Scalpers swarm Apple's relatively quiet iPad mini retail launch in China
Apple's reservation-only system in China, put in place after a near-riot occurred for the iPhone 4S launch, led to few crowds for the debut of the iPad mini.
Many of those who turned out for the iPad mini launch in China on Friday were scalpers looking to resell and profit from the device, according to The Wall Street Journal. But Apple's recently instituted rules have made it tougher for scalpers to get in the way of legitimate customers.
Chinese customers must participate in an online lottery one day in advance to purchase an iPad mini at one of the company's seven retail stores in China. Those who are selected are limited to two iPad minis and must bring photo identification.
The system was instituted after the iPhone 4S launch in January of this year was disrupted by an unruly crowd in Beijing. The crowd prevented Apple from opening its store in Sanlitun, and the company decided to postpone the launch of the iPhone 4S in Beijing and Shanghai.
And in May of 2011, the launch of the iPad 2 and white iPhone 4 caused a scuffle in Beijing in which disgruntled customers shook a glass door at the Sanlitun Apple Store and shattered it.
Those incidents prompted Apple to implement its anti-scalping measures this July for the launch of the third-generation iPad in China. Local media alleged that scuffles at Apple's stores were between rival groups of scalpers.
For Friday's iPad mini launch, a Wall Street Journal reporter was harassed by a group of scalpers for filming them outside the Apple Store in Sanlitun. The scalpers told the reporter they felt it was an invasion of their privacy.
"After the reporter pointed out that they were conducting business in a public place, they proceeded to kick, swat and push him as Apple and mall security stood by," Friday's report said.
Aside from scalpers at the Sanlitun Apple Store, there were no crowds for Friday's iPad mini launch. The scalpers stood near the store's entrance to collect iPad minis from Chinese customers in exchange for cash.
Many of those who turned out for the iPad mini launch in China on Friday were scalpers looking to resell and profit from the device, according to The Wall Street Journal. But Apple's recently instituted rules have made it tougher for scalpers to get in the way of legitimate customers.
Chinese customers must participate in an online lottery one day in advance to purchase an iPad mini at one of the company's seven retail stores in China. Those who are selected are limited to two iPad minis and must bring photo identification.
The system was instituted after the iPhone 4S launch in January of this year was disrupted by an unruly crowd in Beijing. The crowd prevented Apple from opening its store in Sanlitun, and the company decided to postpone the launch of the iPhone 4S in Beijing and Shanghai.
And in May of 2011, the launch of the iPad 2 and white iPhone 4 caused a scuffle in Beijing in which disgruntled customers shook a glass door at the Sanlitun Apple Store and shattered it.
Those incidents prompted Apple to implement its anti-scalping measures this July for the launch of the third-generation iPad in China. Local media alleged that scuffles at Apple's stores were between rival groups of scalpers.
For Friday's iPad mini launch, a Wall Street Journal reporter was harassed by a group of scalpers for filming them outside the Apple Store in Sanlitun. The scalpers told the reporter they felt it was an invasion of their privacy.
"After the reporter pointed out that they were conducting business in a public place, they proceeded to kick, swat and push him as Apple and mall security stood by," Friday's report said.
Aside from scalpers at the Sanlitun Apple Store, there were no crowds for Friday's iPad mini launch. The scalpers stood near the store's entrance to collect iPad minis from Chinese customers in exchange for cash.
Comments
If this was outside the store then Apple is not at fault or not doing anything. They are there to secure the store. But mall security, really? That is their property, their job.
If you're getting paid to do something and you're embarrassed to be filmed doing it, you may be on the wrong career path.
There could be other reasons they don't want to be filmed. My first thought was that they were already wanted by the government or that they were skipping work to buy iPads.
"kick, swat and push"? Hey, that's no different than what happens at the bottom of an NFL tackle pile. If the security doesn't see it openly, no harm no foul
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
There could be other reasons they don't want to be filmed. My first thought was that they were already wanted by the government or that they were skipping work to buy iPads.
I think this might be closer to the truth. Other than the "big man" (the guy holding the fistfuls of cash), the "scalpers" wouldn't be criminals or drug addicts like in the USA, they would be regular Chinese citizens and workers. Almost everyone is involved in this sort of thing over there, it's just a totally normal thing for an average worker to make some extra money by buying an Apple product and selling it to the scalpers outside the door. They might have been office workers on a lunch break or something.
Isn't this still scalping – with the addition of middlemen?
Well, if you're a super secret agent paid to eliminate a terrorist master mind, i doubt you'd want to be caught on film that'll be posted on youtube.
Quote:
Originally Posted by charlituna
If this was outside the store then Apple is not at fault or not doing anything. They are there to secure the store. But mall security, really? That is their property, their job.
See, that's just jobsworth. If you see someone getting beaten up in front of you, surely, surely, you have to help them. Whether you're a guard or just an ordinary citizen...
Quote:
Originally Posted by c4rlob
Toughen up WSJ reporter - take a hard pill
Where does it say he wasn't tough?
Quote:
If the security doesn't see it openly, no harm no foul
"as Apple and mall security stood by,"
Doubt it was an NFL tackle pile or a scrum.
1/ the guards didnt intervene because he was a foreigner or working for foreigners
2/ the scalpers are not "skipping" work or on lunch breaks, they are professional scammers.
3/ the profit comes from the desire of being the first to have the device
4/ the ipad mini is not that popular as people who want a smaller tablet are getting Samsung Phablets.
5/ the mark up early on is 50-100%. Anything to be seen to be the first
Quote:
Originally Posted by silverpraxis
If you're getting paid to do something and you're embarrassed to be filmed doing it, you may be on the wrong career path.
I don't want to be filmed doing my job, and it's unrelated to "doing my job". I don't want to be filmed, period.