I’m in Germany, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max (256GB) is selling for R27,909 in Europe (converted from Euros). That’s outrageous. Unless the South African community agrees on a boycott, nothing will change. The West already views Africa as inferior, and while South Africa gets some international attention, it still lacks the respect it deserves. I am Malawian by the way.
@@moseschisale7427 It's better because the locals can be influenced and it's worse when locals do it to each other. You can't change what foreigners do.
@@philanimpanza9364 this should be screamed from the the rooftops for the 'isheep'. Their sales must drop more than they already have. People are waking up. Aside from the ridiculous price discrepancies in SA, apple also Needs to be called out for being a mediocre, greedy company. They need to go back to innovation and stop recycling yesterday's technology with today's prices. 🚮
trust me it's already heading there, I saw a Vodacom ad with an iphone 16 128GB going for R900 for 48 months, imagine a base model for 4 years, when did we even get here, the max you could pay for a phone was 3 years now they took it to 4 years
Most South Africans (except some badge snobs) have abandoned the German cars altogether. Not that hard when the Chinese brands offer more features, quality and safety for less money.
@@ganjabobbyTrue. I was going through the stats, the German brands have been losing sales since the Chinese brands entered the market. I reckon seeing an overpriced A class for like 850k+, im talking about a base model. The car was ridiculed for the pricing by the car community
Worse part,in South Africa you can purchase them with installments that comes with interest.high phurchase.36months,the 42k iphone,you end up paying R100k or close🤦♀️.
@@gbone7581 it's some1's choice but the point comes to iphone being a status that some1 may want to take it with high purchase.and the seller is taking advantage of this.
THIS EXACTLY THE POINT! THERE ISNT ANY OFFICIAL APPLE STORE IN SOUTH AFRICA. ALL THESE iStores AND THE LIKES YOU SEE AROUND ARE ALL OFFICIAL RESELLERS (SO THEY END UP ADDING THEIR MARKUP PRICES) UNTIL SOUTH AFRICANS SPEAK UP THESE MIDDLE MEN WILL BE CASHING OUT $$$$ 😢😅
An iPhone is a luxury item... And it is priced as such. You are no more entitled to an affordable iPhone as you are a Rolls Royce... If you can't afford it, stick to your budget. Imagine 😂😂😂😂 people complaining that they can't afford luxury??? What's next we are going to complain that Gucci is too expensive? Stupidity!
@@Grounded.Child_Genetics You’re missing the point. This is about Core Group, the apple distributors in Southern Africa, monopolising and exploiting smart phone markets in South Africa. The public is also allowed to question price discrepancies between South Africa and the rest of the Apple stores worldwide. Even if every person in South Africa could afford those prices, they’d still have the right to question them…
@@Grounded.Child_Genetics it's not necessarily about affordability but getting ripped off because the price is way low somewhere else, why are you failing to understand that. You are so dogmatic towards apple and it's clouding your judgment
Not just cellphones even computers, laptops and data bundles are way too expensive in South Africa. In a digital age these things should be cheap, everyone should have an easy access to them.
@@ndujamz Yes they are... I bought one for my little sister For around R3000. The problem with South Africans it that they want BRANDS and not the product. And you'll pay out your A$$ for that...
@Grounded.Child_Genetics I disagree. Budget computers are horrible for the price unless you use it for just entertainment. As a gamer and tech enthusiast. I see laptops/computers that should sell for R13k cost R17k or R18k converted sometimes they even go for R24k. That is insanity.
@@Grounded.Child_Genetics you paid R3000 for a new laptop ? what chip did it have ? celeron ? come on south African prices are just rediculous @ndujamz has a very good point
This guy is well spoken and knows what he’s talking about…i thought I was the only one who noticed that iPhones were expensive in South Africa,I converted the $1200 to rands and I was amazed 😅
Quite ironic how he keeps preaching knowing the true value of a product when he literally used a Takealot listing for the S24 Ultra (the control variable), why not use Samsung's official website since it's their release after all?
I am from Angola, so I purchase items from U.S states that have 0 sales tax. When it arrives I pay 16% import tax. So it ends up being sooo much cheaper than purchasing the same item in Angola.
It's an African problem because we rely on other nations for any importation of goods created from our very own minerals. As long as we don't have the manufacturing power and process our own minerals, we will forever be dictated by the western nations and that's why they will also try to make sure Africa stays sleeping
Thank You from the first video you have open my eyes to this criminality and surely I will never be the same again, because of the information shared here. This is one the best videos I have watched on youtube. i am sharing it with most people I know.
