Apple Online Store sparks price wars
By TJ MANOTOC/ ABS-CBN News | 11/28/2008 11:39 PM
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In the last 11 years Apple has been servicing its clients not only in its well designed, spacious and fully interactive Apple Stores across the US but also to millions of customers online thru the Apple Online Store. Apple founder Steve Jobs announced the opening of the first Apple Online store on Nov. 10, 1997 and within a month Apple reported online sales of $12 million. Since then, the Apple Online Store has been known for its exclusive deals such as free iPod engraving, gift bag options and even full customization of your Mac.
Exactly 11 years later, the Philippines has joined the list of countries that has its own Apple Online Store. It was a thrill for Apple fanatics to see the same exact look of the US online store yet with their very own “P” sign on the price tags. Like its US counterpart, the Philippine version of the Apple Online Store has the same exclusives like free iPod engraving, unique gift bags, the iPod “product red” line and full customization of a Mac.
One feature that has amazed Pinoy Apple fanatics in the country is the speed and cost of delivery of Apple Online Store products. If an item is above P3,000, the customer can have the item shipped anywhere in the Philippines within one to two business days.
Prior to the store's opening, many Apple users have been buying from legitimate Apple resellers in the country. Apple resellers had known beforehand about the opening of the online store but what caught them by surprise were the store's very competitive prices. A quick look at the site shows that laptops and desktops are considerably cheaper online than in local stores while the iPods are a little bit more expensive. This is an issue Apple Singapore did not want to elaborate on, saying that they are catering to the online shopping community in the Philippines. As a result, some local retailers have started to adjust their prices in the hope that the online store's presence will not affect their sales.
One other aspect of the Philippine market that Apple would like to penetrate is the millions of overseas Filipinos who are also Apple and Mac fanatics. Having an Apple Store in the Philippines gives Pinoys the assurance, security and convenience of being able to give Apple products to their loved ones through the store.
One bit of disappointment in the hype is that the local online store will likely not be part of the US online store’s Black Friday sale. Black Friday sales in the US happen yearly after Thanksgiving and they mark the beginning of the Christmas shopping season there. To date there is no promotion on the local online store of Apple about being a part of the big and much awaited sale in the US.
Nonetheless there are already some very happy customers who could not wait to try out the Apple Online Store in the country. Restaurateur and Mac expert Elbert Cuenca could not resist and got himself a product red iPod nano on the store’s opening day and even had it engraved with the words “This iPod is made for running."
For now it remains to be seen if other Apple fans will shell out the dough and follow Cuenca’s lead and have themselves a “red” and Merry “Apple” Christmas.
