Where do you buy your apple stuff from?

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bobbytb

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I have seen a lot of people mentioning that they will (or have in the past) imported the apple hardware to avoid the "coretax" (i.e. high prices imposed by the Core Group SA). I'm curious to know where people buy from? And how much on average do they pay for taxes, shipping etc.

Im looking into getting some hardware myself and would be interested in anything you can share.

  • Do you buy from specific websites or retailers?
  • How (much) do you ship the items?
  • Have you ever had items lost/missing/damaged whilst in transit etc?
  • How much do you pay for customs / duties etc.
  • How do warranties work out (Ive already seen this partially answered in a previous thread, but feel free to mention your specific experience)
Bottom line, is it worth the hassle? Would you do it again?

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
I have bought from these guys before http://www.have2have.co.za/

I haven't bought apple products, but I have bought other electronic goods from america from them. They are usually one of the first SA stores to offer the new Apple products (I see their home page has links to all the new ipods). They do honour warranties, but I think they ship them back to America to get fixed.
 
I've come across have2have before but never really got anything from them - will give them a try! (I have bought from wantitall.co.za on a number of occasions though and I think they provide a similar service).

I'm more interested in those that import directly. If anyone here buys macs directly from overseas, where do you buy your stuff from?
 
The best is if you can go overseas and import it yourself, that will by far be the cheapest. I am also looking to upgrade my MacBook, and you do save about R2000 if you import it through amazon (have to pay import duties and so forth). So I don't know if that is forth the effort.
 
StellenboschStudent said:
The best is if you can go overseas and import it yourself, that will by far be the cheapest. I am also looking to upgrade my MacBook, and you do save about R2000 if you import it through amazon (have to pay import duties and so forth). So I don't know if that is forth the effort.
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Unless you actually need it then-and-there why wouldn't saving R2000 be worth the effort? :confused:
 
bwana said:
Unless you actually need it then-and-there why wouldn't saving R2000 be worth the effort? :confused:
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For argument sake, the macbook costs R22000 form core, and R20000 if I import it, if I buy it from core I can have it the same day. Ordering it from america takes time, have to create a myus account, worry about delivery, maybe import taxes are more than expected... just a big hassle.
But sure, if your budget is stretched, R2000 is a lot of money.
 
StellenboschStudent said:
For argument sake, the macbook costs R22000 form core, and R20000 if I import it, if I buy it from core I can have it the same day. Ordering it from america takes time, have to create a myus account, worry about delivery, maybe import taxes are more than expected... just a big hassle.
But sure, if your budget is stretched, R2000 is a lot of money.
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Like I said - if you need it then-and-there but rarely is that the case for me. Rarely has importing goods from overseas been a hassle.

The only way core will ever learn to stop shafting us is by hitting them in their wallets where it counts. At the end of the day I get to save a hypothetical R2000 and blow a giant raspberry in core's face . . . bonus.
 
@bwana, @StellenboschStudent - that's exactly what I want to know - is it worth it. Remember there's also the question of warranties, and if something goes wrong how long before you get it back, etc. If you have done this before, how much do you save, where would you recommend buying from?
 
I have researched the prices and it looks like I will be saving around R5000 bringing it in from America.
 
bobbytb said:
@bwana, @StellenboschStudent - that's exactly what I want to know - is it worth it.
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My thoughts are that even if you only save R10 it's worth it since it's a sale that Core loses.

Apple portable devices come with an international warranty.
 
bobbytb said:
@bwana, @StellenboschStudent - that's exactly what I want to know - is it worth it. Remember there's also the question of warranties, and if something goes wrong how long before you get it back, etc. If you have done this before, how much do you save, where would you recommend buying from?
Click to expand...

Looks like warranty won't be a problem (from Pooky's thread). My MacBook Pro had a graphics card problem, send it to the iStore in the Waterfront, took a week to fix, under warranty (but I did buy it from them) - that is where they told me they don't repair apple products bought overseas.

Pooky said:
I have researched the prices and it looks like I will be saving around R5000 bringing it in from America.
Click to expand...

That is making it worth the wile. Saving R5000 is a lot of money. But you aren't shipping it over?
 
StellenboschStudent said:
Looks like warranty won't be a problem (from Pooky's thread). My MacBook Pro had a graphics card problem, send it to the iStore in the Waterfront, took a week to fix, under warranty (but I did buy it from them) - that is where they told me they don't repair apple products bought overseas.



That is making it worth the wile. Saving R5000 is a lot of money. But you aren't shipping it over?
Click to expand...

No my Aunt is bringing it when she comes over for Christmas.

Gonna be paying around R16500.00 as opposed to R22000.00
 
Well if you manage to save on shipping then that's a big bonus too!
I was in the UK recently but their prices just didn't justify buying from there and bringing the stuff down. The USA is definitely cheaper. I'm also curious on where people are buying their ipads from.
 
I buy most my stuff from Digicape in Roeland Street. Saves on the hassle. But if I were in the States and looking for a new Mac I'd definitely pick one up.
 
iPad from Hong Kong, macbook from Hong Kong... often cheaper there than in the US even.
 
Thanks phiber, you get them whilst traveling or buy them online? (Eg. Ebay or other sites?)
 
Any good tricks for getting a 4th gen iPod Touch? Digicape website seems to say the 4th gen is cheaper than the 3rd gen.
 
My mom is going to be in Dubai duty free, do they sell Macbooks there?
 
Pooky said:
My mom is going to be in Dubai duty free, do they sell Macbooks there?
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No iStore but from what I've heard you can get them in some of the electronics stores.

Contact DDF and ask them for shops that sell computers and then email/phone them, http://www.dubaidutyfree.com/Contact.htm

Edit: Here are the Macbook prices,
Apple macbook Pro mC374 13” Laptop DHS5,500.00 US$1,527.78
Apple macbook Pro mC375 13” Laptop DHS6,800.00 US$1,888.89
Apple macbook Pro mC371 15” Laptop DHS8,200.00 US$2,277.78
Apple macbook Pro mC372 15” Laptop DHS8,800.00 US$2,444.44
From http://www.dubaidutyfree.com/Listings-10.pdf

More expensive than USA.
 
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I've been through Dubai duty free a few times and never found them much cheaper than normal shop pricing. maybe it's because there is no tax in Dubai? In the malls in Dubai itself you can find good deals but you need to be sure you are buying original products (not really a big issue with Mac I'd guess) and know exactly what you are buying because the shop attendants don't really know and are happy to lie to you thinking they'll probably never see you again.

The cheapest duty free I've seen for a long time was Mauritius in 2009. Not a huge range of products but definitely cheaper than others I've been through.
 
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