Apple Price Hike: Does it put you off purchasing?

Forums › Apple iOS and devices › Apple Price Hike: Does it put you off purchasing?

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8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1415581 28-Oct-2015 16:25

tardtasticx: When did they do this and to what products? The only ones I remember are the iPhone prices but those are still the same as they were from the last price increase about a year ago.

Kind of liking it though because my iPhone 6 from last year is now worth the same price new now as it was when I got it on launch day haha.

But to answer your question, not really. Unless I could see the dollar would go back to being of better value then I might wait it out but whats the point.

It happened a couple of weeks ago when they announced the new iMacs. They put many other prices as well. The MacBook I bought recently for $1499 is now $1799 for example.

I work in IT procurement, and had seen prices on everything else escalating due to the exchange rate, so knew Apple would have to move at some point, so I bought the Laptop earlier than needed. Glad I did now :)

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mattwnz

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#1415595 28-Oct-2015 16:32

MikeB4:
mattwnz: Products shouldn't be more expensive because of the CGA. The CGA is mainly about NZERS not being ripped off with poor quality products that can't be repaired, and just end up in the land fill. Also the NZ dollar strengthened recently. The problem is that retailers sometimes don't drop the prices when the nz dollar gets stronger, but they are quick to increase prices when the NZ dollar drops

Be it a Government warranty (CGA) or a manufacturers/suppliers warranty is a charge against revenue and will in most cases be reflected in the retail price.

All the CGA is, is that people should expect that a product they buy from a retailer, should last a reasonable period of time/ be of reasonable quality based on the price paid, and that it can be repaired in the future. I believe other countries have the same types of rules, so I don't believe it should be something that requires retailers to add on additional costs for the NZ market, over other countries. The labour costs involved with dealing with CGA claims by a retailer, is just one of the many costs associated with doing business.

mattwnz

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#1415596 28-Oct-2015 16:33

ST8OFPLAY:

It happened a couple of weeks ago when they announced the new iMacs. They put many other prices as well. The MacBook I bought recently for $1499 is now $1799 for example.

They should really be dropping the price now that the NZ dollar has strengthened again, but I bet they won't. The NZ dollar is back to reasonably high levels again historically

dclegg

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#1415599 28-Oct-2015 16:40

mattwnz:

They should really be dropping the price now that the NZ dollar has strengthened again, but I bet they won't. The NZ dollar is back to reasonably high levels again historically

While it has strengthened a little over the last few weeks, it's currently sitting at 0.67. Contrast this to 12 months ago when it got up around the 0.85 mark. It was creeping back over 0.70 recently, but has dropped back down again.

I get paid in USD, so I'm keenly aware of movements against the NZD. Thankfully (for me), we have got a LONG way to go before the NZD can be considered strong when compared to 12 months ago.

Bearing all this in mind, I don't see any reason why Apple would reverse their decision to increase prices.

jarledb

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#1415600 28-Oct-2015 16:41

mattwnz: I believe other countries have the same types of rules, so I don't believe it should be something that requires retailers to add on additional costs for the NZ market, over other countries. The labour costs involved with dealing with CGA claims by a retailer, is just one of the many costs associated with doing business

Then compare the prices to those countries and not the US, which does not have those laws. Feel free to compare with places like Norway which have similar consumer laws. Although I have to say the wishy-washy "reasonable time" in the CGA is a lot worse than the norwegian 2 or 5 year (depending on how long one should expect something to work). Mobile phones for instance have been deemed by the courts as something that should last for 5 years, same with computers.

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tdgeek

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#1415621 28-Oct-2015 17:17

I found the iPhones and iPads I bought from 4S and iPad 1 were minimally different in rice year to year. Last years price hikes someone mentioned included storage upgrades , so my 64GB came out a bit cheaper. So, years at same prices since the 4S as I see it

Dunnersfella

4081 posts

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#1415673 28-Oct-2015 18:37

To answer the original question.
Nope, it didn't alter my decision one bit. I bought the iPad Mini that sat within my budget just last weekend.

Typically these sorts of threads bring out the waaaaah brigade who love to complain about everything being either over-priced, the Apple hatersm or the people who have had a bad day at work / home and want to take a swing at a corporate monster.

The price has gone up on a luxury item, life, oddly enough, carries on.

alasta

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#1415708 28-Oct-2015 19:55

A couple of weeks ago I bought the top of the line Macbook Pro 13" with the 10% discount that a certain big box retailer does on a regular basis - it ended up costing me $2520. That same machine is now listed on Apple's web site at $3250 - that's over $700 more than what I paid, so I'm lucky I timed it right!

