Apple's Hong Kong store rolls out iPhone 'reservation' system

Apple has been forced to restrict iPhone sales in its Hong Kong store to discourage the recent epidemic of scalpers. Fanbois looking to get their hands on a SIM-free version of the hugely popular 4S or older models must now request a reservation between the hours of 9am and 12pm to give them a chance of picking up the device …

[DrXym]

It's a phone for god's sake

Who are these people who'd pay more than retail price for a device which is commonly available and nothing special for it either.

[Anonymous Coward]

> Who are these people who'd pay more than retail price for a device which is commonly available and nothing special for it either.

Errm, they're Chinese. Did you not read the article?

[Anonymous Coward]

> after a rise in so-called scalpers, who buy up the devices in bulk before selling them on at a profit in China.

So Apple are scalping the chinese by selling for higher than in HK then?

[Chimp]

Tax...

Ironically, the phones are made in China, but the cost is higher than in HK due to import duties.

Add to that the fact that iPhones are regarded as being highly aspirational in the PRC (price, limited supply) and yoy have a great opportunity for some profit making by Apple customers.

It's rational behaviour given the distortions caused by tariff barriers. It looks a little odd from the UK perspective, but it's a scale issue. The PRC's affluent middle class is numerically larger than the population of the UK.

[Anonymous Coward]

"iPhones are regarded as being highly aspirational" to the weak and feeble minded!

[Anonymous Coward]

WOW, Clever!

[Anonymous Coward]

Hardly surprising. China flocks to buy a "tainted" iPhone. SAYS IT ALL!

[yoinkster]

But what difference does it make? Sell one to a scalper who sells it to a user or sell one to a user. All that means is that apple have still sold ... one unit at its retail price.

Sure it stops other people making money (how dare other people try to make money as well the dastards!) who you could argue don't deserve it but I don't see apple keeping stock levels high enough in china to keep up with demand so I'm not surprised people are out to make a quick LEGAL buck.

Ford would easily have let me buy a new Focus RS for ~30k for me to then sell it for ~40k (back when they were really new and in demand), so why should apple get in the way of legitimate trading?

[Allan George Dyer]

Less store riots?

One of the incidents leading up to this was gangs threatening queuers at the Apple store so they could take their places, buy up devices and sell them at a profit. It only makes sense for Apple to find ways to provide Fanbois with a shopping experience that doesn't include violence.

Apple isn't the only company that is limiting purchases to one-per-customer for a new product - so is Raspberry Pi.