BEASTED: Apple fined $666k in Taiwan for iPhone price meddling Colossal shiny-gadget empire Apple has copped a festive shoeing from Taiwanese regulators, receiving a T$20 million (US$666,700) fine for attempting to the fix prices that could be charged for its iPhones sold on the island. The Taiwanese Fair Trade commission told media that Apple Asia, Cupertino's regional tentacle, was …
Not just Apple, a lot of companies do. MAP pricing, that sort of thing. That's typically used by manufacturers of high end stuff, for example AV components, so the shops that sell their gear won't get undercut by a discount reseller on the internet (i.e. to avoid "showrooming")
What I don't get is why Apple should care in this case. Unless they have some sort of deal with the carriers where they pay Apple x% of the sale price, Apple gets the same price for each phone whether the Taiwan carriers are charging full retail or selling them for 20% off hoping to sign people up for contracts. Is there anyone selling iPhones in Taiwan other than the carriers and Apple itself? Why should Apple care if the Apple Store pricing is undercut? A slightly lower price will result in higher sales and they come out ahead!
" copped a festive shoeing ... US$666,700 "
Clearly a "beastly" shoeing, but then I heard that "6" is a lucky number in asian lands?
Well, our evangelicals will probably looking through Revelation NOW, looking for signs that Jobs is somehow connected to the Apocalypse of St John. Well done, Taiwan. Occupy Xtians!
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