Customers warned off ‘grey market’ iPads

Customers warned off ‘grey market’ iPads

Retailers say devices bought unofficially have no warranty, and buyers should wait for the official regional launch.

May 15, 2010 1:21 by Sam Potter

Official retailers of Apple products in the UAE are urging customers to wait a little longer to purchase iPads, reports Gulf News.

No specific date has been set by Apple for the official UAE release of the device, but it is hoped they will be available at authorized retailers in late summer.

The paper says that the iSTYLE chain of stores is advising customers to be patient and wait for the official launch of the iPad in the Middle East.

It quotes Hani Nehme, business development manager of iSTYLE Middle East, who said: “Since the launch of the iPad in the US, a significant number of units have become available for purchase in the region, ahead of the product’s official launch in the Middle East.

“While we understand consumers’ desire to purchase an iPad ahead of the official launch, we want to make sure that they understand that the help, support and assistance that they are used to receiving from iSTYLE will not be available to them if they have not purchased their iPad from our store.”

Tags: Apple, iPad, launch, UAE, Warranty

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3 Comments

Martin on May 16, 2010 7:13 am

Nice Hoax, iSTYLE!
The iPAD warranty is issued
a) by Apple Inc. – and not by iSTYLE,
b) as world wide manufacturer warranty,
c) independent from the source of purchase.
The only thing that counts are S/N and UPC, this you should know very well as official Apple dealer. You even don’t need to require a purchase receipt, as long as the iPAD is registered via iTunes.

If it is now a US iPad which has been bought by an individual during his US visit or a “grey import” as you can buy them since weeks at Sharaf DG, Plug-Ins, eMax and many others – or later on an “officially” launched unit, bought from you or whomever:

iSTYLE, we are living in globalized environment, aiming competitiveness should be expressed in a totally different way.
OFiroz on May 16, 2010 9:05 am

Exactly what I wanted to say Mr.Martin, If I iSTYLE wanted to have all the iPads sold by them in the region they should be little more proactive like the Apple products, I don’t think people will stop buying from grey market even after the product launch in UAE, let alone before the product launch.
Martin on May 18, 2010 6:19 am

@OFiroz,
sure, that buyers decide on their own. The problem I see is that iSTYLE is practicing NO STYLE by creating a pure monopoly driven hoax, based on clear wish thinking and misleading iPod buyers and users through according publication in the media. I also don’t understand why other Apple retailers like Sharaf DG, Plugins etc. do not protest with view to such rude practice.