Apple Mac Users In Cm

[StevieH]

can anyone advise that the apple mac store on sirimankalajarn (sp?) off huay kaew stocks the apple mac OSX snow leopard as a boxed buy-off-the-shelf product please? and if so, what is ballpark price? thanks.

[getgoin]

They sell it. Probably comparable to the US price.

[StevieH]

nice one, thanks.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

they also have kiosks at Central and Airpot mall. Same outfit owns the all. Pretty sure they would have it stocked at those locations

[widget]

I have found that all Apple prices in CM run about 10% above US prices. This is likely to account for duty. Anyway, be prepared to pay a small premium to buy in Thailand.

[maibork]

Have a look at the apple website

http://store.apple.com/th/browse/home/shop_mac/software?mco=MTc1MTEzODc

free shipping within 24hours

[StevieH]

want to buy it local if i can maibork. thanks for other responses btw.

[nikster]

Yes, and the ballpark price is 1,190 Baht.

[StevieH]

seems it's going to cost me rather more since she isn't presently running leopard OS, is still on tiger 10.4 (which probably means more to mac users than me). does this mean i have to buy the more expensive upgrade version and is that likely stocked by the CM apple stores?

[dickyknee]

seems it's going to cost me rather more since she isn't presently running leopard OS, is still on tiger 10.4 (which probably means more to mac users than me). does this mean i have to buy the more expensive upgrade version and is that likely stocked by the CM apple stores?

the leopard->snow leopard upgrade version is the cheap one (about US$29), the expensive mac-box-set (US$169) is required to upgrade from tiger.

(though this is for licensing only, the cheaper upgrade version is a still complete install disk that will install without a copy of leopard)

[grin]

A week ago today bought the Snow Leopard DVD at Apple authorized repair store in Chiang Mai which is the same company that sells in the mall kiosks. I took it home and tried to install it but the DVD was warped and could not be read. I took it back to the store the very next day and they tried it in a couple of their macs and verified that the DVD was bad. Did they just give me a replacement DVD? No, they had to call Singapore. It's a week later and I'm still waiting. I've never had a bad DVD in the many years of buying software but this could be a bad batch. My advice is to open the package and make sure the DVD is readable before you leave the store.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

my DVD from them did not work either. I just took my laptop to the store and had them install it from disk for no extra charge. If you have a portable then it's a good option while you wait for a replacement.

The snow leopard disc's seemed to install fine on some machines and some CD readers have trouble with it.

[nikster]

A week ago today bought the Snow Leopard DVD at Apple authorized repair store in Chiang Mai which is the same company that sells in the mall kiosks. I took it home and tried to install it but the DVD was warped and could not be read. I took it back to the store the very next day and they tried it in a couple of their macs and verified that the DVD was bad. Did they just give me a replacement DVD? No, they had to call Singapore. It's a week later and I'm still waiting. I've never had a bad DVD in the many years of buying software but this could be a bad batch. My advice is to open the package and make sure the DVD is readable before you leave the store.

Sounds like in the olden days.

I just returned a power adapter under AppleCare warranty at the Apple dealer in CM. The adapter is still working, but there's a small tear in the cable where it's fixed to the adapter so eventually this cable will break. After 18 months, I expect better. I am wondering when Apple will redesign this adapter, I have had this issue with every single one I've bought over the years.

At first they said it would take 5 days shipping from Singapore but I can keep the adapter to use in the meantime - fair enough. I'd hate to have a total failure though. Then they apparently found one and gave me a new one the same day. I thought maybe they have now improved their customer service - they seem to be talking about it a lot, and they have training etc. I think they know that Apple's breathing down their neck, if they don't provide a good service, if there are too many complaints, Thailand may show up on the radar and Apple might open its own full service stores here, which will hurt the authorized dealers. I am hoping for the day, to be honest - I like to support small dealership but 5 days waiting for a new part is unacceptable.

I have had many interesting run-ins with this shop and the owners so in your case, talk to the manager / owner, they might sort you out with a new copy quicker. They should really just hand you a new one off the shelf, I don't see what the big deal could be.

[VerbalKint]

http://www.maczone.co.th/home.php

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I have found that all Apple prices in CM run about 10% above US prices. This is likely to account for duty. Anyway, be prepared to pay a small premium to buy in Thailand.

some things are 10% but for example the Ipod Nano is 24% higher in Thailand.

8 GB 5th gen

149 USD in US apple store

192 USD (6200 baht) in CM

Big difference and even bigger than what can be purchased on Ebay. I bought a new Ipod Nano 8 bg for 115.00 and shipped to thailand for $15 USPS airmail.. Saved me about 2000 baht. Just a little riskier to have it shipped but I have never lost anything in the mail. Knock on wood.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

For what it's worth, Apple also tends to just replace the dollar sign with a Euro sign (or even GBP) for sales in Europe/UK.. So it's not just Thailand that gets shafted by this company.