Just know that the difference between mediocre and great videos is normally the iPhone video quality. The main thing that Apple has is great software intergration and good relations with application companies like Instagram which allows them to upload at a higher resolution
It's clear from some of the comments the reason why we get ripped off. People look at certain things as luxurious whereas they are meant to be functional. Until the day we take a hard look at ourselves and compare ourselves to our peers in other countries things like this will continue happening.... Wake up African child, you are worthy and much more capable than what the "1st world" countries tell you. Isn't it weird or sad even that we are living in a mineral rich continent but we are the poorest people on earth... It's not an accident, it's by design, by people not from this continent. One thing this video says is that an iPhone like many other things is not a luxury to Western countries, why should it be so to us? When there is a clear discrepancy in pricing as indicated by the Samsung pricing
Facts...people saying things like " if you can't afford it dont buy it". Its not about things being expensive,its about things being inflated here. Why should you be happy to pay more than other people are paying for a product
I don't pay over R7 000 for a phone. Chinese phones Huawei and Xiaomi have been good to me for over 10 years now. It helps that I studied marketing I never feel any FOMO, instead I worry about my brothers and sisters that are taken advantage of their hard earned money and are unaware how the world and life has become a giant ad. Most South African iPhone users that I know don't even use half features they buy, they buy an iphone and use it like any other basic phone.
Is the minister of Trade, Industry and Competition the person we should be putting pressure on to actually look at this thing or is it an issue that needs to be tackled by lawmakers in Parliament? Or there's nothing we can do?
because South Africans and Africans in general won’t support such local projects. We’ll make fun of the names and etc. There also needs to be a willingness from the government to initiate such operatives. Subsidies or favourable policies would be a good start. Because the raw materials are there, but do we even control the supply chain? No foreign entities do. So there’s a lot of hurdles that need to be fixed, but mostly the perception that we have towards homegrown products need to change and be given value to.
R42k.. That's deposit/money down for land in rural SA and you guys are buying fancy phones instead 😂 You can get a top Huawei or Xiami for R7k and for the same quality. Get your priorities straight SAns 😂
Yeah just get a xiaomi redmi, or poco, probably the most obvious brand that gives you good quality and prices. There's other brands too but xaiomi is a safe option
Samething going on here in Botswana. We are being ripped off by resellers claiming to be authorised sellers. Hell of insanely expensive. Even Macbooks. They're selling an M2 Max 512GB here in Botswana for 57k in Pulas. Thats like 75k in Rands. Thats crazy. You can get an M3 Max full spec for that amount in US. We are getting ripped off and competition authourities turning blind eye cause its political investors owning these shops.
Spar and others, garlic R100 Per Kg to R179 per Kg because of a shortage. Eggs R14 for 6 to R24 for 6, bla bla bla shortage, the price has never gone back, but we have plenty eggs now. [CRIMINAL], Bread R10 to R20.
Soon things will be R100 for one item and the hunger games will begin just hope I'm six feet under before the chaos...I'm worried about the Young generation who live in this economy 😭😭😭
Prices are primarily a result of consumer vs producer power. If the consumers give all the power to the producers by buying at inflated prices then the producer will keep the higher price to maximise profit. If you want lower prices, stop buying at inflated prices.
Another informative video from Jamie. Thank you for educating and conscientizing us on these critical issues. Our economy is indeed extractive. Thanks to you I am currently reading, “Why Nations Fail.’
I get why people love Apple products, they’re reliable, they last long, and there’s definitely value for money. But the high prices we’re paying here in Africa? It’s just ridiculous. On top of that, the cost of insuring these devices is crazy, and don’t even get me started on the repair costs. We’ve got huge malls, yet no official Apple Stores. Instead, we have to deal with companies like iStore, which seem to overcharge for everything. How is this even allowed? It feels like someone’s profiting from these inflated prices while banning things like Starlink. Something about this whole situation just doesn’t sit right with me.
Apple is not the only problem, it’s actually the government’s import tax on these goods. The import tax essentially pushes a lot of items out of reach for many potential customers.
Agree. These are predatory practices by these companies. Unfortunately, as you may have noticed in the comments section, some people dont realise when they're being ripped off. On the contrary paying a lot is a bragging right for some. These things are so cheap in the US people buy them for their children and parents
In 1981 my gran and grand dad bought a house for R20k, a new car for a few k. Few years later a car was 20k, a few years later a cellphone is 20k. The world is money hungry as everything is a ripoff these days but we the fools still buying the products thats not worth it. We as consumers create the demand for these over priced products and the way it will change is if we stop the demand.
The IPhone 16 Pro 128GB cost R10 000 more than the USA and EU. So basically we pay R17100 for the phone and R10 000 for import fees and tax. In the USA it cost 999 USD and with the rand at R17.12 now that is what it is.
And a lot of ppl that buy this device knows nothing about it,they just ordinary consumers maintaining status impressed with a clean camera,nothing more.
