Auction site starting with parallel importing handsets

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Safree

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#23714 7-Jul-2008 20:38

Hi guys

I'm starting a new business(mainly auction website) and am thinking about importing some 3G Iphones from US or HK to sell on my website. Don't know wheather you guys would accept it or not. Of course the phones would be cheaper than vodaphone NZ($200+24month plan on atleast $40 a month=$1200) and thats a minimium. Im guessing the cost of parallel importing would be $600-$700(not sure yet :-S) and its not locked onto vodaphone NZ meaning you can use it world wide. Of course the iphones would be properly configured to take advantage of all vodaphone live 3G features etc.

I guess what I am asking is wheather anyone would be interested in this kind of business or not and weather anybody would buy one from me. Of course my main idea is not for importing iphones rather working on my auction website(I'm planning to do better than Trademe...hehe....which charges rediculous fees such as the recent 20cent charge for reserve prices). If anyone has any comments or suggestions or would like to help my business etc please leave a message.(some funding would be great

)

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#144068 7-Jul-2008 20:41

not another bidtube

Quit while your ahead

and what has this got to do with vodafone?

freitasm

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#144076 7-Jul-2008 20:50

First I changed the subject. The original one was spammy and did not reflect the message. Second I've moved this to off-topic.

And now for the opinion you asked. Don't even start. Are you thinking of going into the parallel importing handset business or auction sites?

In any case it's wrong. Parallel importing means YOU have to provide support and repair services around. Auction site means YOU have to go against Trade Me.

Seriously, in both cases it'd be really hard. Not even importing iPhones would help much if you don't have the infrastructure.

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Safree

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Geek

#144077 7-Jul-2008 20:50

uh...vodaphone is a ripoff???haha...they charge rediculous prices..A N95 for example costs around 700NZD while at vodaphone its about twice the price, plus you get the extra benefit of it being locked onto vodaphone so you can use global roaming when you go overseas so they can charge you a rediculous fee.

Just the other day I had to top up another twenty dollars because I was charged for accessing wikipedia on my phone via 3g which was supposed to be "free until 27th July" what turned out was that I accessed wikipedia using wikipedia.org rather than their link and therefore I had to be charged.....

Safree

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#144080 7-Jul-2008 20:54

Support is OK....I can get apple certified to work :-)...as for the second part about going against trademe....well...some businesses can do amazing things. I have seen an auction firm go from 0-60% market share in just one year, and that is with a monoply in the market already plus a client base over 700million...........

johnr

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#144082 7-Jul-2008 20:55

Safree: uh...vodaphone is a ripoff???haha...they charge rediculous prices..A N95 for example costs around 700NZD while at vodaphone its about twice the price, plus you get the extra benefit of it being locked onto vodaphone so you can use global roaming when you go overseas so they can charge you a rediculous fee.

Just the other day I had to top up another twenty dollars because I was charged for accessing wikipedia on my phone via 3g which was supposed to be "free until 27th July" what turned out was that I accessed wikipedia using wikipedia.org rather than their link and therefore I had to be charged.....

Its Vodafone not Vodaphone thanks!

And the charging is your error not Vodafone! So no point taking a dig at them.

Good luck with your website you will need it the brand trademe is just too big.

John

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#144083 7-Jul-2008 20:55

Safree: uh...vodaphone is a ripoff???haha...they charge rediculous prices..A N95 for example costs around 700NZD while at vodaphone its about twice the price, plus you get the extra benefit of it being locked onto vodaphone so you can use global roaming when you go overseas so they can charge you a rediculous fee.

Vodafone do not lock handsets.

Just the other day I had to top up another twenty dollars because I was charged for accessing wikipedia on my phone via 3g which was supposed to be "free until 27th July" what turned out was that I accessed wikipedia using wikipedia.org rather than their link and therefore I had to be charged.....

It was quite clear that only the mobile versions of sites were free.

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#144084 7-Jul-2008 20:57

some businesses can do amazing things. I have seen an auction firm go from 0-60% market share in just one year, and that is with a monoply in the market already plus a client base over 700million...........

Please provide us with names this is just figures that look like they have been pulled out of your backside

Safree

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#144085 7-Jul-2008 20:58

Vodaphone dont??? have a look here
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4563132a28.html
http://blogs.nzherald.co.nz/blog/griffins-tech-blog/2008/5/2/vodafones-handset-lock-down/

as for wikipedia......accessing wikipedia.org via phone automaticly redirected me to the cellphone version

johnr

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#144088 7-Jul-2008 21:00

Safree: Vodaphone dont??? have a look here
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4563132a28.html
http://blogs.nzherald.co.nz/blog/griffins-tech-blog/2008/5/2/vodafones-handset-lock-down/

as for wikipedia......accessing wikipedia.org via phone automaticly redirected me to the cellphone version

and the point of this!!

and again its Vodafone not Vodaphone please use the correct spelling.

Safree

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#144090 7-Jul-2008 21:01

johnr:
some businesses can do amazing things. I have seen an auction firm go from 0-60% market share in just one year, and that is with a monoply in the market already plus a client base over 700million...........

Please provide us with names this is just figures that look like they have been pulled out of your backside

sbiddle

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#144092 7-Jul-2008 21:02

Safree: Vodaphone dont??? have a look here
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4563132a28.html
http://blogs.nzherald.co.nz/blog/griffins-tech-blog/2008/5/2/vodafones-handset-lock-down/

as for wikipedia......accessing wikipedia.org via phone automaticly redirected me to the cellphone version

Handset locking was reversed in a matter of days. Vodafone *do not* lock any handsets.

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#144093 7-Jul-2008 21:03

Safree: Vodafone backed down on locking a week or two after announcing that. For now, they do not lock handsets.

As for your 60% market share auction site claim. I call bs on that, what site, please cite your statistics.

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cranz

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#144095 7-Jul-2008 21:06

The link to the backdown on handset locking is here on the same blog you linked to..

Research into your market is key, which you obviously haven't done.

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#144096 7-Jul-2008 21:07

As for your 60% market share auction site claim. I call bs on that, what site, please cite your statistics.

Don't hold your breath!

freitasm

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#144098 7-Jul-2008 21:08

cranz: The link to the backdown on handset locking is here on the same blog you linked to..

Research into your market is key, which you obviously haven't done.

Which means FAIL.

You asked for advice, people here may be very passionate about their views - and it's clear that you have not found your niche neither know your customers.

So take the advice - the one you asked in the first post.

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