Then: Chinese routers, the ripped versions of US based Cisco's routers flooded the market.
Now: Chinese iPods, ripped verions of US based Apple's successful iPods flood grey market.
Not long ago, it was mobile phones of all ranges and brands that dominated the grey market. Now Chinese versions of the iPOD, better known as the mPODs can be bought in the grey market for less than half the price. The Chinese version of the iPod mini has got a USB 2.0 connector, plays MP3s and WMA files, and contains a built-in FM tuner. “It costs half the price, but one can make out that it is a clear fake. Rumours are that almost 14 million mPODs were sold in the US in December alone,” says a grey market dealer. Apart from this original versions of the iPODs are also available in the grey market.
Strange as it may seem, many people prefer to buy from the grey market. The reason for this is not just the cost, but quality. One technology enthusiast says, “One thing I have noticed is that the quality of the electronic goods that we buy from grey market are sometimes much better than what is sold in showrooms. Take for example Nokia, the Finland based company. The Finnish versions of Nokia phones are better than the Chinese and Asia Pacific versions, because quality standards differ from country to country. You find Finnish Nokia phones only in the grey market.”
Other products that are flooding the grey market are N series of Nokia phones. Multi Media Card (MMC), memory cards that fit in phones, PDAs, digicams, notebook and mobile phone software for smart phones. Dealers claim that these products sell like hot cakes as they are available only in the grey market.
The enthusiast adds, “Digital cameras are the best example. If the Sony P200 costs about US$ 400-500 in the retail market, then in the grey market, they are available for just US$ 200-250. Canon A610 was available in grey market before it was launched in some countries. Not only that, a lot of models that are available only in the US can be purchased from the grey market. Go and ask the showroom sales guy the model number of the camera you found in the grey market, he won’t know a thing about it.”
“From personal experience I can say that these grey market vendors are much more efficient in problem solving and have superior knowledge when it comes to technology than the boys at the showrooms,” adds the enthusiast.
Now: Chinese iPods, ripped verions of US based Apple's successful iPods flood grey market.
Not long ago, it was mobile phones of all ranges and brands that dominated the grey market. Now Chinese versions of the iPOD, better known as the mPODs can be bought in the grey market for less than half the price. The Chinese version of the iPod mini has got a USB 2.0 connector, plays MP3s and WMA files, and contains a built-in FM tuner. “It costs half the price, but one can make out that it is a clear fake. Rumours are that almost 14 million mPODs were sold in the US in December alone,” says a grey market dealer. Apart from this original versions of the iPODs are also available in the grey market.
Strange as it may seem, many people prefer to buy from the grey market. The reason for this is not just the cost, but quality. One technology enthusiast says, “One thing I have noticed is that the quality of the electronic goods that we buy from grey market are sometimes much better than what is sold in showrooms. Take for example Nokia, the Finland based company. The Finnish versions of Nokia phones are better than the Chinese and Asia Pacific versions, because quality standards differ from country to country. You find Finnish Nokia phones only in the grey market.”
Other products that are flooding the grey market are N series of Nokia phones. Multi Media Card (MMC), memory cards that fit in phones, PDAs, digicams, notebook and mobile phone software for smart phones. Dealers claim that these products sell like hot cakes as they are available only in the grey market.
The enthusiast adds, “Digital cameras are the best example. If the Sony P200 costs about US$ 400-500 in the retail market, then in the grey market, they are available for just US$ 200-250. Canon A610 was available in grey market before it was launched in some countries. Not only that, a lot of models that are available only in the US can be purchased from the grey market. Go and ask the showroom sales guy the model number of the camera you found in the grey market, he won’t know a thing about it.”
“From personal experience I can say that these grey market vendors are much more efficient in problem solving and have superior knowledge when it comes to technology than the boys at the showrooms,” adds the enthusiast.