Yabo Mighty Jamie the problem is the South African consumers failed to hold the relevant authorities accountable. SABC had shows telling the public about consumer rights yet nobody acts because it's an overseas brand. If it was a phone made by a black South African they would've complained even if it was being sold by R1 then lie and say it's about quality.( I know my example is extreme but I hope nobody misinterpreted it) on a side note how do enter this IMC shandis?😅
Two things: 1. Local businesses need to step up, the Nigerian in me would get a loan, secure devices from the US and sell with less than half the markup but then again, I'd be murdered for making money in SA(low blow) 2. Feeds into 1, buying from registered distributors is always crazy. it's why most people don't use them and support smaller retailers i.e Computer Village, Lagos, Nigeria
An iPhone is a luxury item... And it is priced as such. You are no more entitled to an affordable iPhone as you are a Rolls Royce... If you can't afford it, stick to your budget. Imagine 😂😂😂😂 people complaining that they can't afford luxury??? What's next we are going to complain that Gucci is too expensive? Stupidity!
@@Grounded.Child_Genetics you missed the whole point it doesn't matter if it is what you consider a luxury item the core issue is price gauging and not paying a equivalent price as in the foreign market. Jamie even looked as the Samsung flagship as a comparison and the price gauging does not exist there.
@@letohpapu4319 it's always been cheaper to buy luxury sports cars ( regular cars too), in Europe... I've never heard this argument made before. Same with Louis Vuitton, it's cheaper in Europe. The reason why it's not a problem, is because they are not trying to be affordable to everyone (IT IS A LUXURY ITEM) . If you want affordable you go for the budget options not luxury. If you want affordable clothes, you don't go to Balenciaga... You fools.
It's expensive everywhere in Africa The base iPhone 16 is retailing for 30k cedis in Ghana Which is approximately 1900 dollars Makes absolutely no sense
The saddest truth is that government departments, entities, and local governments have direct contracts for the latest iPhone devices for their cellphone allowances. 😢 I wouldn't be surprised to see them with minutes and data worth over 50K +. What is the National Consumer Council doing?
I don't understand why people listen to this ignorant Zimbabwean. . . If that was the case, wouldn't we all just buy our iPhones from US and save R1000s in the process? What this Zimbo conveniently left out if that there's 15% luxury tax on the value of the phone, 15% VAT on the total (phone amount+luxury tax+ delivery fee). . There would be 7.1% import duties as well (Not sure if they're applicaple on smartphone). . . iPhone 16 pro max that cost R42 000. . . If you purchased it from USA, it would cost you R38 148 (without delivery fee or import duties). . Add delivery fee, it's basically the same price just less hustle. . . SA stores only make profit because they don't have to pay VAT for inventory they'll be re-selling.
I haven't yet watched your full video, but just by reading the title - I can tell you that anyone with brand loyalty rips themselves off than the other way around. This is because they tend to match a brand with a certain class they feel they identify with. This is ridiculously expensive, but trust me - the brand loyalists don't see it that way.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 512GB variant remains under R5000, including delivery. It's an evergreen phone at the moment! It has 8GB of RAM, a 1440p OLED display, an S-Pen, no hole-punch or notch, a back-facing fingerprint scanner and a (more convenient) iris scanner. It can still record 4K 60fps from the back cameras and 4K 30fps from the selfie camera. It's also ~200g, IP68 resistance and still has a headphone jack!
This is a south african problem. We are the only country that sell fuel to our neighbour cheaper than in our country. Look at Data/airtime packages so expensive in SA, but our companies sell them cheaper to the neighbours
My last iphone was the iphone 6s. After that, I started buying Samsungs because I noticed this discrepancy. I'd rather buy a mid-range or top-range Samsung at a reasonable price vs buying the lastest iphone at an exorbitant cost.
Man blame the import taxes & stuff, a phone that cost R7k in Asia comes here & they charge the company R6K to get it in the country & rips us in the end, the government need to lower their rates maybe to R2K for importing 😑
It’s unfair. I can’t understand it either. I’m sure Apple even offer incentives and do not hike prices in places like India for example. So why would they do this in SA.
@duffydon1741 imagine other countries buying Mercedes Benz for E63 for 3M and then in South Africa they charge you over 4M... whether I can afford it, I'll still have a problem... even billionaires complain when they have to spend a million more than they intend
Those price differences are largely due to the so-called "luxury tax" that we sit with here in South Africa. In my mind it is simply mad that the government supports Apple in this way. Firstly by applying such a tax on an already overpriced piece of tech such as an iPhone.
And what is fascinating about iPhone,,I you spend R40,000 just a IPhone, and you need to buy a charger separately and I don't understand why ? Even Samsung S24 does the same, you don't get phone charger because they say we must buy separately and I don't know why ?
In England we don't have istore we only have the original name of an Apple store. Why aren't they using the original name (Apple Store) just like in England and America
PS if you buy your phone at Best Buy in America, South Africa will not honor the warranty, even though the phone is the same model, ie language South Africa is included on the American phone.
I heard all these international Brand Companies are Putting pressure on the Government to deal with Temu because they cant compete with the chinese prices. An unhealthy market to them is a market they cant overcharge in it seems.
I’m in Germany, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max (256GB) is selling for R27,909 in Europe (converted from Euros). That’s outrageous. Unless the South African community agrees on a boycott, nothing will change. The West already views Africa as inferior, and while South Africa gets some international attention, it still lacks the respect it deserves. I am Malawian by the way.
