Shipping an iPad to China

[ChTTay]

I found a couple of old threads about buying iPads but nothing specifically about shipping one into China.

I went down to the Apply Store in Xidan (Beijing) but they only have iPad 2 in China, whereas iPad 3 (Retina) is available in the UK right now.

I was considering buying it online and having them ship it to me here OR asking my parents to post it here.

Has any one done this? Please share your experience if so. How safe is shipping something like this?

If it is declared as a "brand new iPad" will I get taxed? if so, how much? If it is declared as a "second hand/used iPad" does it still apply?

Thanks for your help

[gougou]

I moved your post into the Life in China forum, because even should you intend to eat your iPad, this probably does not belong to the Food forum ;-)

[ChTTay]

haha thanks, I actually just noticed that myself ... I guess I had too many tabs of chinese-forums open!

[frankwall]

Maybe you should wait a little while until the newer iPad becomes available? I am surprised, I thought it was already on sale in China. It might take a long time to ship it to China but if you're desperate you could try. I would be a little bit cautious about sending it via post.

[liuzhou]

I certainly wouldn't have one posted. It may very well never turn up. Even if it does, first you will get a letter from customs demanding import duty before they release it.This seems to be calculated at random.

[yaokong]

You don't seem to know Zhongguancun in Beijing, they not only have iPad 3 but even the later iPad 3 (lightning port) and the iPad mini introduced a few weeks ago, they are (mostly) shipped from Hong Kong, I have seen them today at quite a few sellers, mostly the mini. The "older" iPad 3 (30-pin port) introduced in spring this year is available at even more places, just keep your eyes and ears open

[roddy]

What's in the Apple Store and what's available elsewhere are two different things. Do check out Taobao / Zhongguancun and see what you can find.

I'm generally fine with the mail in China, but something that valuable? You can either insure it and pay a whacking great customs fee, or not insure it have no come-back if it goes missing.

[kdavid]

A colleague of mine just bought the new iPad in Beijing.

As an iPad 2 owner, I don't see a big difference. In fact, I don't care for the new display as it, IMHO, picks up entirely too much glare.

[ChTTay]

"You don't seem to know Zhongguancun in Beijing,"

I know about it. I live in Wudaokou.

My issue with buying an Apply product not from an Apple store is ... how do I know it's not a fake?

Is there any way I can check?

[imron]

Turn it on and have a play with it. The fakes are obvious fakes - especially if you've used Apple products before.

I bought a 1st Gen iPhone from Zhongguancun and it's still working fine all these years later.

[roddy]

How do you know the Apple Stores aren't fake?

Zol.com.cn is useful for checking prices and merchant names and locations.

[ChTTay]

"How do you know the Apple Stores aren't fake? "

By using the official Apple store finder of course!

www.apple.com/uk/retail/storelist/

Wangfujin, Xidan and Sanlitun all have legit stores.

I will head out to Zhongguancun I guess and see what I can find!

Thanks

[liuzhou]

By using the official Apple store finder of course!

www.apple.com/uk/retail/storelist/

If you had searched that site a bit more you would have seen that the Retina is available in China

http://www.apple.com.cn/ipad/

[ChTTay]

Yes, I have found that also.

It is supposed to be out... but only iPad 2 in that store.

Looks like I can get one here.

All is well

[dwq]

If you had searched that site a bit more you would have seen that the Retina is available in China

http://www.apple.com.cn/ipad/

That's just the 3rd gen "the New iPad" though, not the 4th gen "iPad with Retina Display" with a faster CPU.