20150505_163746cur800x450ParcR-Apple-Watch-Korea-Tech-BLog Apple’s major competitor’s home ground in South Korea is never on the first tier of countries where a new version of iPhones or iPads are released . and until it is introduced : a mix of temporary sellers emerge in those early countries, to buy for you at advanced payment and send it to you via express parcel . and even returning travelers will buy extra to re-sell to pay for a good portion of their plane fare . this is usually quite expensive hovering about an additional 25% on top of original retail price . so if you’re a die-hard Apple-fan or a relentless early adopter, without that extra funds : you have to go yourself to one of those countries . usually neighboring Japan is on the advanced list, so this is the first choice easily on iPads but after verifying frequency-compatibility in case of iPhones . but harder this time around in Apple Watch, as availability is scarce even for Japanese buyers .

[ iNDEX ]
  1. Wait periods and current over-all Apple Watch stock in Japan
  2. Major Cities in HokKaido Tokyo Nagoya Kyoto Osaka Fukuoka
  3. Vendor Shops among Yodobashi Camera, Big Camera, SofMap, Dover Street Market Comme des Garcons, isatan Department Store
  4. Best Tokyo areas : Shinjuku Harajuku Omote Sando Shibuya Ginza Yodobashi

 

will fore-go above iNDEX and inform general information only, as quite a number of locals may use it for re-sale purposes, as it does generate more than enough profit, after travel expenses on the sole purpose of purchasing Apple Watches in Japan .

[ AVAILABILITY ]
  • Official Apple Stores throughout Japan currently accepts reservation ONLY, after which actual product is scheduled to ship approximately in a Month or two .
  • other stores listed on their Official Japanese WebSite do however sell selective Apple Watches .
  • these are the ONLY stores where you can pick-up an one, depending on availability .
  • other than that : only a couple of second-hand electronics stores sell the most basic models, but not with much premium added as common practice in neighboring Hong Kong (with reservation only at Official Apple Stores) and China .
  • these stores seem to receive new stock every-other Week, and release those not at once but dispersed in schedule .
  • it is best to go check when they open in the morning, and again just before closing .
  • some stores will have Sky-Blue and Lime-Green band, and if you’re lucky even White but virtually no Black nor Light-Pink – all 38mm Sports models .

 

[ RULES ] wary of Chinese luggage merchants who by bag-ful and re-sell back in their own country with about 20% added : in the beginning of Apple Watch roll-out, there was a strict rule that a customer can buy a single watch only AND you had to have your iPhone 5 or later to pair-with with you at the time of pick-up – but this seem to be gradually laxing from the third Week of Official release currently .

[ ACCESSORIES ] virtually no accessories including protection sheets or covers, nor buckles or bands at brick-and-mortar stores except on Yahoo Japan On-Line Stores during the first two Weeks from sale . however local Korean brands familiar with producing LCD protection films and cover cases for iPhones and smart-phones : readily have them for sale in South Korea although not much variation .

[ PREMIUM PRICES IN SOUTH KOREA ] there are Koreans living in Japan as well as the States who reserve in advance and ship them to South Korea for extra fee, as well as “baggage vendors” who have carried electronics as well as brand-name apparel and clothes across the strait from Japan onto South Korea, and even die-hard Apple fans who take their family out for a journey for the sole purpose of procuring their sacred Apple Watch . from them : Sports models  are selling for a good＋W200,000 and stainless-steel a whopping W400,000 more where the latter is even hard .

 

 

– Korea Tech Milanese BLog on the first Week of May 2015 –

( A FULL Month after Official Release in Japan on May 24 )
Apple Watch Accessories : while quite a number of cheap-look independent bands and buckles are available from China, in Japan : a myriad of Apple Watch accessories are selling at larger electronic discount outlets like Yodobashi and Big Camera : including casings that make Sports models look like stainless-steel or even link bracelets !

Re-Sale in South Korea : due to more 38mm Sports model in neighboring Japan – mostly Sky-Blue and Lime-Green and some White, and many bought by travelers and gold-diggers : premium has reduced almost half in two Weeks to W100,000 atop Official Retail Price from Japan . ofcourse virtually no Black nor Pink . this while premium for 40mm Stainless-Steel has gone-up to W500,000 on top of retail, as it is quite hard-to-get in neighboring Japan aside from reservation !

 

( June 4th 2015 ) as Official Release over South Korea is announced as June 26 Friday : those who already bought it for re-sale in South Korea lowers added-premium to 50% less, and will gradually near expected Official price in South Korea .. to be a tad higher than U.S.and/or Japan where most ealier re-sale items have been flown from . so this is the change if they have a hard-to-get model, as the re-sellers themselves are in a hurry to sell, worried it might not or may have to sell lower than South Korea’s Official price once it begins .

 

[ APPLE WATCH JAPAN & KOREA LINKS ]
  • 15.5.9 When Apple Watch Release South Korea ≫LiNK≪
  • 15.5.24 Quest for Apple Watch Link Bracelet (in Japan)≫LiNK≪
  • 15.6.7 Where Buy Apple Watch Official Shop Store Location MAP ≫LiNK≪