Scheisse mein schmetterling!!
The iPhone in SA is resold by Core. Core is a proudly SA company. It's not the West, it's locals profiteering.
@@peterc4082 I'm not sure that's any better. Still too expensive.
@@moseschisale7427 It's better because the locals can be influenced and it's worse when locals do it to each other. You can't change what foreigners do.
@@peterc4082 Just looked them up. Damn💀💀
Let's stop buying them,prices will go down,simple as that
@@philanimpanza9364 this should be screamed from the the rooftops for the 'isheep'. Their sales must drop more than they already have. People are waking up. Aside from the ridiculous price discrepancies in SA, apple also Needs to be called out for being a mediocre, greedy company. They need to go back to innovation and stop recycling yesterday's technology with today's prices. 🚮
a fool and his money are easily parted!
Nah bro people need to flex with their phones so theyll keep buying
People should stop buying from this local shops and order for themselves. It only takes 5 to 10 days and get your phone.
@@nlisijohn7684u'l still end up paying the same price man, shipping will hit u
By the end of 2030, you will be paying R70-80K for an iPhone that is crazy
I agree and yet we still buy them here in mzansi 😭
Ok. Buy Samsung then if you can’t afford it don’t buy it anymore. But the company can put what ever cost they want on it.
trust me it's already heading there, I saw a Vodacom ad with an iphone 16 128GB going for R900 for 48 months, imagine a base model for 4 years, when did we even get here, the max you could pay for a phone was 3 years now they took it to 4 years
Take a Haval, remove the Haval badge and put the Mercedes or BMW badge and the price will double and my people will happily buy.😂😂
Most South Africans (except some badge snobs) have abandoned the German cars altogether. Not that hard when the Chinese brands offer more features, quality and safety for less money.
@@ganjabobby I am not that sure about the quality and safety?
@@gbone7581what it is about their quality that you don't trust?
@@ganjabobbyTrue. I was going through the stats, the German brands have been losing sales since the Chinese brands entered the market.
I reckon seeing an overpriced A class for like 850k+, im talking about a base model. The car was ridiculed for the pricing by the car community
People are waking up but the majority are still very brand loyal.
Worse part,in South Africa you can purchase them with installments that comes with interest.high phurchase.36months,the 42k iphone,you end up paying R100k or close🤦♀️.
that is your choice?
@@gbone7581 it's some1's choice but the point comes to iphone being a status that some1 may want to take it with high purchase.and the seller is taking advantage of this.
You really did great here. Never thought i needed to know this. Thank you Jamie
Glad it was helpful!
Unfortunately this is what happens when there’s a Middleman in business
The "middleman" is y'all trying too hard to impress😂
Fact
The middle man is called that because he is the one screwing people over.
THIS EXACTLY THE POINT! THERE ISNT ANY OFFICIAL APPLE STORE IN SOUTH AFRICA. ALL THESE iStores AND THE LIKES YOU SEE AROUND ARE ALL OFFICIAL RESELLERS (SO THEY END UP ADDING THEIR MARKUP PRICES) UNTIL SOUTH AFRICANS SPEAK UP THESE MIDDLE MEN WILL BE CASHING OUT $$$$ 😢😅
@@NanaKwesiGHexorbitant...True🙏🏽
South Africa is money market. If you want to sell a fart, go to South Africa and sell it
😂😂😂 You are too much .
All you have to do is put it in bottle labeled with a apple.
Almost made me chock on my tea 😂😂 wth
There’s Never a dull moment in mzansi bro 😂😂😂😂
Worst is probably bottles of expensive alcohol
The problem is iStore SA
That’s Core group
Absolutely true
R42000 i could buy myself a Toyota tazz and drive around
An iPhone is a luxury item... And it is priced as such. You are no more entitled to an affordable iPhone as you are a Rolls Royce... If you can't afford it, stick to your budget.
Imagine 😂😂😂😂 people complaining that they can't afford luxury??? What's next we are going to complain that Gucci is too expensive? Stupidity!
@@Grounded.Child_Genetics You’re missing the point. This is about Core Group, the apple distributors in Southern Africa, monopolising and exploiting smart phone markets in South Africa. The public is also allowed to question price discrepancies between South Africa and the rest of the Apple stores worldwide. Even if every person in South Africa could afford those prices, they’d still have the right to question them…
Not me reading this from my Pro max 😂
@@Grounded.Child_Genetics it's not necessarily about affordability but getting ripped off because the price is way low somewhere else, why are you failing to understand that. You are so dogmatic towards apple and it's clouding your judgment
People like @Grounded.Child_Genetics is precisely why we are getting ripped off. I guess this video went way above his/her/their head
Not just cellphones even computers, laptops and data bundles are way too expensive in South Africa. In a digital age these things should be cheap, everyone should have an easy access to them.
There are plenty of budget options... Shop within your means.
@@Grounded.Child_GeneticsCellphones maybe but Computers and Laptops...nah.
