Importing Apple in Europe

You cannot order from the USA Store from abroad: I assume you intend to purchase while you are over there and inport them yourself? The charger will work, though you will need an adaptor to the different plug type: but there will be no warranty unless you send or take the relevant device back to the USA.

I don't know what the import duty situation would be compared with purchasing them in Italy. I don't know whether Apple would provide you with a different country's keyboard - my guess would be that they won't, though you could ask before you start.

Just curious, is there a reason you wouldn't just order from the Apple Italian site?

https://www.apple.com/it/

franciesmorrone_writer wrote:

if they can change keyboard (to an Italy one, for example)

You can see for yourself what keyboards are available by just going to the website for the online apple store in any country and pretending you are buying a machine. But as others have pointed out, Apple stores do not ship outside their own country.

It is the warranty on iPhones and iPads that may not be be honored outside the country in which they were purchased.

Bought through normal channels, the warranty on Mac computers is international. However, I believe, as Roger suggests, that Apple may not honor a "grey-market" warranty; that is something you should seriously consider. There may also be US export restrictions on some technology or model configurations. Apple has the licenses; you don't.

Apple has been historically very protective of there sales outlets, and we see many problems here with people, especially outside the US, who buy from a non-approved source and find themselves in a world of service and warranty problems

There is however, something much more concerning going on here. You are asking important business questions not of Apple but rather end-user volunteers who help with technical issues. That is like walking into the hairdressers' school and asking for advice on brain surgery. I admire your desire to create a business but you need a professional consultant savvy not only in your country's business laws but also international import/export. We cannot do that, and that is outside the scope of these forums.

Also, putting a business plan up on open international forums viewed by millions around the world is absolutely bad form. Were I an investment banker and someone came to me for a loan with "I asked in the Apple Users forums" in his proposal, I would politely invite that person to leave my office.

You will be importing items bought at retail value at which you have to pay import duty. I would have thought you would find it very difficult to undercut the prices of devices bought from Apple-authorised retail outlets.

This is what is known as 'grey imports' - items brought in through unofficial channels. You will be legally responsible for faults in any device you sell but Apple will not service them.

You're welcome. I think Roger is for the most part correct. I'm not so sure about the warranty. That would imply if I fly to Europe with one of my Mac laptops and it ends up needing service, I couldn't have it repaired under warranty while I was overseas.

That may be correct, I'm not so sure.