I have dropped plans to replace my iPad or buy an Apple Watch next year. Yes, I know, there's an argument that they're just reacting fairly to exchange rate movements but ultimately my wages haven't increased and that's what matters from a consumer's point of view.

Teeps

501 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1415709 28-Oct-2015 19:59

Dunnersfella: To answer the original question.
Nope, it didn't alter my decision one bit. I bought the iPad Mini that sat within my budget just last weekend.

Typically these sorts of threads bring out the waaaaah brigade who love to complain about everything being either over-priced, the Apple hatersm or the people who have had a bad day at work / home and want to take a swing at a corporate monster.

The price has gone up on a luxury item, life, oddly enough, carries on.

Whilst I don't disagree with you, and the price hike hasn't altered my decision to buy, I'm also surprised on how many people will blindly pay whatever the cost of an item is without questioning why it's so much more expensive here than in other countries. The lame excuses I've heard about NZ being a small country, far away with low population is just a poor excuse for being overcharged. Maybe if more people questioned why it is cheaper to import a single item from abroad than it is to buy from a retailer in NZ, maybe prices wouldn't be as high in the first place!

mudguard

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#1415735 28-Oct-2015 20:26

Teeps:
nathan: NZ prices include a "free" extended warranty - the Consumer Guarantees Act

As someone who has an ongoing claim (6 months and counting) with the NZ importer (via the shop I purchased from) for a faulty part on my mountain bike I discovered within 10 days of owning the bike,

What happened on your mountainbike?

Dunnersfella

4081 posts

Uber Geek

#1415738 28-Oct-2015 20:35

Teeps:
Dunnersfella: To answer the original question.
Nope, it didn't alter my decision one bit. I bought the iPad Mini that sat within my budget just last weekend.

Typically these sorts of threads bring out the waaaaah brigade who love to complain about everything being either over-priced, the Apple hatersm or the people who have had a bad day at work / home and want to take a swing at a corporate monster.

The price has gone up on a luxury item, life, oddly enough, carries on.

Whilst I don't disagree with you, and the price hike hasn't altered my decision to buy, I'm also surprised on how many people will blindly pay whatever the cost of an item is without questioning why it's so much more expensive here than in other countries. The lame excuses I've heard about NZ being a small country, far away with low population is just a poor excuse for being overcharged. Maybe if more people questioned why it is cheaper to import a single item from abroad than it is to buy from a retailer in NZ, maybe prices wouldn't be as high in the first place!

NZ suppliers can't get the same sort of deal US suppliers can - we're what, 20 million people short of having a mass market economy. If anything, we're a little niche for most suppliers, right at the bottom of the list for price breaks.

Teeps

501 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1415742 28-Oct-2015 20:44

mudguard: What happened on your mountainbike?

It's a pedelec (pedal electric) mountain bike, and within 10 days from purchase the charge connector on the battery broke without any damage or rough treatment from myself. The socket is not replaceable so the whole battery needs replacing at a cost of $1299, even though there is nothing wrong with the battery itself. The importers have refused to replace the battery and after multiple months of silence are now accusing me of causing the damage.

scuwp

3868 posts

Uber Geek

#1415744 28-Oct-2015 20:45

Considering the price of an iPhone is now approximately to or even more expensive than the average consumer laptop...yes it has made me reconsider purchasing upgrades for my wife and son. Work thankfully pays for mine otherwise I would likely consider perhaps changing to a slightly lower priced android, or just keeping my existing iPhone a bit longer. I haven't really considered exchange rates etc, it's not worth mucking around with IMO, just buy it in NZ. It is what it is.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

Teeps

501 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1415763 28-Oct-2015 20:53

Dunnersfella: NZ suppliers can't get the same sort of deal US suppliers can - we're what, 20 million people short of having a mass market economy. If anything, we're a little niche for most suppliers, right at the bottom of the list for price breaks.

And there you go, almost like it's taken direct from the importers handbook of 'how to make the most profit out of your customers'

Dunnersfella

4081 posts

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#1415806 28-Oct-2015 21:52

Teeps:
Dunnersfella: NZ suppliers can't get the same sort of deal US suppliers can - we're what, 20 million people short of having a mass market economy. If anything, we're a little niche for most suppliers, right at the bottom of the list for price breaks.

And there you go, almost like it's taken direct from the importers handbook of 'how to make the most profit out of your customers'

You appear to find fault... but offer nothing in the way of solutions.
Teeps, can you please provide solutions to this? Perhaps you're an importer of goods who offers international price parity with Chinese made goods similar to what Apple makes?

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