Several days before the new super product iPad 2 hits the world market, slated for March 11, domestic high-tech product shops have decided to slash the sale prices of the old version before welcoming iPad 2 to Vietnam.

Last week, right after presenting iPad2 before the public, Apple announced that it offered the price reductions of 900,000-1.8 million dong per product on Apple Store Vietnam. Experts comment that this is an inevitable thing that the “bitten apple” has to do before it launches iPad 2 into the market. The iPad 2 has been described as having many breakthroughs from design to function in comparison with the first generation iPad. Furthermore, in order to sell out the first generation iPad, the manufacturer has no choice but to slash sale prices.

Domestic high-tech product shops, which sell products imported though unofficial channels (the products which are carried to Vietnam across the border by travelers, or the products were not imported by official authorized distributors) have also lowered sale prices. The sale prices of iPad on Vatgia.com, for example, have decreased by 500,000-1 million dong per product. The move of slashing sale prices is likely aimed to compete with the products distributed through official channels.

With the price decreases, iPads with Wifi are being offered for sale for 9.9 million dong (16GB), 12.5 million dong (32GB) and 14.5 million dong (64GB). The versions with both Wifi and 3G have prices a little higher at 12.9 million dong, 15.1 million and 17.2 million dong for 16GB, 32GB and 64 GB products, respectively.

High-tech product shops’ owners said that now is an appropriate time for hi-tech products’ fans to purchase iPads, when the prices have decreased. A representative of Hitechworldvn said though iPad is the first generation product, it is still considered “super product” and it deserves buying. “Meanwhile, the price of  the iPad 2 will surely be very high,” he has warned.

This explains why at this moment many Vietnamese people are seeking to purchase iPads. Meanwhile, other people still want to listen to the news and will only make decisions after the iPad 2 is available in Vietnam. Therefore, iPads are expected to sell slowly in the time to come.

As scheduled, the  iPad 2 will only be put on shelves in the US on March 11 and in some other countries on March 22.   In Vietnam, some retailers have offered to sell the iPad 2 at 15.1-17.3 million dong. Of course, these prices are just for reference, while the official prices will only be defined when the first consignment of the iPad 2 arrives in Vietnam.

According to Cuong, a business officer of Techland, just three or four days after the iPad 2 hits the US market, the first iPad 2 will be available in Vietnam. He said that it is now too early to quote prices for the iPad 2 in Vietnam. However, he is sure that the price of the iPad 2 will be at least higher by 20 percent than the original price.

Meanwhile, VinaPhone and Viettel, who are the distributors of iPhone, say they are conducting negotiations with Apple on the rights to distribute the iPad 2 in Vietnam.

Though Apple has launched second generation iPad products  to date the manufacturer still has not chosen partners for distributing iPad products in Vietnam. The iPad products sold at supermarkets and big shops like Mai Nguyen, The Gioi Di Dong or Vien Thong A are mainly the products sourced from foreign distributors or the products carried to Vietnam across the border.

In November 2010, both VinaPhone and Viettel joined forces with Apple to provide preferential data service packages to clients in Vietnam who use the iPad 3G. At Vietnam Telecom 2010 held in Vietnam in November 2010, VinaPhone promised that it will distribute the high grade products. Just several days ago, VinaPhone once again affirmed that the mobile service provider will distribute the iPad 2 in Vietnam. However, the service provider has not released any information related to the sale prices or associated services.

Tuyet Ngan