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Buying Mac in PRC or HK

Tonyaod (824 posts) • 0

Matt, you over simplify a very complicated process that are filled with many pitfalls and this makes for very dangerous advice.

Yes, there are valid HK stores on Taobao, however, how do we know which ones are reputable? Did you find the reputable one by sheer chance or did you actually know what you were doing? Or maybe you DIDN'T find one and problems will arise in the future when you need to go in for repairs.

By shear volume, MOST stuff on Taobao are not legit and even if they are, they are skirting the law in some way and operating in a grey areas, as such, there are risks that needs to be weighed in order to make an informed decision.

I am pretty sure if the camera you have purchased is authentic in every way, you did not pay import duties along the way, (this is where the savings come from). 9 times out of 10 you might slip through duties, but what happens on the 10 time? How do you get your product, what are the penalties you will have to pay?

There are too many unknowns and inherent risks with purchasing big ticket items on Taobao that would make me very hesitant to say to someone with blanketed statements such as, "Buy on Taobao, it's cheap and its real". But then, we all know you are not concerned with such trivial matters, are you?

latataille (118 posts) • 0

Tony,
Look, this is getting into a ridiculous discussion. I am tired of arguing every little thing on this forum. If you think most Taobao things are fake, then don't use it. Period. There are ways to find the real ones, but it seems like all you want to do is argue.

I will do my thing, and you, yours.

Tonyaod (824 posts) • 0

Matt, this little discussion is not for your benefit. I am trying to provide a complete picture for the OP to consider. Like I have said before, I could care less about your life and what you do with it. However, I do feel an moral obligation to speak up when I see dangerous advice given.

I personally would not buy expensive electronics online but I will never tell people not to buy. Your advise is akin to telling someone that its perfectly safe to jump out of an airplane....provided that you are wearing a parachute, only except you don't mention the second part until asked.

The only person that see this as an argument is probably you. You have a pattern of spewing things from your mouth wantonly and when confronted with questions and facts, to feign disgust and slither way. You seem to believe that anyone stating a different belief from you as arguing with you.

For someone tired of arguments, you seem to provoke and engage in quite a many of them. Please go back and re-read the thread. Where did I involve you in my conversation with the OP regarding the tax issue? And yet, you feel obligated to address me when my statement clashes with yours. You sound like a whiny skinny kid on the playground shouting insults at other children only to run way when someone walks up to you.

If you don't like to argue then STOP...ADDRESSING...ME. I am not one to shy away from a confrontation. Be a man and stand up to your actions, stop accusing people of doing things that you do.

redjon77 (510 posts) • 0

@Tonyaod To carry on with your metaphor...
'You sound like a whiny skinny kid on the playground shouting insults at other children only to run way when someone walks up to you'
I'd say you sound more like the playground bully with your aggressive ways you like to follow latataille's posts with opposite views as soon as he gets them on, while at the same time also adding all sorts of small little insults into your writing!

Be a man and stop picking on the easy meat, think anyone can have an easy time making grief with latataille's posts like you do!

BE A MAN AND MOVE ON!

;o) lol......

Tonyaod (824 posts) • 0

@redjon77

To each their own. I have never claimed the high road. Your opinion/statement/attack/retort is as valid as mine and I take it in stride. ;)

But you are right, it IS too easy and I am tiring of this game. I'll try to ignore his posts from here on out (actually I have been, believe it or not) but it is most difficult when he makes outrageous and moronic statements that rankles my sensibilities. Perhaps the next step to take, if this fails, is to follow BillDan's footsteps and leave the forum for good. See no evil, hear no evil, eh~

laotou (1714 posts) • 0

If you must buy new, then check out taobao's tmall.com. The tmall sites are brick and mortar and are generally supposed to sell authentics. Apple also has a taobao/tmall site in addition to their online china site. If the prices from other vendors are ludicrously lower, beware. Check the specs of what you're buying, ensure it's a new not refurbed device.

If you're not sure, contact apple support directly to confirm the device is new. Apple devices also come with their free me.com/mac.com cloud service, so that's another way to check if your device is new or refurbed although not foolproof.

As for software apple's osx is internationalized. It's a simple matter to switch from yiddish etc to english etc.

Good luck with your purchase and happy computing!

CaeruleusCaeruleus (51 posts) • 0

As a long term Mac user in Kunming and thought I would clarify a few things:

- I have used Apple products for years and never had to show a receipt when taking them for repairs under warranty. If you are pedantic and it really concerns you, then get a warranty, but in 15 years of using Apple products I've never needed it for repairs.

- Despite warranties being international, I have had very occasional trouble getting overseas purchases repaired in Kunming when the Chinese version (iPhone in particular) differs from overseas version.

- If you are not a Chinese citizen and you bring your passport with you, the following place is the only place that can usually deal with the overseas warranty issue:
直信创邺昆明店
云南省昆明市一二一大街44-46121数码城507
昆明, 云南 650000
0871-65107078
One time they had to replace my Australian iPhone with a CN version because the parts were different. Was still 100% free and works fine.

- If you want to buy Mac stuff at close to HK prices, many of the Mac stores in Kunming will offer you the choice of CN version or HK version. More expensive than buying in HK, but cheaper than normal China prices.

- All Mac products are international and don't have language restrictions (as stated by laotao above).

- Never tried the Taobao route as I prefer to have a place I can easily take things back to if there is a problem.

- DAC Kunming is my favourite Apple store in Kunming as the guys there really understand how to mod a Mac to get the best performance. For products out of warranty (or you voided warranty by modding your Mac), their repairs are also cheap and good. Call 4006687704 (not an ad, they are just good and speak English)

Hope this helps

laotou (1714 posts) • 0

@caeruleus
Thanks for the link to official kunming apple repairs. My stuff is so old i just use the 121 gorillas. One guy patched my busted iphone vibrate switch w superglue (long story, so i forgot it but remember the solution).

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