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I wish we had an Apple New Zealand. It sucks not having a online store, or Apple stores, or an iTunes music store. And it normally takes us a lot longer to get the new hardware!

NZ Mac'r,

It sucks being you, buddy.

Have you ever heard of a school say they are getting Dell's because "“We are focussed on ensuring the technologies used at (their school) are of the highest quality." ?

Care about your kids (and yourself) get a mac!

"It sucks not having a online store, or Apple stores, or an iTunes music store."

Actually, we do have an online store (http://store.apple.co.nz/public/).

But I endorse your comments about the lack of a Kiwi iTunes music store.

Come on Apple!

Wow I didn't realise that. However it would be cooler if it offered refurbished products and the like! And I am surprised to see that it is more expensive than my local reseller. But still good to have another option. Thank you for that

NZ mac'r

"Thank you for that".

No worries.

Your point about not having Apple stores is well taken. I'm sure that would lower prices a little. All of our Macs pass through Renaissance, who take their cut, and then through the local dealers, who take their cut.

Even allowing for the exchange rate and shipping, our Macs cost a lot more than in the US, and the price difference between Macs and PC's tends to be higher.

An example: "The Warehouse" (for those up north, kinda like our equivalent of Wal-Mart) is currently selling the following:

Mercury 2256 Desktop Package; 12 Month Warranty; VIA 2000+ processor; Stereo speakers; 17" CRT monitor; 256 MB RAM; 40 GB HD; DVD/CD Combo Drive; Windows XP home edition; Lexmark Z611 Colour Printer.

For: $749-90

The price of a Mac mini 1.5GHz Intel Core Solo from the NZ online store?

$1,219.00

And, yeah, yeah, I know that the above PC is a load of crap, lousy RAM, tiny HD, Windoze, etc. etc. As a Mac user, I'm happy to pay the price difference, but it's hard to persuade my PC-using friends and colleagues to do so.

Hey guys, look at the bright side. You live in one of the most beautiful countries on Earth. I'd rather be out and about enjoying that than messing around with ANY computer, even my beloved Macs.

Yep, I have to agree. And I was out there today on my mountain bike enjoying it.

But hey, this site's all about griping!

"You live in one of the most beautiful countries on Earth."

[firing up Google Earth - zooming in on Christchurch (http://www.christchurch.org.nz/) - OMG ! ! ! - stunning, words are useless]

No argument here.

The truth about christian:
http://zephaniah.wordpress.com/

A New Zealand iTunes store is long overdue! Incredible musical talent there!

But of course, it wouldn't make much difference to the rest of the world, since you can't purchase tunes at different stores. Stupid. You can't even send a gift certificate to be used at other iTunes stores.

"firing up Google Earth - zooming in on Christchurch"

So... that was YOU looking at me Ampar!

Micro Me: LOL! (put some pants on)

There's something whacky with NZ pricing and exchange rates.

For the last 6 years I've been flying to Auckland each December and spending a few weeks at the shipyard in Devonport.

An American dollar costs roughly $NZ1.50 (depending on exchange rate). So why is a MacMini Solo $1219 instead of around $900?

Why is a MesaBoogie guitar amp that costs $1600 in the US, $NZ3500.00 in New Zealand?

Why does a kitchen waste basket that costs $7 at Walmart in the US, cost $NZ30 at an Auckland hardware store?

Expiring minds want to know.

Good questions Control Panel.

The above threads illustrate one of the ironies about being a Kiwi Mac user. Gripes about pricing soon become online discussions about scenery. That's a pleasant digression of course, but I'm holding to this touchingly naive hope that somebody at Apple will take note of legitimate concerns about what it costs to own a Mac down under.

I'm the sole Mac user at my workplace (about 60 people) and possibly in my company (about 400). The main objection (after the derisive laughter has subsided) from colleagues to my suggestions to consider a Mac when upgrading their PCs is price, and (from my example above), I'm not well placed to argue with them.

You have eagle eyes Ampar! Although the Google Earth resolution for Christchurch was recently upgraded, my dormer windows are still only smudges. I shouldn't bitch about it. If it was better, it would just remind me to paint the roof. Again.

Time to stop grouching, get out the treadly, and head up the Rapaki track. (http://www.onyourbike.co.nz/tracks/rapaki-vernon.html). Sheesh, it makes this aging bugger puff, but the view from the Summit Road is worth it.

PS: And don't forget iTunes NZ, Apple!

Compare prices to UK or Australia Apple stores and they arent that bad. It just seems that the USA is more 'price competitive'.

Perhaps the fresh air helped, but I see that some of my posts above sound almost anti-Apple NZ, which was not my intention.

