So, that is interesting and I will keep the details for future reference however it seems that Apple is unaware of this company:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1434
Hint: there isn't one!
Yes there is. [url=http://www.protech-me.com/new/Pro%20Assist/pro_app_servers.php'>Protech[/url'> on SZR, not far from Safestway.
When DH had a problem with his MacBook Pro battery starting to warp and split, he looked it up online and discovered that Apple acknowledged it as a manufacturing fault with batteries from certain years of MBP and would replace them for free even if they were out of warranty, which DH's one was. He did some research and found that the official Dubai service agent for Apple was Protech, so he took the battery there and they handled the exchange without any fuss at all.
<em>edited by edna.welthorpe on 28/11/2011</em>
Hint: there isn't one!
However, souq.com has the iPad 2 now for AED 1,600 which is, in fact, a bargain and much cheaper than Apple US.!
http://uae.souq.com/Apple-iPad-2-16GB-Wifi-Black/10453682-EN/
No warranty though so......
what happens if you have a problem with the item - no one here is going to deal with it
Apple's standard warranty is 1 year international. The official Apple service agent in the UAE would be obliged to deal with it.
Hi Loukoum......Yep, me too. Last 3 Shop and Ship parcels I've had delivered have all had customs duty and related charges to be paid. This is usually 5% of the value but then there is the customs registration (60 dhs) and customs admin charges (40 dhs) each parcel. This total then gets added to the Aramex normal weight charge for the parcel. So definitely something to factor in when placing an order.
I don't know whether it is just me but, these days, EVERY package I get through S&S is opened -- so I would have to factor in customs taxes if I bought something over $250.
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So much for unifying the prices for apple world wide, just been on their US website and their UAE website, the iPad2 starts from 2099AED on the UAE website but starts at 458USD on the US website (approx 1682)
I don't think they'll shop and ship it direct from the apple website, just checked amazon UK and you'd be paying around 1900AED for the iPad but once you factor in SnS you may as well have bought it directly off the UAE apple site and have it delivered.
Using US apple may save you a couple of hundred depending on the SnS costs, but if you are going to buy it here get it online or at Virgin or Jumbo as they have the same prices as the website.
Good to know about the Apple TV. I was in the US last month and meant to buy one but then didn't. Glad that I can SnS it, because there markup here (I'm in Qatar) is like 250%.
Now to get an apple online store for Qatar!
You MAY have to pay duty here and you will have to pay US sales tax of 5% in New York where SnS is based plus shipping charges and then, what happens if you have a problem with the item - no one here is going to deal with it (although I don't know what the Apple on-line UAE store does about this either).
Still, Apple products are very reliable and I have only had problems with iPhones not Macbooks or iPads.
I bought a Kindle from Amazon US thru SnS and it broke; called Amazon UK (Ireland) and then sent me out a new one (to UK) immediately but I still had to ship the old one back to the States since that's where it came from.
souq.com frequently has iPad's on their deal of the day and they are attempting a 'Cyber Monday' sale on Monday so you may be able to pick one up cheap then.
I bought Apple Tv on the US website about a month ago and they shipped it to my SnS account, didn't get charged customs duty but that could be because it's not expensive. I was speaking to someone who works at Apple here on the weekend and he said the prices are the same as the US.
Hi Piggle, if you are looking to order it via the Apple US online store, they won't ship to SnS. You get an automated response saying they don't send to third party shipping companies, but they are happy to send the accessories - so you end up with half an order!
I am looking to buy an iPad2. Would I have to pay customs to bring it here via my Shop & Ship account? I understand the threshold is AED3,000 but just wanted to know other's experiences.
TIA