > "Lewis" <> wrote in message
> > news:...
> > > Summary: prices for iPads in foreign countries are remarkably close to
> > > the US prices.
> > >
> > > <http://j.mp/9TwzW7>
> >
> > Apple's non-US pricing got MUCH MUCH better once they started cutting
out
> > the middle-man local distributor in th ssmaller countries and opened up
the
> > online webstores worldwide.
> >
> > In the bad old days Apple used to ignore excahnge rates and simply swap
the
> > US "$" symbol for the UK "pound sterling" symbol in front of the price
> > amount when selling in the UK, causing over-priced products in
comparison to
> > US prices ... and some lazy, greedy companies still do this.
> >
> > Here in New Zealand we have never had an proper branch of Apple itself,
but
> > instead had (and still have) a local official distributor called
Renaisance,
> > aka Renuisance. Once Apple opened the New Zealand online webstore and
> > allowed New Zealand resellers to buy direct from Apple Australia
instead,
> > prices plummeted to more closely match US ones.
> >
> > This change also means we get the Black Friday sale pricing too. :-)
>
> A very good business idea on Apple's part.
>
> If Australia weren't there New Zealand would be quite isolated. IIUC New
> Zealand has a bigger percentage of its population in the rural areas,
> but is much more densely populated.

I don't think that's true. About half of New Zealand's population live in
Auckland (a city spread out to be about the same land area as London, but
with only 2million or so people) ... that's humans, you could well be right
for sheep. :-)

It's still often cheaper to import Mac software from Australia than buy it
here in New Zealand, especially games.

In article <hsdhau$ea4$>,
"Your Name" <> wrote:

> "Walter Bushell" <> wrote in message
> news:proto-...
> > In article <hschk0$rth$>,
> > "Your Name" <> wrote:
> >
> > > "Lewis" <> wrote in message
> > > news:...
> > > > Summary: prices for iPads in foreign countries are remarkably close to
> > > > the US prices.
> > > >
> > > > <http://j.mp/9TwzW7>
> > >
> > > Apple's non-US pricing got MUCH MUCH better once they started cutting
> out
> > > the middle-man local distributor in th ssmaller countries and opened up
> the
> > > online webstores worldwide.
> > >
> > > In the bad old days Apple used to ignore excahnge rates and simply swap
> the
> > > US "$" symbol for the UK "pound sterling" symbol in front of the price
> > > amount when selling in the UK, causing over-priced products in
> comparison to
> > > US prices ... and some lazy, greedy companies still do this.
> > >
> > > Here in New Zealand we have never had an proper branch of Apple itself,
> but
> > > instead had (and still have) a local official distributor called
> Renaisance,
> > > aka Renuisance. Once Apple opened the New Zealand online webstore and
> > > allowed New Zealand resellers to buy direct from Apple Australia
> instead,
> > > prices plummeted to more closely match US ones.
> > >
> > > This change also means we get the Black Friday sale pricing too. :-)
> >
> > A very good business idea on Apple's part.
> >
> > If Australia weren't there New Zealand would be quite isolated. IIUC New
> > Zealand has a bigger percentage of its population in the rural areas,
> > but is much more densely populated.
>
> I don't think that's true. About half of New Zealand's population live in
> Auckland (a city spread out to be about the same land area as London, but
> with only 2million or so people) ... that's humans, you could well be right
> for sheep. :-)
>
> It's still often cheaper to import Mac software from Australia than buy it
> here in New Zealand, especially games.

Well you are right, according to the CIA fact book the urbanization of
both countries is about 90%.

--
A computer without Microsoft is like a chocolate cake without mustard.

"Lewis" <> wrote in message
news:...
> In message <hsdhau$ea4$>
> Your Name <> wrote:
> > I don't think that's true. About half of New Zealand's population live
in
> > Auckland (a city spread out to be about the same land area as London,
but
> > with only 2million or so people) ... that's humans, you could well be
right
> > for sheep. :-)
>
> 2 Million? That's a bit generous, isn't it?
>
> According to
>
<http://www.stats.govt.nz/methods_and...les/subnationa
l-pop-estimates.aspx>
>
> The population of Auckland is about 1.4 MegaPeople and the entire North
> Island is only a tad over 3 MP.