@@ndujamz Yes they are... I bought one for my little sister For around R3000.
The problem with South Africans it that they want BRANDS and not the product.
And you'll pay out your A$$ for that...
@Grounded.Child_Genetics I disagree. Budget computers are horrible for the price unless you use it for just entertainment. As a gamer and tech enthusiast. I see laptops/computers that should sell for R13k cost R17k or R18k converted sometimes they even go for R24k. That is insanity.
@@Grounded.Child_Genetics you paid R3000 for a new laptop ? what chip did it have ? celeron ? come on south African prices are just rediculous @ndujamz has a very good point
Here in SA most people buy iphones for flexing/status more than anything else..unless you rich and can afford to waste 40k on a phone
This video must be seen good people. Information in here is gold
Although I agree with you, nothing will change because mzansi is filled with people who wanna impress people who don't give AF about them
@@Sound9ine showing off costs real money I tell you 42k. Complete 2 room
@@AndyGeeeeee and guess what? Broke people out there will still buy it 😂...I don't know if its voodoo or pure stupidity
The competition commission should look into this.
They get paid off.
Those ones are captured
They all have iPhones…..
I hate those ones😢
This guy is well spoken and knows what he’s talking about…i thought I was the only one who noticed that iPhones were expensive in South Africa,I converted the $1200 to rands and I was amazed 😅
US prices exclude VAT
@@callumscott953even with vat it still cheaper profiting 15000 is absurd
@@callumscott953even if you put vat it will be less
Even cars are like I phones too expensive in south Africa
💯
You are standing on business here. Thank you for the insights… someone had to call out. These videos will be used a reference in the near future
Quite ironic how he keeps preaching knowing the true value of a product when he literally used a Takealot listing for the S24 Ultra (the control variable), why not use Samsung's official website since it's their release after all?
Great work here 👏.
One thing about South Africans,they buy everything 🤦🤦.So materialistic.
This video was in my recommended on youtube. Never seen this guy before but I thought this video is cool. Spread the word! I'm subscribing.
Likewise
You are actually assisting South Africa as whole, thanks for this enlightening video.
I love the expose!! We need to expose these things in Africa, Unite!!
*exposé, but the point still gets across nonetheless.
yes remove all western goods from south africa and have only cheap plastic chinese goods
When I found out last year that the tech I was buying costs R4000 in US and I'm paying R8000 for it here in SA I was so mad.
I am from Angola, so I purchase items from U.S states that have 0 sales tax. When it arrives I pay 16% import tax. So it ends up being sooo much cheaper than purchasing the same item in Angola.
Angola is one of the countries with the same problem as South Africa. One company controls distribution.
How do you buy those? i'd like to try
which do you use for delivery
It's an African problem because we rely on other nations for any importation of goods created from our very own minerals. As long as we don't have the manufacturing power and process our own minerals, we will forever be dictated by the western nations and that's why they will also try to make sure Africa stays sleeping
@@UhuruUhuruThat’s correct unfortunately. Prices for iPhones are 3 - 4 times more expensive.
Thank You from the first video you have open my eyes to this criminality and surely I will never be the same again, because of the information shared here. This is one the best videos I have watched on youtube. i am sharing it with most people I know.
I honestly don't understand the hype about this device.
Just know that the difference between mediocre and great videos is normally the iPhone video quality. The main thing that Apple has is great software intergration and good relations with application companies like Instagram which allows them to upload at a higher resolution
you wouldnt know
@@WonderfullplaceWonderfullplace right
Build quality, design.... price value retention..... well designed native apps..... a well oiled ecosystem...... like.....its quite a lot of things...
@@doit310 there's literally nothing innovative about iPhone it's just overpriced garbage catered for simps and pretentious "baddies".🤣
Infact on Saturday I bought a brand new s23u 512gb version at R10,742
Where??
That's a grand deal! The cheapest I've seen it is less than R12399. 👀
where???
👏 👏
Best price
Where?
I wonder if the government watches these videos, maybe they do and they don't care! Corruption is our national anthem.
This has nothing to do with the govt. It's the greed of the importer inflating prices because they have a monopoly
You mean the puppet government
They couldn't stop America from sending their GMO,cancer chickens
Ripping off some of the poorest people in world is crazy work. We're already being taxed like we're living in feudal medieval times... smh
Some of the poorest people in the world are discussing the pricing of a luxury item. That's crazy work.
@@jabulanitheron9268 premium, but okay
Who buys and iPhone when poor🤔🤔🤔 don't lie to us man
@@mikeStinson-gg2wl my barber had a pro max so he aint lying
It's clear from some of the comments the reason why we get ripped off. People look at certain things as luxurious whereas they are meant to be functional. Until the day we take a hard look at ourselves and compare ourselves to our peers in other countries things like this will continue happening.... Wake up African child, you are worthy and much more capable than what the "1st world" countries tell you. Isn't it weird or sad even that we are living in a mineral rich continent but we are the poorest people on earth... It's not an accident, it's by design, by people not from this continent. One thing this video says is that an iPhone like many other things is not a luxury to Western countries, why should it be so to us? When there is a clear discrepancy in pricing as indicated by the Samsung pricing
Facts...people saying things like " if you can't afford it dont buy it". Its not about things being expensive,its about things being inflated here. Why should you be happy to pay more than other people are paying for a product
You got it, we just accept the over pricing as if its not worth examining in the name of luxury.
