Apple Launches Online Store in Russia with Full Product Lineup

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Apple today launched its online store in Russia, bringing direct ordering of its full lineup of products to the world's ninth most populous nation. The launch is being promoted with a large banner on the main Apple page for Russian visitors.

apple_online_store_russia
Apple was reported last August to be preparing to begin direct sales in Russia, with the possibility of brick and mortar retail stores following in the future. Apple was reportedly unhappy with its distribution network in the country, particularly with regard to the iPhone, and those distribution issues appear to have spurred Apple to launch its own direct sales there.

Evidence of Apple hiring team members for the Russian online store appeared earlier this year, with those positions based in Cork, Ireland. The company does, however, have a presence in Moscow where it handles iTunes Store, marketing, business sales, carrier relations, and other functions.

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Top Rated Comments

I
iJayden
165 months ago
In Soviet Russia, iPhone buys you!
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
K
kot
165 months ago
I see more Samsung phones then Apple products when sitting in a train, two years ago it was the other way around.
.
Samsung sells commodities, of course there will be more people who can afford only cheap samsung phones. Also massive brainwashing conducted by Samsung influences young and weak minds into buying samsung phones.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
K
kaellar
165 months ago
Хорошо, что :apple: уже давно перешли в состав Советского Союза, и в ближайшее время будет иметь магазинов :apple:
" good that :apple: already long time ago came to Soviet Union union and soon will to have of stores :apple: "
looks like google.translate isn't as good as you think..

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funny story: Apple had no stores in Russia - Russians where whining. Apple now has online store - Russians continue whining.
most of Russians don't understand that they belong to EU region and won't ever get US price tags on Apple products. I guess the reasons are EU prices + EU/5 salaries.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrNomNoms Avatar
MrNomNoms
165 months ago
Wishful thinking I'm afraid...

http://www.nu.nl/files/datajournalistiek/graphics/highcharts/examples/telefoonidcfeature2013q1.htm

Apple is drastically loosing ground in Europe, the popularity is going down in a pretty fast way.... The days of line-ups for Apple stores are over. When iPhone 5s will be launched no new line-ups in Amsterdam, I can promise you that. I see more Samsung phones then Apple products when sitting in a train, two years ago it was the other way around.

Only a new Apple watch or a "revolutionary" new product can "save" apple, save in "" because the company is still very very rich but Apple is no longer "cool" unfortunately I may add.

Considering that as a continent that Europe is heading down the crapper I think there are greater considerations in the minds of the average European that throwing cash at the latest gizmo unless it is heavily subsidised or given away with a free bottle of Victory Gin. The growth is in the Asia-Pacific region with the rising middle class that isn't riddled with all the financial problems that are present in the western world such as high personal debt and lack of work ethic thus from what it appears the push by Apple seems to be banking on gaining ground in these emerging and formally neglected markets.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
northy124 Avatar
northy124
165 months ago
The only thing I can't understand is why the prices in the official Apple store in Russia is higher than in other official stores in the world?
Within the CIS there are high import duties on all foreign goods in order to sustain a rather poor domestic economy which won't improve until inefficiency is removed from Russia which will never happen in our time. That said the MacBooks are roughly £50 cheaper in Russia than the UK :(

The only Apple products you can get cheaper in Russia are the films which are in many cases half the price and come with English soundtracks :D
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
L
lilo777
165 months ago
Yes, I'm sure your train observation means that the iPhone 5S will sell poorly. Apple is really in trouble. (http://qzprod.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/appleearnings-charta.png) Who cares about objective data?
Actually, his train observation is spot on. Here is quote from the just published IDC report (http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUK24197413)on Western European Mobile Phone Market (Q1):

"In terms of operating system, Android continues to dominate the smartphone landscape. In the quarter, Google's OS shipped 21.9 million units and market share increased to 69% in 1Q13 from 55% in last years' first quarter. Apple's iOS continues to lose ground as market share declined to 20% from 25% in 1Q12."

As far as Apple is concerned, not only iPhone market shared declined but so did iPhone sales year over year.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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