Those are estimates based on the as-usual faulty survey system done in 2006.
:-)

It also depends on what "Auckland" they were talking about. There's
"Auckland City", which is really "Auckland Central", then there are other
sub-cities that surround it which make up the real "Auckland" (Waitakere
City, North Shore City, Rodney District, Manukau City, Franklin District,
probably one or two others I've forgotten) ... although later this year
that's changing to be one "supercity" with one local government council and
over-paid mayor.

In article <hsf62l$dgk$>,
"Your Name" <> wrote:

> "Lewis" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> > In message <hsdhau$ea4$>
> > Your Name <> wrote:
> > > I don't think that's true. About half of New Zealand's population live
> in
> > > Auckland (a city spread out to be about the same land area as London,
> but
> > > with only 2million or so people) ... that's humans, you could well be
> right
> > > for sheep. :-)
> >
> > 2 Million? That's a bit generous, isn't it?
> >
> > According to
> >
> <http://www.stats.govt.nz/methods_and...les/subnationa
> l-pop-estimates.aspx>
> >
> > The population of Auckland is about 1.4 MegaPeople and the entire North
> > Island is only a tad over 3 MP.
>
> Those are estimates based on the as-usual faulty survey system done in 2006.
> :-)
>
> It also depends on what "Auckland" they were talking about. There's
> "Auckland City", which is really "Auckland Central", then there are other
> sub-cities that surround it which make up the real "Auckland" (Waitakere
> City, North Shore City, Rodney District, Manukau City, Franklin District,
> probably one or two others I've forgotten) ... although later this year
> that's changing to be one "supercity" with one local government council and
> over-paid mayor.

Sort of like NYC that assimilated Brooklyn, Queens, Da Bronx etcetera.

--
A computer without Microsoft is like a chocolate cake without mustard.

In article <>, Lewis
<> wrote:

> In message <hsf62l$dgk$>
> Your Name <> wrote:
>
> > "Lewis" <> wrote in message
> > news:...
> >> In message <hsdhau$ea4$>
> >> Your Name <> wrote:
> >> > I don't think that's true. About half of New Zealand's population live
> >> > in Auckland (a city spread out to be about the same land area as London,
> >> > but with only 2million or so people) ... that's humans, you could well
> >> > be right for sheep. :-)
> >>
> >> 2 Million? That's a bit generous, isn't it?
> >>
> >> According to
> >>
> > <http://www.stats.govt.nz/methods_and...les/subnationa
> > l-pop-estimates.aspx>
> >>
> >> The population of Auckland is about 1.4 MegaPeople and the entire North
> >> Island is only a tad over 3 MP.
>
> > Those are estimates based on the as-usual faulty survey system done in 2006.
>
> Actually, it says 2009. Regardless, there is no way they were off by
> 600,000 people.

They're 2009 estimates based on the 2006 census.

Besides, my "2 million" was only a rough idea. It wasn't meant ot be an
exact, accurate figure. :-\



> > It also depends on what "Auckland" they were talking about. There's
> > "Auckland City", which is really "Auckland Central", then there are other
> > sub-cities that surround it which make up the real "Auckland" (Waitakere
> > City, North Shore City, Rodney District, Manukau City, Franklin District,
> > probably one or two others I've forgotten) ... although later this year
> > that's changing to be one "supercity" with one local government council and
> > over-paid mayor.
>
> Did you look at the data?

I'm on a dial-up connection, so I can't waste time downloading irrelevant
Excel spreadsheets. :-)

They've just said on the lunchtime TV news that the New Zealand sheep
population is now 32.4million, down from the 70million in 1982.

On 11/05/2010 10:17pm, Your Name wrote:

> In the bad old days Apple used to ignore excahnge rates and simply swap the
> US "$" symbol for the UK "pound sterling" symbol in front of the price
> amount when selling in the UK, causing over-priced products in comparison to
> US prices ... and some lazy, greedy companies still do this.

>

True, back in the day the UK Price of the Apple II was a complete and
utter joke, almost twice the price of a C= PET or BBC Micro.