Chengdu's Apple Store Opens This Weekend

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  • #9786
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster

    Official Apple Announcement

    apple-store.jpg

    We’ve been talking about it for years and it’s finally happening this Saturday, December 15th. Another official Apple Store is supposed to join this one in Chengdu at an unannounced date.

    I wonder if this means all the fake Apple stores will actually close? At least we have somewhere official to go now.

    #24501
    Avatar phototeddybaby
    Participant

    Awesome news! I have to buy a new macbook soon. any news on where this store might be located?

    #24502
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster

    Here’s the address: 成都万象城, 成都市成华区双庆路 8 号万象城. I think it’s near or within the Chunxi Lu area.

    #24503
    Avatar phototeddybaby
    Participant

    thanks for the heads up!

    #24537
    Avatar photodrewonfire
    Participant

    It’s not near Chunxi Lu… It’s in the East of Chengdu, on the 2nd Ring Road. At the large shopping mall that opened there earlier this year. Just search Google for the 万年场 junction.

    #24543
    Avatar photoIan
    Participant

    MixC City shopping mall. It does have a great ice rink and supermarket. Apple

    #24545
    Avatar photoBrave Chengdu
    Participant

    oh my:

    Quote:
    Here’s the address: 成都万象城, 成都市成华区双庆路 8 号万象城. I think it’s near or within the Chunxi Lu area.

    Quote:
    It’s not near Chunxi Lu… It’s in the East of Chengdu, on the 2nd Ring Road. At the large shopping mall that opened there earlier this year. Just search Google for the 万年场 junction.

    I feel obligated to point out that’s probably not a human error, but iOS Maps again?

    As it’s the season of good will, maybe those with iPhones can post addresses they want to find here, Android owners can look them up on their behalf? 🙂

    Or maybe, Charlie, you might consider the upgrade to an Android device yourself? :/

    #24546
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster
    Quote:
    It’s not near Chunxi Lu… It’s in the East of Chengdu, on the 2nd Ring Road. At the large shopping mall that opened there earlier this year. Just search Google for the 万年场 junction.

    Thanks for correcting me Drew. I haven’t been to this place but I’ll cycle over there on Saturday to check it out.

    #24547
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster
    Quote:
    I feel obligated to point out that’s probably not a human error, but iOS Maps again?

    As it’s the season of good will, maybe those with iPhones can post addresses they want to find here, Android owners can look them up on their behalf? 🙂

    Or maybe, Charlie, you might consider the upgrade to an Android device yourself? :/

    Hahah – I guess you weren’t aware that iOS Maps are better than Google Maps in China? It’s because Apple licenses map data from AutoNavi, a Chinese company.

    I use Android devices at work but I don’t see myself switching to Android. Thanks though!

    #24548
    Avatar photoBrave Chengdu
    Participant
    Quote:
    I guess you weren’t aware that iOS Maps are better than Google Maps in China?

    I’m sure everyone on this forum is startled you hold that opinion! 🙂

    #24549
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster
    Quote:
    I’m sure everyone on this forum is startled you hold that opinion! 🙂

    I would consider it fact, not opinion, that AutoNavi simply has more and better map data than Google Maps in China.

    #24555
    Avatar photoBrendan
    Moderator

    Has Apple been promoting this opening at all? Anywhere? This might be considered a big deal (if you were so inclined) for any number of reasons, but I have a sneaky feeling it will be a ‘quiet’ affair. I imagine MixC will have done some promoting, though I was there again on Sunday and saw no trace or mention of the event. I understand why Apple will have chosen the development, designed by Callison architects who have designed spaces for many top tier brands, MixC is built on land previously used for aircraft engine manufacturing. Useless information I know, but the aesthetic fits. Trouble is, each time I’ve been to the mall it’s as good as empty, and I’ve been told that the developer has been trying to give away space to key clients. It doesn’t help that the front facade of the complex does it no justice whatsoever, with an overpass running across it.

    I would love to know how the key staff in the store will have been trained. Conjecture aside, I’d still sooner hop to HK for anything Apple related.

    #24557
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster
    Quote:
    Has Apple been promoting this opening at all? Anywhere?

    I don’t think anyone has really promoted this. I only heard about it a few days ago, and when I mentioned it to colleagues they were like “Yeah, that news is from last weekend”. So I suppose we get one week’s notice of the first Apple Store in Western China? I figured they would promote it a little bit more than that. I’m still expecting it to be packed though.