Hence I just buy from China. Everything is assembled there anyway
🗿🗿
BMW, Mercedes and Toyotas are assembled in Africa, would you buy an African car?
@@gbone7581 parts are sourced from China.
Same with an iPhone. The parts are from China and assembled in China.
@@realhey-girlYeah it's Samsung that makes the parts.
why are there 4 version of essentially the same phones😭
Anybody who buys an iPhone is getting robbed
I don't pay over R7 000 for a phone. Chinese phones Huawei and Xiaomi have been good to me for over 10 years now. It helps that I studied marketing I never feel any FOMO, instead I worry about my brothers and sisters that are taken advantage of their hard earned money and are unaware how the world and life has become a giant ad. Most South African iPhone users that I know don't even use half features they buy, they buy an iphone and use it like any other basic phone.
This episode is POWERFUL. POWERFUL Jamie. Big up king. Keep going.
I stopped buying iPhone after iPhone 14 pro max. I'm good with that one and I'm not looking forward to upgrading to another iPhone.
Is the minister of Trade, Industry and Competition the person we should be putting pressure on to actually look at this thing or is it an issue that needs to be tackled by lawmakers in Parliament? Or there's nothing we can do?
We could bring the apple factory here in Pretoria. So that we buy them cheap
They are in the payroll
Don't buy it! Nothing you mentioned will change anything. Corps always win
thank you jamie you have gained a follower. im always looking for your next analysis
I honestly don't know why don't we build our own smartphones.
because South Africans and Africans in general won’t support such local projects. We’ll make fun of the names and etc. There also needs to be a willingness from the government to initiate such operatives. Subsidies or favourable policies would be a good start. Because the raw materials are there, but do we even control the supply chain? No foreign entities do. So there’s a lot of hurdles that need to be fixed, but mostly the perception that we have towards homegrown products need to change and be given value to.
MOBICEL is South African OWNED. Do your research
Mobicel has existed and is home grown for decades but we don't buy it 😂
@bongoseakhoa5092 they don't innovate
@@mutotowamwema That's a good answer. And to make matters worse they'll try and compare it to iPhones just to prove a point
R42k.. That's deposit/money down for land in rural SA and you guys are buying fancy phones instead 😂 You can get a top Huawei or Xiami for R7k and for the same quality. Get your priorities straight SAns 😂
🔥
😅😅
People are just stupid. They are not buying the product but the half bitten apple at the back of the phone. Absolutely insane.😂
Yeah just get a xiaomi redmi, or poco, probably the most obvious brand that gives you good quality and prices. There's other brands too but xaiomi is a safe option
According to the EFF ,blacks should be given land ..you know wht majority gonna do...they will sell land to buy iPhones.....ay
Samething going on here in Botswana. We are being ripped off by resellers claiming to be authorised sellers. Hell of insanely expensive. Even Macbooks. They're selling an M2 Max 512GB here in Botswana for 57k in Pulas. Thats like 75k in Rands. Thats crazy. You can get an M3 Max full spec for that amount in US.
We are getting ripped off and competition authourities turning blind eye cause its political investors owning these shops.
Dear fellow South African's can we please not buy iphone 16's until this pricing issue gets resolved?
Spar and others, garlic R100 Per Kg to R179 per Kg because of a shortage. Eggs R14 for 6 to R24 for 6, bla bla bla shortage, the price has never gone back, but we have plenty eggs now. [CRIMINAL], Bread R10 to R20.
Soon things will be R100 for one item and the hunger games will begin just hope I'm six feet under before the chaos...I'm worried about the Young generation who live in this economy 😭😭😭
So true
Yoooooh dude, at some point , I stopped keeping up with the price of bread because it kept going up. Siyadliwa guys!
Why would you buy a phone for more than 10k in the first place?we like other people's things too much that's why they rip us off.
We also want nice things. Paying 28 - 42 thousand rand for a phone that’s half the price in US is ridiculous.
Prices are primarily a result of consumer vs producer power. If the consumers give all the power to the producers by buying at inflated prices then the producer will keep the higher price to maximise profit. If you want lower prices, stop buying at inflated prices.
Another informative video from Jamie. Thank you for educating and conscientizing us on these critical issues. Our economy is indeed extractive. Thanks to you I am currently reading, “Why Nations Fail.’
That’s a powerful book. We need to spread the knowledge
I get why people love Apple products, they’re reliable, they last long, and there’s definitely value for money. But the high prices we’re paying here in Africa? It’s just ridiculous. On top of that, the cost of insuring these devices is crazy, and don’t even get me started on the repair costs.
