iPhone 6 parallel import prices cut in half, scalpers left in tears

In the past, buying an iPhone cost "kidneys", but now it costs "life". For parallel importers active in Hong Kong and the mainland, this sentence is really heartbreaking now. Before the National Day, Wenzhou native Liu Li and his friends stockpiled 300 iPhone 6s in Shenzhen, but they received the news that the iPhone 6 would be released in mainland China on October 17. Now they have to face the situation of losing 500 yuan for each unit. Of course, in this wave of iPhone 6 crazy market, his loss is far from the biggest.

On September 30, Apple announced that the iPhone 6 would be launched in mainland China on October 17, completely shattering the parallel importers' dream of a comeback.

Parallel import prices cut in half

Compared with the price of tens of thousands of yuan when it first entered the Chinese mainland, the current price of parallel-imported iPhone 6 has been cut in half. Yesterday, at Bainaohui Digital Plaza, the general price offered by merchants was 5,300 yuan. This is the more popular black version, while the less popular gold version only costs 4,950 yuan. The price of the lowest-end 6 Plus is about 6,200 yuan.

"The price dropped after the news of iPhone 6 entering the mainland came out on September 30," said Zhang Yi, a mobile phone dealer in Hangzhou. On September 29, the market price of iPhone 6 was 6,500 yuan, but it was only 6,100 yuan a day later. After that, the price dropped almost every day. "It may drop by several hundred yuan before the licensed products come out. The current price can only be regarded as close to the bottom."

Although the market response to the new iPhone was mediocre after the launch, and it was later involved in the "bend gate" incident, the enthusiasm of domestic Apple fans has not diminished at all. Shortly after Apple announced the launch of the iPhone in the mainland, China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom each launched a pre-order campaign. Within 6 hours, the total number of pre-orders for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus had reached 2 million, which is one-fifth of the first week sales in the first batch of countries and regions where the iPhone was launched.

A staff member of an Apple store in Hangzhou said that since the news of iPhone 6 going on sale in mainland China was confirmed, he has been receiving reservation information continuously and has collected more than 400 reservation information so far. However, due to the large number of reservations, the reservation service has now been terminated.

Lost a car overnight

Of course, the booming pre-order volume of licensed products highlights the misery of parallel importers. Since the new iPhone was launched, Liu Li has not slept soundly for a single day. Except for the first three days, the price has fluctuated drastically every day, and it is normal for the price to fluctuate by 1,000 yuan a day.

As far as Zhang Yi remembers, the biggest drop occurred on September 22. On that day, he went to the supplier to purchase goods. In the morning, he offered a 16G iPhone 6 for 11,000 yuan, but the supplier refused to sell it. However, by the afternoon, the price was more than enough to buy the 128G version.

That day, the difference between the highest and lowest prices in the market was more than 4,000 yuan. The next day, a parallel importer posted a message on WeChat Moments that he had hoarded 24 iPhone 6s, and ended up losing nearly 120,000 yuan. In order to avoid delays, a mobile phone dealer in Hangzhou drove to Shenzhen to pick up the goods himself. When he rushed back to the market the next day, he found that the money he lost from the 30 iPhones lying in the car was enough for him to buy a new car.

"Many people misjudged the launch date of the licensed products, and thought it would be delayed for a few more months." Liu Li said that in the Shenzhen market, many people stockpiled 500 to 600 units before the National Day holiday, and now each unit basically loses 700 to 800 yuan, "This time it is very likely that all the profits made in previous years will be vomited out."

In addition to the shortened time for official products to be put on the market, another factor that led to the sharp price fluctuations was that many scalpers and tourists traveling between Hong Kong and the mainland simply chose to sell their phones directly. A few days after the iPhone 6 was launched in Hong Kong, Liu Li saw many people selling phones on the streets near Shenzhen Huaqiangbei every day. "Their costs are very low, and we have no advantage at all. Instead, the price has fallen sharply."

New iPhone models available for pre-order through multiple channels

As the flagship product for accumulating high-end 4G customers, the new iPhone has naturally become a "must-fight" for operators. Currently, iPhone 6 phones pre-ordered at China Unicom and China Telecom will use the full network standard. China Mobile still has some 4G contract phones, among which the bare phone belongs to the full network model, and the contract version only supports TD-LTE, TD-SCDMA, GSM, and only supports WCDMA and FDD LTE when roaming overseas.

After eight generations, the iPhone is no longer as mysterious as it was back then. In addition to booking new iPhones through the official website and the websites of the three major operators, they can also be booked on Internet platforms such as JD.com, Suning, and Snail Mobile. In order to attract customers, they offer more generous conditions. In order to promote its "Bai Tiao" business, JD.com has specially launched the "iPhone 6 Bai Tiao, grab the first opportunity" event. Activate Bai Tiao and you can buy it directly without making an appointment. Bai Tiao users who successfully purchase the phone within 30 days of the launch in the mainland can also enjoy a 20% discount on the rate.

JD.com's old rival Suning focuses on the "old for new" concept. Customers with old iPhone phones can go to Suning stores to receive the "old for new" service. However, this activity only supports phones that are in good working order and does not include overseas versions.

As a virtual operator, Snail Mobile combines the iPhone 6 with its 170-number product "card-free". Consumers can reserve their favorite model by paying a 100-yuan reservation fee. After successfully purchasing the phone, they will receive a voucher worth 100 yuan.

Data shows that the number of people who have pre-ordered the iPhone 6/6 Plus on JD.com has exceeded 7 million. Suning, Snail Mobile and other platforms have not disclosed their pre-order numbers, but conservative estimates show that the number of pre-orders for the iPhone 6 sold in China on third-party platforms has exceeded 15 million.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.