Apple onile store in China

         Apple Inc, originally came from California, has launched an online official store in China for Apple’s royal fans in there. Meanwhile, Apple states that company already finished the mobile application, the especially design for the Chinese language.

         

         This is a very smart strategy since many Apply products that Chinese consumers use are grey market products, mainly imported from Hong Kong illegally. Due to the unavailability of online official store before, Chinese Apply fans forced to purchase Apply products –Iphone, Itouch, Ipad-  through grey maktet because of the  adequate inventory outside of mainland China, and the

         Apple’s expansion into China follows other foreign retailers’ efforts to market to China’s 400 million online consumers. Recently, for instance, Goldman Sachs Inc. projected that Amazon.com Inc., No. 1 in the Top 500 Guide, could generate annual web sales from China of $1 billion in 2011, up from $750 million this year.

         However, I am still doubtful of the efficiency of the Apple online store in China. Regardless of the adequate inventory now, but consumers are more concern about how much they have to pay. Comparing the price of iphone from Taobao.com, the biggest Chinese online auction and shopping website operated in China by Alibaba Group, I do not see the price competitive edge listed in Apply online store. These iphone and ipad sold at Taobao are most the gray products. They are cheaper due to the Hong Kong’s Tax policy advantage.