For example: a 64 GB iPhone X is currently selling for around 1100 dollars.
Import duty on iPhones is 18% and 28% on iPads as of 2015. [2] Wealth inequality in India is pretty high (not as high as in the US, though, GINI 35.6 vs 40.4), and it's GDP per capita is just $1,939. Per your data, they're currently charging $1,100 which is a whopping 57% of GDP per capita.
My gut tells me reducing the price of a super-luxury good by 18% won't increase demand enough to make up for pocketing the 18% savings. That would be like pricing an iPhone at $33,000 in America. I can't imagine reducing the price to $27,000 would dramatically increase the number of buyers. Or a Rolex from $100K to $82K.
I guess we'll see!
[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckjones/2018/03/02/apple-con...
[2] https://www.labnol.org/india/custom-import-duties/19306/
The import tax in India is now 20%. Lets suppose Apple could increase market share in India to match that in China by reducing prices by the 20% tax, and compare that to keeping the 20% as extra profit but not increasing market share.
2% market share on 50% profit margin (existing 30% margin plus tax margin of 20%) sounds pretty good. However 30% profits on 7% market share yields more than double the overall profits.
Finally, all the arguments you make for charging more apply equally well anywhere in the world. So why doesn't Apple charge India prices everywhere in the world already? A simple argument that increased profit margin always beats higher sales implies that the perfect price point is infinity. At some point this strategy must yield diminishing returns.
They kind of do, except they're slowly easing into it. First iPhone was 499 USD for the base model. iPhone X was 999 USD for the base model.
So over 10 years, they slowly raised their prices 100 %.
Quite a few countries have car industries which work roughly like this -- the local VW plant will cost twice as much to run (per car) as the mothership, roughy matching a 100% import tax. (Although in reality there is often more to the story, like producing exactly one model there & exporting those for credit against imports...)
Then there is 12% tax on top of that.
That isn't right. The iPhone X costs (just under) 1,00,000 INR retail in India, which is over 1400 usd.
This includes taxes.
For reference: https://www.flipkart.com/mobiles/apple~brand/pr?sid=tyy,4io&
I live in Sweden, and the pricing will go like this:
- The US: $999
- The EU: €999
- Sweden: 9900 SEK
Depending on currency rates, it can become up to 30% more expensive.
My favorite discovery was around the time of the trashcan MacPro. It was cheaper to fly to New York, buy the Mac, and fly back than to buy one in Sweden. And you would still have money left over.
It makes no sense comparing US and EU prices directly, as the former are always shown without VAT (which varies state from state), and in the latter the VAT is included (which is specific to each country).
Also, price will fluctuate even across EU countries, on account of different VAT taxes in the individual member states, so that Apple "keeps the same digits" it is simply not true, as a rule:
iPhone X 64GB USA(no VAT): 999$ https://www.apple.com/us_kiosk_5000012/shop/buy-iphone/iphon...
iPhone X 64GB Italy (VAT 22%): 1189€ https://www.apple.com/it/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-xs
iPhone X 64GB Spain (VAT 21%): 1159€ https://www.apple.com/es/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-xs
The only way to compare them is to remove VAT, for example in the case of Italy:
1189/(1+0.22)= 974€ -->> 1100$ (current exchange rate).
So, there is about 10% difference, which could be (partly) accounted for due to the different warranty requirements in EU.
EDIT: Fixed math
US price has no sale tax (which varies per state and county)
To sum up: if you find the goods at any retailer in the EU, buy them online and pay for the delivery - for light products (electronics), the shipment costs are low when not 'free'.
[0]:https://www.amazon.de/Apple-iPhone-X-64GB-Space-Grau/dp/B075...
They do not always use the round numbers.