Customs "routine inspections"
The 61-year-old Wan Huayi recently returned to Shenzhen and Hong Kong. He is always nervous because the staff at the Luohu crossing often checks his backpack.
"Actually, there is nothing. It is something used by children. It is always checked, or it is uncomfortable." Wan Huayi's daughter married Hong Kong two years ago and she gave birth to a little girl last year. Wan Huayi wants to Hong Kong helped bring children and recently had to go to and from Hong Kong and Shenzhen to apply for a permit.
"Actually, as in the past, they are routinely inspected and have not checked even more strictly." The relevant person in charge of Luohu Customs said to the "First Financial Daily" yesterday that it was only recently that the iPad and iPhone 4 in the mainland were selling well, many mainlanders. Visitors to Hong Kong bought one or two trips back and forth. The iPad was classified as a computer. The iPhone 4 was a wireless paging system. It was one of the commodities that the country required to be taxed. Therefore, many were found on the spot and required tax payment. Pass again.
According to relevant regulations, an iPad is required to pay 1,000 yuan in taxes, and each iPhone 4 must also pay 150 yuan in taxes.
“We do not feel that we have stricter claims.†Liu Yali, who is a mobile phone business, has to travel between Hong Kong and Shenzhen once a week. As she passes through the Luohu Pass, carrying a small bag with him has never been checked. According to Liu Yali, its implementation is the same as before. If the iPad and iPhone 4 were purchased in Hong Kong and the packaging was thrown away, the customs staff would not be involved.
The above-mentioned person in charge of Luohu Customs also admitted that the customs staff mainly inspected large luggage bags and shoulder bags. If the iPad and iPhone 4's packaging have been removed, they will basically not be questioned. “But if it's more than two iPads and iPhone 4, it must pay taxes," said the person in charge.
The increase in parallel goods shops "is naturally a good thing for mainland apple parallel vendors." Wang Zhi, a large apple supplier of "parallel imports" products in Guangzhou, told the newspaper yesterday that the current practice of Shenzhen Customs is not Will affect their own business, because their Apple sources are all mature parallel channels,
"The market prices of the recent iPad and iPhone 4 have fallen somewhat, mainly because Apple and Unicom are distributing goods in the mainland," Wang Zhi said.
Perhaps because it is more troublesome to bring goods back from Hong Kong, Guangzhou Apple's "parallel imports" retail stalls are growing rapidly. Yesterday, the reporter saw on the fourth floor of the China Plaza in Guangzhou. Eight Apple "parallel imports" retail booths were actively recruiting guests. They were not taboo on the floor.
"A month ago, there were only four, and the last two months have increased by 4." The owner of an Apple "parallel imports" retail stalls said that the IPO of the iPad and iPhone 4 will not only impact business, but also stimulate business. Because, now Unicom's iPhone 4 has sold out of stock, and the iPad is only available on the mainland in the WIFI version. "The 3G version of the iPad is more convenient, and Apple players certainly prefer it."
Operators are busy cutting cards In fact, it is an indisputable fact that more retail channels in the Mainland can purchase the iPad and iPhone 4 on the mainland. In addition to Apple's stores in Beijing and Shanghai, Apple's distributor channel is also fully reflected in Apple's China website. Yesterday, Apple also launched an online store in the mainland, where consumers can order various products directly.
On October 24th, a senior official from Guangzhou Mobile told the newspaper that at present China Mobile has taken the grab of Apple iPhone users to a strategic height. Starting from the beginning of October, Guangzhou Mobile started cutting out the SIM card for users in the city's business office free of charge, enabling it to be used on iPhone 4 handsets and iPads. Both Shenzhen Mobile and Shanghai Mobile have publicly provided such services. "Actually at home, the vast majority of iPhone users are still users of China Mobile," said the top executive.
An insider of Guangzhou Unicom also disclosed that at present, Guangzhou Unicom is equipped with a cut-out device in the city's business hall and began cutting out the SIM card for users for free so that it can be used on the 3G iPad. "At present, there is no timetable for the launch of the 3G iPad, but the number of domestic 3G iPads is already very large. The company provides SIM cards for free, but also to increase the number of data card users," the insider said.
Supporting services to make more money "The current domestic sales of iPhone 'parallel imports' may exceed 2 million, and iPad 'parallel imports' sales also exceeded 500,000." Wang Zhi said that Apple's "parallel imports" channel and the IBM notebook that year, very mature . As the express iPhone and iPad also have to pay tax, Zhuhai and Shenzhen have recently become the distribution centers for apple parallel imports, and then distributed to the mainland market, the small water traders generally rely on the workers, the large parallel importers use the two container trucks and private Car pass customs.
"General parallel imports from Hong Kong to the Mainland market will not take more than two days." Wang Zhi pointed out that due to the large demand in the Mainland, there is also a phenomenon of cargo shortage in Hong Kong.
Wang Zhi said that the mainstream iPad listing has an impact on its own "parallel import" dealers' interests, but it can promote the business of retail stalls. In the first-tier cities in the Mainland, Apple's parallel imports have increased by at least 50%.
An Apple "parallel" retail stall owner introduced, Apple "parallel" retailers in the iPad and iPhone hardware products generally earn about 500 yuan, and fluctuations, the real profits from the iPad and iPhone accessories and after-sales upgrade and crack services .
"Apple's original accessories and non-original price difference nearly doubled, the gross profit rate of two types of accessories up to 50%." The boss said that the iPad and iPhone accessories are generally more than a dozen, which is Apple's "parallel" retail stalls The reason for having more accessories than products is "cut 10 yuan for the card, crack the version to play free games, and crack it to 100 yuan."
"Apple's Chinese consumers are mainly fashion groups. They are not sensitive to prices." Zhang Yi, chief executive officer of Ai Media Market Consulting, pointed out that the vast majority of domestic iPad consumers go for fun software applications and games. However, at present, there are few interesting free softwares in Apple's App Store, and most of them are 1-2 US dollars. "For domestic consumers, it is still too expensive, and an iPad without an application may not be as good as a netbook." .
Perhaps based on this, Apple's "parallel imports" business is still hot.
IPad special industry chain: Operators busy cutting cards Shuichi earn services
Do not know if it is not to check the iPad entry, Shenzhen Customs routine inspection seems to be a bit too "difficult" for some consumers, and was checked out an iPad need to pay 1,000 yuan tax message, so that ready to go to Hong Kong "back Consumers may have to change their minds.