Vodafone not selling iPhone 4 on it's own?

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tombrownzz

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#70469 24-Oct-2010 16:52

Took a quick look at vodafone's website:

https://www.vodafone.co.nz/iphone/iphone-4.jsp

It says you can only purchase an iPhone 4 with a vodafone iphone plan.

So does this mean I cannot just buy an iPhone 4 from vodafone without purchasing a plan from them?

Hey does anyone know why telecom only sell xt micro sim cards for prepay users online?. Why don't they sell post-paid micro sim cards online?:

http://telecom.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2109/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvc2lkL09tNUNJZmRr

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#395271 24-Oct-2010 17:08

Why buy outright from VF without a plan? Wouldn't it just make more sense then to buy it direct from apple?

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johnr

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#395277 24-Oct-2010 17:25

This is correct or Vodafone makes makes next to nothing

tombrownzz

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#395335 24-Oct-2010 20:44

johnr: This is correct or Vodafone makes makes next to nothing

Howcome you don't do this with all mobile phone brands then?

oxnsox

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#395338 24-Oct-2010 21:02

Because VF (and there resellers) actually make a margin on all other brands.... but on Apple if they sell outright (no contract) they barely make enough for coffee. And if you could, and they took your credit card as payment, they'd probably loose money.

But remember whilst Apple may be pulling the pricing strings, to keep their product value up, VF signed up for it all.... and the customer just grins and puts up with it

old3eyes

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#395343 24-Oct-2010 21:28

ZollyMonsta: Why buy outright from VF without a plan? Wouldn't it just make more sense then to buy it direct from apple?

Why not? they sell other fones without a plan..

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Old3eyes

Kyanar

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#395344 24-Oct-2010 21:51

Indeed. If you're buying an iPhone, go straight to http://store.apple.co.nz - the price is actually less that Vodafone sells it to you.

I don't blame them for not selling you a product that would actually make them a loss. That's just madness.

tombrownzz

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#395474 25-Oct-2010 14:19

Kyanar: Indeed. If you're buying an iPhone, go straight to http://store.apple.co.nz - the price is actually less that Vodafone sells it to you.

I don't blame them for not selling you a product that would actually make them a loss. That's just madness.

Why don't they sell it with a vodafone prepay plan then? They can make money from prepay iphone users.

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Torque

379 posts

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#401432 7-Nov-2010 18:37

Because users with contract are tied in for the period of the contract, ergo Vodafone recoups some of the money from subsidizing the handset in the first place.

steve98

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#402906 10-Nov-2010 15:33

johnr: This is correct or Vodafone makes makes next to nothing

I'd love to know what the Comm Comm makes of this policy. This is tantamount to locking the handset to Vodafone, and an abuse of Vodafone's position as the only bricks-and-mortar retail outlets in NZ offering this phone. It is anti-competitive and shouldn't be allowed IMO.

graemeh

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#402917 10-Nov-2010 15:56

steve98:
johnr: This is correct or Vodafone makes makes next to nothing

I'd love to know what the Comm Comm makes of this policy. This is tantamount to locking the handset to Vodafone, and an abuse of Vodafone's position as the only bricks-and-mortar retail outlets in NZ offering this phone. It is anti-competitive and shouldn't be allowed IMO.

What's wrong with buying direct from Apple?

steve98

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#403010 10-Nov-2010 18:31

Absolutely nothing, but there's a 2 to 3 week delivery time. There is nowhere in NZ where you can walk into a store and walk out with an iPhone 4. You might think that's picky and impatient, but tell that to the Aussies and the Brits where the Apple Store retail outlets sell outright and unlocked. That's how it should be here, and it would be if it weren't for Vodafone's actions.

Satch

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#403374 11-Nov-2010 13:03

steve98: Absolutely nothing, but there's a 2 to 3 week delivery time. There is nowhere in NZ where you can walk into a store and walk out with an iPhone 4. You might think that's picky and impatient, but tell that to the Aussies and the Brits where the Apple Store retail outlets sell outright and unlocked. That's how it should be here, and it would be if it weren't for Vodafone's actions.

You've just answered your own argument...

graemeh

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#403397 11-Nov-2010 13:49

steve98: Absolutely nothing, but there's a 2 to 3 week delivery time. There is nowhere in NZ where you can walk into a store and walk out with an iPhone 4. You might think that's picky and impatient, but tell that to the Aussies and the Brits where the Apple Store retail outlets sell outright and unlocked. That's how it should be here, and it would be if it weren't for Vodafone's actions.

So where is the Apple Store in NZ? I don't recall ever seeing one (but that doesn't mean it's not there). So you're saying that Vodafone have stopped Apple from opening a store in NZ. I didn't know they were that powerful.

oxnsox

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#403416 11-Nov-2010 14:13

I doubt it's a com-com issue, Apple have a distribution agreement with VF, and apple set the pricing.

Some months after the initial release Apple allow other retail channels to sell the product. However the agreements provide resellers with a hot product at little or no margin.... the only way they make a profitable sale is to sell it with a connection or reconnection, to Vodafone.
And maybe the agreement allows for VF to get some sort of margin credit downstream based on volumes... and the exclusivity of these credits only applying to handsets connected to their network, not on numbers sold.

Sure its bollocks.... but it's business

wellygary

8315 posts

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#403423 11-Nov-2010 14:23

steve98: an abuse of Vodafone's position as the only bricks-and-mortar retail outlets in NZ offering this phone. It is anti-competitive and shouldn't be allowed IMO.

I think you can find more Bricks and Mortar stores if you look
http://www.iphonewzealand.co.nz/2010/all/noel-leeming-to-sell-contract-free-iphone-4-from-tomorrow/

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