[Bung]

Does anyone have experience with the mac shop in CM doing repairs? My cd drive is broken. Do they send it out of the country? I had a lap top repaired by HP in Thailand and they damaged it

[cmsally]

We bought an Apple Mac laptop online. There was a discount for students and I think also teachers . So might be worth checking if you work in education.

[grin]

The local repair shop does the repairs here. If they need parts from SIngapore it may take a few more days.

[nikster]

I have found that all Apple prices in CM run about 10% above US prices. This is likely to account for duty. Anyway, be prepared to pay a small premium to buy in Thailand.

some things are 10% but for example the Ipod Nano is 24% higher in Thailand.

8 GB 5th gen

149 USD in US apple store

192 USD (6200 baht) in CM

Big difference and even bigger than what can be purchased on Ebay. I bought a new Ipod Nano 8 bg for 115.00 and shipped to thailand for $15 USPS airmail.. Saved me about 2000 baht. Just a little riskier to have it shipped but I have never lost anything in the mail. Knock on wood.

iPods (some?) are overpriced in Thailand.

But other stuff is often the same price or even cheaper in Thailand

Let's take the MacBook Pro 13" (smallest version). In San Francisco, I would pay 1,199 USD + 9.5% sales tax, makes a total of 42,196 Baht.

In Thailand the same computer is 40,900 Baht. So you can save about 1,300 baht buying it in Thailand.

That's a pretty small difference. I think you'll find that prices in Thailand are on par with U.S. prices, give or take. There's always going to be some differences due to currency fluctuations. And in the USA you can sometimes order from 3rd party dealers which will not charge you sales tax when shipping to another state, etc. By and large, it's the same. The days where the USA was much cheaper, or cheaper at all, are gone.

Edit: You left out the sales tax too for the iPod example above. I'd pay 5,243 baht for this in San Francisco. Still leaves a 1000 Baht difference.

Edited August 5, 2010 by nikster

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I have found that all Apple prices in CM run about 10% above US prices. This is likely to account for duty. Anyway, be prepared to pay a small premium to buy in Thailand.

some things are 10% but for example the Ipod Nano is 24% higher in Thailand.

8 GB 5th gen

149 USD in US apple store

192 USD (6200 baht) in CM

Big difference and even bigger than what can be purchased on Ebay. I bought a new Ipod Nano 8 bg for 115.00 and shipped to thailand for $15 USPS airmail.. Saved me about 2000 baht. Just a little riskier to have it shipped but I have never lost anything in the mail. Knock on wood.

iPods (some?) are overpriced in Thailand.

But other stuff is often the same price or even cheaper in Thailand

Let's take the MacBook Pro 13" (smallest version). In San Francisco, I would pay 1,199 USD + 9.5% sales tax, makes a total of 42,196 Baht.

In Thailand the same computer is 40,900 Baht. So you can save about 1,300 baht buying it in Thailand.

That's a pretty small difference. I think you'll find that prices in Thailand are on par with U.S. prices, give or take. There's always going to be some differences due to currency fluctuations. And in the USA you can sometimes order from 3rd party dealers which will not charge you sales tax when shipping to another state, etc. By and large, it's the same. The days where the USA was much cheaper, or cheaper at all, are gone.

Edit: You left out the sales tax too for the iPod example above. I'd pay 5,243 baht for this in San Francisco. Still leaves a 1000 Baht difference.

yeah I agree its not as bad as it used to be. I recently bought a macbook pro from the people here in CM. I could definitely have gotten it $350+ cheaper on ebay in the US. Comparing the Apple store differences it was only a hundred or so after tax. So I rationalized it was okay to buy it here.

It would be really nice to have the Ebay thing working in Thailand like it does in the US. I rarely buy anything direct from Apple anymore in the states. It's still REALLY easy to get no tax and free shipping in the US for new apple products. Just pick a ebay vendor who is not in your state.

I even buy Applecare on Ebay. They give you the registration # online and your good to go.. And no its not any different. I have bought it for a few computers and Apple CM just checks to see if its covered and they have done pretty well for me in terms of replacing batteries and fans etc.

Applecare on Ebay for example for 15" Macbook Pro is

$135 USD(4,350) baht w/ no taxes charged

12,700 ($395) Baht Apple store Thailand ($349 US Apple store)

These vendors buy large blocks of Applecare contracts from Apple at wholesale and sell them for a reasonable markup.

Ouch that's a 8,350 baht you will never see again. Pays to shop around before assuming it's basically the same prices. Different products can vary quite a bit.

What Thailand is really lacking is a competitive Non Apple store retail market in Thailand.

[StevieH]

was good as gold this by the way. bought from the mac outlet in kad suan kaew in the end, really good and friendly service and the installation worked like a doddle.