So, to back up a little: I've been a loyal Mac user since 1985. Over that time, I've received great service from my local Mac dealer, and don't want to see them tipped out by direct Apple stores. Nevertheless, some of my points about the price differential between Macs and PCs in NZ are valid, and Apple need to think about ways of addressing this issue if they want to raise market share here. Oh, and yes (whispers) ......iTunes NZ.

And since I helped drag the thread off topic, all power to Auckland Uni for making such great use of Macs.

I have never understood Apple's price differences since they are all made in China, so should be as cheap to ship to the USA as Oceania. I could justify it in my mind when they were all manufactured in Cupertino.

It seems they are priced according to what the market is prepared to pay, New Zealanders aren't paid more. I would prefer to buy mine direct from the Apple China store and ship it directly to me and ignore the middlemen.

It isn't quite</a> and Apple Store, but perhaps better than nothing.

===
The Apple Computer Division of Renaissance Limited is the Exclusive Distributor for Apple Products in New Zealand. <i>The Division is not part of Apple Computer Inc.

In New Zealand Apple products are sold through a chain of independently owned Apple Authorised Resellers located throughout the country. These resellers can help you with sales enquiries.

http://www.apple.co.nz/contact/
===

Sorry...I meant:

It isn't quite and Apple Store, but perhaps better than nothing.

===
"The Apple Computer Division of Renaissance Limited is the Exclusive Distributor for Apple Products in New Zealand. The Division is not part of Apple Computer Inc.

In New Zealand Apple products are sold through a chain of independently owned Apple Authorised Resellers located throughout the country. These resellers can help you with sales enquiries."

http://www.apple.co.nz/contact/
===

Yep, great news that Auckland AUT University has struck this deal. (and great that it is being reported here!!)

As to the price differential, I guess we have to pay a premium for living in Godzone!!

Micro Me would that local dealer happen to be MagnumMac? Generally they do a great job of supporting the Mac community here in NZ. Apple have a lot to thank them for!!

As for the iTMS, I can't complain too loudly as I was able to get an account in the few hours after the Australian store opened, and although they closed that loophole within a couple of days, thankfully my account still works - at least until my credit card expires I assume!!

SCREW IT

The reason why, after the exchange rate, prices for Mac's in other countries are higher/lower than another country is because each country has it's own economy and costs of doing buisness in.

It's based upon profit percentages, a company like Apple has to make a certain percentage of profit in each economic area in order to remain in buisness and have the money to create new products, pay people etc.

Factors like the economy of scale also come into play, local taxes, shipping costs, import fees, the list is almost endless for each country.

"Micro Me would that local dealer happen to be MagnumMac?"

Yes, Magnum Mac do a great job.

MacBusinessMan

You're spouting crap. Over the last 25 years I've bought and shipped millions of dollars of equipment around the globe, all from my HQ in St Louis MO.

Retail products purchased in the USA have Apples profit included, add on freight, taxes and duty and that should be the fair mail order price to NZ.

I've obtained US telephone tech support while working in foreign lands, just watch the clock, know when to call and use an economical phone card.

I'm intimately familiar with the import tax, duties and exchange rate system. My point about NZ is that many dealers in NZ feel obliged to mark prices way on up well beyond a fair price. Presumably, they are buying the goods at wholesale prices which gets them a dealer discount anyway.

I've met many nice people in NZ and look forward to my visit this coming November. I think it's unfortunate they have to pay such steep prices for many goods. To me it looks like price gouging.

Perhaps when I can no longer physically service ships I'll set up a mail order company to feed cool tech to countries like NZ at fair prices.

For my part, I accept your points MacBusnessMan, although many of those costs also apply to PC dealers in Godzone.

As my second post indicated, I'll always dig deeper for a Mac. However, if you're selling Macs for a living, it can't be easy to convince potential switchers that they should pay almost twice as much for a Mac Mini CPU as for a fully configured PC.

"all power to Auckland Uni for making such great use of Macs."

Just to be clear This isn't the "University of Auckland", which is a "real" university. It's a 3rd rate technical school (similar in concept to say ITT tech) running mostly 1-2 year programs focused on work skills which uses the word "University" in it's name to appear more prestigious then it is.

"It's a 3rd rate technical school"

Our courses are a lot more useful than some of the crap taught at Auckland Uni.

"Our courses are a lot more useful than some of the crap taught at Auckland Uni."

Yes, That may be true for some courses, in that they are vocational training rather than say a university Arts degree.

What are you studying? Dance? Beauty Therapy? Oral Hygiene? Sport? Maori Media?

What gives? The above discussion on Mac pricing in NZ (Micro Me, MacBusnessMan, et al) was measured and rational. Lets keep it that way.

Coincidentally, the complex issue of the cost of Macs down under has just resurfaced in the latest MDN thread - "Some Aussie schools dumping Macs ‘due to cost' " (http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/10621/)