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iPad 2 price gouging

Hello everyone 🙂


This week I went to TECHNOCRATS Autorized Apple Reseller in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. The shop in 1Borneo shopping mall. I wanted to buy iPad 2. They said price 1899 ringit for 16 GB with 3G. ( = 629 dollar). I want to buy. I was happy they had iPad 2 in stock.


But salesman said I had to buy COMPULSORY accessories for 500 ringit ( = 165 dollar) to get the iPad. 😟 Compulsory was the word they said. I HAD to buy plastic screen protect, plastic rear cover, plastic case, overprice plastic junk for 500 ringit or they would not give me the iPad. So real price was 2399 ringit ( = 794 dollar). Price gouging! 😟 😟


Can they do like this? Is legal or not? How can I complain to Apple?

iPad 2, iOS 4.3.2

Posted on Jun 9, 2011 7:56 AM

Reply
7 replies

Jun 9, 2011 8:05 AM in response to Borneoboy

Of course it is legal. If they only sell package deals, that's the way it is. Is it right? No. Legal? Yes.

And for the record, at least in the US, the following is the definition of price gouging:


Significantly raising the price of NECESSITIES during a DECLARED STATE OF EMERGENCY.

The ipad is neither a necessity nor are you in an emergency.


If the gas station down the street decides to raise the price of gas by $3 a gallon tomorrow they can. It is there right. If we get a tornado tonight, and the governor declares a state of emergency in our town and then they raise the price of gas tomorrow by $3 a gallon then they are price gouging.

Jun 9, 2011 9:02 AM in response to Borneoboy

Any dealer is free to charge whatever they want unless a country's laws prohibit it, and I've heard of none that do on consumer electronics. It's quite common for dealers to add all sorts of charges and accessories on a very popular product. I've seen it many, many times for very popular automobiles, for instance. Google "supply and demand".


This is not an Apple problem and they can do nothing about it. If you don't wish to pay for the extras, wait to purchase an iPad until the supply improves in relation to the demand so that the dealer's can't add on all the extra stuff and still sell iPads.

Regards.

Jun 11, 2011 9:33 AM in response to Borneoboy

Strange that some people side with shop like TECHNOCRATS. You want them to take advantage of you? 😮


Anyways, what I was thinking about when I asked legal or not was if forcing customer to buy plastic junk to get iPad 2 is OK for Apple. Or not.


Apple probably have rule about force bundle in the contract with Autorized Reseller. This force overprice plastic junk deal is for the Autorized Reseller to make extra profit. What is in it for Apple? Nothing. It only make Apple look bad. 😟


The power of consumer is to complain about unfair practice. So I complain here. I complain to Apple too. Don't let them get away with it. 😠

Jun 11, 2011 9:45 AM in response to Borneoboy

I'd walk away from that seller and try to find another source. Or wait until the supply catches up with the demand.


I do disagree that Apple is forcing that seller to bundle. Definitely not an Apple policy since anyone can buy an iPad without any accessories in all Apple stores in the US (and other countries), or directly from the Apple online store.

Jun 13, 2011 8:17 AM in response to Borneoboy

Apple probably have rule about force bundle in the contract with Autorized Reseller.


In many if not most countries it is illegal for a vendor to attempt to control a dealer in such a way. Apple probably frowns on it, but they have little legal ability to enforce such a rule. You can if you wish attempt to contact Apple Customer Relations in Malaysia:


http://support.apple.com/kb/HE57


but there's almost certainly nothing they can do to assist in this matter.


Anyway, no one here is "siding with the technocrats". We are, however, telling you that the laws of supply and demand are in force. If you don't like the pricing, either wait until the iPad is in better supply, when dealers will have to stop forcing unwanted products on you if they want to sell their stock, or shop around for a dealer that doesn't do such bundling. Or just purchase directly from Apple:


http://store.apple.com/my/


This subject is not technical in nature, which makes it really not appropriate for these forums which are for technical support issues, not pricing complaints, so we probably need to bring this thread to a halt at this point.


Regards.

Jun 13, 2011 8:58 AM in response to Borneoboy

If it seems so wrong then don't buy from them, i've been to many Authorized Apple Resellers around world and can sense the dissatisfaction when it comes to their astronomical prices for Apple products.


Instead order online from Apple Malaysia Store: http://store.apple.com/my/browse/home/shop_ipad/family/ipad/select?mco=MjE2MjYyN zA


- Good Luck 🙂

iPad 2 price gouging

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