We’ve got huge malls, yet no official Apple Stores. Instead, we have to deal with companies like iStore, which seem to overcharge for everything. How is this even allowed? It feels like someone’s profiting from these inflated prices while banning things like Starlink. Something about this whole situation just doesn’t sit right with me.
Apple is not the only problem, it’s actually the government’s import tax on these goods. The import tax essentially pushes a lot of items out of reach for many potential customers.
“Impressing baddies”😅😅😅😅
Why not
That's all it is mate 😅
LOL the need to impress baddies needs to be studied. Someone needs to do a whole thesis on this market driver
Impressing baddies while starving 😅
Baddies don't make for good partners! 🗣️🔥🔥🔥
Agree. These are predatory practices by these companies. Unfortunately, as you may have noticed in the comments section, some people dont realise when they're being ripped off. On the contrary paying a lot is a bragging right for some. These things are so cheap in the US people buy them for their children and parents
Thank u Jamie this is very informative🙏🤝
In 1981 my gran and grand dad bought a house for R20k, a new car for a few k. Few years later a car was 20k, a few years later a cellphone is 20k. The world is money hungry as everything is a ripoff these days but we the fools still buying the products thats not worth it. We as consumers create the demand for these over priced products and the way it will change is if we stop the demand.
Ladies and gentlemen…. This is what we call “Apple Tax” 😅
The IPhone 16 Pro 128GB cost R10 000 more than the USA and EU. So basically we pay R17100 for the phone and R10 000 for import fees and tax. In the USA it cost 999 USD and with the rand at R17.12 now that is what it is.
And a lot of ppl that buy this device knows nothing about it,they just ordinary consumers maintaining status impressed with a clean camera,nothing more.
Yabo Mighty Jamie the problem is the South African consumers failed to hold the relevant authorities accountable. SABC had shows telling the public about consumer rights yet nobody acts because it's an overseas brand. If it was a phone made by a black South African they would've complained even if it was being sold by R1 then lie and say it's about quality.( I know my example is extreme but I hope nobody misinterpreted it) on a side note how do enter this IMC shandis?😅
Thanks so much for shining a light on this and for raising awareness. Please continue to expose these monopoly companies and keep up the good work.
I've always said an iphone is just a scam ... what justifies 42 000 on a brick phone that's has Samsung and LG parts in it...
Two things:
1. Local businesses need to step up, the Nigerian in me would get a loan, secure devices from the US and sell with less than half the markup but then again, I'd be murdered for making money in SA(low blow)
2. Feeds into 1, buying from registered distributors is always crazy. it's why most people don't use them and support smaller retailers i.e Computer Village, Lagos, Nigeria
SA trade and industry have let this going for so long , Core group is monopolising this product.
An iPhone is a luxury item... And it is priced as such. You are no more entitled to an affordable iPhone as you are a Rolls Royce... If you can't afford it, stick to your budget.
Imagine 😂😂😂😂 people complaining that they can't afford luxury??? What's next we are going to complain that Gucci is too expensive? Stupidity!
@@Grounded.Child_Genetics you still lost brother 🥲
@@Grounded.Child_Genetics you missed the whole point it doesn't matter if it is what you consider a luxury item the core issue is price gauging and not paying a equivalent price as in the foreign market. Jamie even looked as the Samsung flagship as a comparison and the price gauging does not exist there.
Here comes the 'Isheep' missing the point, making atrocious analogies. @@Grounded.Child_Genetics
@@letohpapu4319 it's always been cheaper to buy luxury sports cars ( regular cars too), in Europe... I've never heard this argument made before. Same with Louis Vuitton, it's cheaper in Europe.
The reason why it's not a problem, is because they are not trying to be affordable to everyone (IT IS A LUXURY ITEM) . If you want affordable you go for the budget options not luxury.
If you want affordable clothes, you don't go to Balenciaga... You fools.
Brilliant piece - thank you❤
Just dont buy these phones lol
This became an economics class so fast.😅 Go off professor… 13:07
What they are doing to us is definitely unethical 💯💯💯
It's expensive everywhere in Africa
The base iPhone 16 is retailing for 30k cedis in Ghana
Which is approximately 1900 dollars
Makes absolutely no sense
I always say I was never and never Wil buy any Apple products. I'd stick to my user friendly android devices
I’m so happy someone is talking about this, I’ve been saying it for years but I thought South Africans don’t care
IPhone is a total rip off. Same ol same thing every generation.
Everything is a choice, and people choose to be ripped off budget phones are a dime a dozen, but people aren't ready for that conversation
It's the same with cars, in the UK cars are way cheaper.
I’m in Zimbabwe 🇿🇼
iPhone 16 pro max =$1500 boxed
R26315
That’s a fair price
The saddest truth is that government departments, entities, and local governments have direct contracts for the latest iPhone devices for their cellphone allowances. 😢 I wouldn't be surprised to see them with minutes and data worth over 50K +.