    Quote:
    Trouble is, each time I’ve been to the mall it’s as good as empty

    I heard they’re opening the second Apple Store in Chengdu at Raffles City. That location makes a lot more sense to me. Walking around that development it really feels like an Apple Store would be a perfect match.

    Quote:
    Conjecture aside, I’d still sooner hop to HK for anything Apple related.

    Makes sense, you do save a lot.

    #24560
    Avatar phototeddybaby
    Participant

    I thought about the HK factor, but calculated that the VAT is about equivalent to a round trip flight to HK from Chengdu plus accommodation.

    Are there any other reasons why you would purchase an apple product in HK vs. the mainland? I’ve bought a few ipod shuffles here and haven’t had any major issues.

    Thanks again.

    #24562
    Avatar photoSascha
    Participant

    So i don’t want to be THAT GUY but peep what Spengler, a total douchebag, has to say about Apple. Would love to have people discuss this: http://tinyurl.com/bgkk5d8

    “Apple persuaded people to buy the means to disseminate mass culture on the premise that it was promoting individuality. It was the slickest and most insidious piece of salesmanship in modern times.”

    #24563
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster
    Quote:
    Are there any other reasons why you would purchase an apple product in HK vs. the mainland? I’ve bought a few ipod shuffles here and haven’t had any major issues.

    Aside from price, you might want to go to HK to get Apple products because they’re usually available there earlier. The iPhone 5 is just coming out now in China, it’s been available in Hong Kong for 3 months, and at lower cost.

    On the cost issue, how much the price varies depends on what you’re buying. Check this out:

    If you buy the base model iPod Touch in China versus Hong Kong, you will spend about $50 more: roughly $240 in China to $190 in HK.

    If you buy the base model 15″ Retina Macbook Pro in China versus Hong Kong you will spend about $500 more: roughly $2,650 in China versus $2,150 in HK. For a purchase like that, it’s definitely worth going to Hong Kong.

    And if you’re spending any more than that (which isn’t difficult to do, by the way), it becomes fairly ludicrous to buy inside China unless you enjoy burning money.

    #24564
    Avatar photodnvphoto
    Participant

    hey charlie, saw this, i plan on being there at 8am to get my free t-shirt 🙂

    #24568
    Avatar photoBen
    Moderator
    Quote:
    If you buy the base model 15″ Retina Macbook Pro in China versus Hong Kong you will spend about $500 more: roughly $2,150 in China versus $2,650 in HK

    I think you mean $2,650 in China versus $2,150 in HK. China is still cheaper than Europe though, where the 15″ Retina Macbook Pro will cost you at least $2,900.

    A very competitive market in addition to no sales tax or VAT makes HK one of the cheapest places in the world to buy electronics.

    #24569
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster
    Quote:
    So i don’t want to be THAT GUY but peep what Spengler, a total douchebag, has to say about Apple.

    What an incredible douchebag that guy is.

    Quote:
    “Apple persuaded people to buy the means to disseminate mass culture on the premise that it was promoting individuality. It was the slickest and most insidious piece of salesmanship in modern times.”

    Apple has promoted culture in a way that no other tech company has. They make tools that high-end content producers use (Logic Studio for music, Final Cut Pro for video, Aperture for photographers), iTunes pays more money to musicians than any other store on earth, and the App Store has put hundreds of thousands of people in the business of selling mobile apps. If those aren’t contributors to culture and creativity, I don’t know what is. I’d also say that over 90% of the production artists, musicians, and photographers that I’ve worked with or met over the last 8 years use Macs as well, and I don’t think it’s because they like paying more or are buying in to some fad.

    When I see my 69-year old mother and my computer-illiterate sister downloading apps and sending photos on their iPads, it is like magic. For years they were confused and frustrated with cheap plastic Dell laptops running Windows, filled with malware and garbage. Simple tasks became impossible as new bugs and problems appeared daily. A computer that they can feel confident using, that serves the content they want and nothing they don’t, is incredibly empowering.

    But you can’t please everyone, as Apple knows. It’s not trying to be the be-all for everyone.

    #24573
    Avatar photoCharlie
    Keymaster
    Quote:
    I think you mean $2,650 in China versus $2,150 in HK.

    Yes, thank you for correcting me. I was juggling so many numbers in my head to make that point I knew I was going to screw some of them up.

    Quote:
    hey charlie, saw this, i plan on being there at 8am to get my free t-shirt 🙂

    Free t-shirt? Do they do that at Apple Store openings everywhere? It would be cool to get your perspective on the opening with your Apple Store knowledge and experience!

Viewing 20 posts - 1 through 20 (of 34 total)
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