BY MOHAMED SHOEB
DOHA: Several outlets here, including some hypermarkets, are literally making a killing selling iPhone 6, Apple’s latest mobile phone, ahead of its official launch.
They are charging prices which are about QR2,000 higher than the pre-order rates offered by Qatar’s mobile service operators.
People are criticising the Consumer Protection Department (CPD) of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce for its silence even as consumers are being taken for a ride by the greedy outlets.
Telecom sector regulator, ictQatar, has also come in for a flak for being a mute spectator to the exploitative trend as people say all such gadgets as mobile phones should not enter Qatar without their approval.
Ooredoo Qatar and Vodafone Qatar, the mobile phone service providers, have invited customers to pre-register for the phone at QR2,799 (16GB) and QR3,199 (for 64GB). The phones are to be delivered only after September 27 on a first-come-first-served basis.
When contacted, an official of the above said hypermarket confirmed that they are selling the product’s (iPhone 6) two variants, 16GB and 64GB, for QR4,799 and QR5,199, respectively.
The official said: “The phone is very high in demand. We received 70 units just a couple of days ago, and we are now left with only 20. However, we are expecting new stocks to arrive in a day or two.”
The product is popular both among Qataris and expatriates. “There was a customer who bought two phones, one for him and the other for his mother,” added the hypermarket official.
According to Apple’s official announcement, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available after September 26, nearly a week after the international release date.
A potential customer of iPhone 6, with special passion for all Apple products, said: “Usually I buy every flagship mobile phone launch by leading companies, including Apple. I paid extra QR2,000 to buy Apple 5S from a leading hypermarket here immediately after its international launch, but this time I would prefer to wait for few more weeks.”
He said that since there is no ‘Apple Store’ in Qatar, the official retailer of Apple products, the re-sellers always mint extra bucks by importing the company’s products from other markets where it is available.
“I am surprised that since the products are not officially launched in the country and the region, how some retailers always manage to source them much in advance. I think this practice should be banned by the concerned authorities as it’s unethical to charge extra money by taking the undue advantage of some highly eager customers,” he added.
Contacted for comment, a top official of the same hypermarket, who did not wish to be named, said: “We have sourced the product through our links outside Qatar which we cannot disclose. Since the suppliers are charging high prices we have no option but to pass them on to our customers.”
Asked if he thought the practice was unethical, he added: “Since there is no authorised dealer of Apple products in Qatar, and the products will be launched in Abu Dhabi only after three months, I see no problem in making it available to our customers.”
He further said: “The products (iPhone 6) we are selling are original and come with ‘unlocked’ facility, while the ones which are being offered by mobile operators on pre-order will be exclusive phones for their customers. These phones are locked and work only with their SIM cards.”
The Peninsula