What is the National Consumer Council doing?
I don't understand why people listen to this ignorant Zimbabwean. . . If that was the case, wouldn't we all just buy our iPhones from US and save R1000s in the process? What this Zimbo conveniently left out if that there's 15% luxury tax on the value of the phone, 15% VAT on the total (phone amount+luxury tax+ delivery fee). . There would be 7.1% import duties as well (Not sure if they're applicaple on smartphone). . . iPhone 16 pro max that cost R42 000. . . If you purchased it from USA, it would cost you R38 148 (without delivery fee or import duties). . Add delivery fee, it's basically the same price just less hustle. . . SA stores only make profit because they don't have to pay VAT for inventory they'll be re-selling.
I haven't yet watched your full video, but just by reading the title - I can tell you that anyone with brand loyalty rips themselves off than the other way around. This is because they tend to match a brand with a certain class they feel they identify with. This is ridiculously expensive, but trust me - the brand loyalists don't see it that way.
John Steenhuizen should have taken this man as his Chief of Staff..insted of the other strange fellow
😂😂😂
Wow lovely what a beautiful presentation nice to know I'm not the only one seeing this. Keep up the great work
Nice, You nailed it! 🔥🔥🔥
I live in Beijing & when I tell you that the 16 pro max 256 is R23 581. Godspeed to my people!!!!!!
anyone who buy a phone for more than R5000 is confused
Yeah you can get a good mid ranger at that price
And extremely stupid 😡 these toys hardly have changed since 2018!!!!!
Nah man.. A flip phone looks fun to have
I agree..
The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 512GB variant remains under R5000, including delivery. It's an evergreen phone at the moment!
It has 8GB of RAM, a 1440p OLED display, an S-Pen, no hole-punch or notch, a back-facing fingerprint scanner and a (more convenient) iris scanner. It can still record 4K 60fps from the back cameras and 4K 30fps from the selfie camera. It's also ~200g, IP68 resistance and still has a headphone jack!
This is a south african problem. We are the only country that sell fuel to our neighbour cheaper than in our country. Look at Data/airtime packages so expensive in SA, but our companies sell them cheaper to the neighbours
My last iphone was the iphone 6s. After that, I started buying Samsungs because I noticed this discrepancy. I'd rather buy a mid-range or top-range Samsung at a reasonable price vs buying the lastest iphone at an exorbitant cost.
Lets report this to Dylan page...he will help spread awareness to South Africans and others because he has a large audience
This is so sad, Africa is really not yet uhuru.
How do our leaders let this type of 💩happen 🤷🏾♂️
Obviously it’s Ramaphosa and his markets that are doing this. Rather buy these phones when we go overseas, and screw ICASSA
Man blame the import taxes & stuff, a phone that cost R7k in Asia comes here & they charge the company R6K to get it in the country & rips us in the end, the government need to lower their rates maybe to R2K for importing 😑
It’s unfair. I can’t understand it either. I’m sure Apple even offer incentives and do not hike prices in places like India for example. So why would they do this in SA.
This is a good reflection, but here is the other side, if you cant afford it, it’s not yours!!
If you can afford it, do you want to pay fair price or unfair price?
@@UhuruUhuru with all due respect, if you have the money, it wouldn’t really matter!!
@duffydon1741 imagine other countries buying Mercedes Benz for E63 for 3M and then in South Africa they charge you over 4M... whether I can afford it, I'll still have a problem... even billionaires complain when they have to spend a million more than they intend
second hand cars too in Kenya are also expensive it makes no sense
New Iphones sold expensively with old android features every year
Guysbvery difficult choice the both cost the same
Iphone 16 or a car
Choose wisely......
may this man be protected
Those price differences are largely due to the so-called "luxury tax" that we sit with here in South Africa. In my mind it is simply mad that the government supports Apple in this way. Firstly by applying such a tax on an already overpriced piece of tech such as an iPhone.
And what is fascinating about iPhone,,I you spend R40,000 just a IPhone, and you need to buy a charger separately and I don't understand why ? Even Samsung S24 does the same, you don't get phone charger because they say we must buy separately and I don't know why ?
I'm a south african and your exposing the tech market its harsh here like console prices here are ridiculous too 😂
Price gouging and corporate greed at its Max
In England we don't have istore we only have the original name of an Apple store. Why aren't they using the original name (Apple Store) just like in England and America
Agree. Apple products are too expensive in SA.
The fact that it headqueters are in😅 Cyprus , it a redflag , thank you for the info.
We should act against it! I didn't know and now that you have brought it to my attention, I will try to push this to my socials so people can know!!!
PS if you buy your phone at Best Buy in America, South Africa will not honor the warranty, even though the phone is the same model, ie language South Africa is included on the American phone.
I heard all these international Brand Companies are Putting pressure on the Government to deal with Temu because they cant compete with the chinese prices. An unhealthy market to them is a market they cant overcharge in it seems.
I'm happy with my Mobi-Cell.