reseller
Latest
Online resellers are making bank from Pokémon Happy Meals
Boxes of 100-plus trading card packs are selling for $1,000 on eBay.
StockX forced password resets after 'suspicious activity' alert
For all the sneakerheads and hypebeasts out there, if you received an email from StockX asking you to reset your password, then it was probably authentic. The online marketplace told Engadget in a statement that it was "recently alerted to suspicious activity involving our platform." Exactly what that included is unspecified, but "out of an abundance of caution," it's updated security and is asking users to reset their passwords while an investigation continues. As usual, we'd hope you aren't sharing passwords across different services, and if you haven't already set up a password manager or started using two-factor authentication wherever available, this is a great time to start.
G2A makes it harder for scammers to sell shady game codes
G2A is still determined to show that it can do right by developers worried about shady game key sellers. The online marketplace has introduced a new verification process that should make it harder to commit fraud. New sellers will have to provide a legitimate phone number and social networking account to get their foot in the door. Also, they'll be limited to selling 10 products before they have to deliver more proof. This is just the start, G2A adds, as "further measures" are planned that will check addresses, credit cards and PayPal accounts.
G2A attempts to appease game publishers with royalty payments
After coming under fire for how it handles sales of illegal video game keys, reselling website G2A has introduced a number of new policies that it hopes will appease developers affected by the practice. The company announced that it will let game makers apply for royalty payments for any titles that appear on its marketplace. It comes after SpeedRunners publisher TinyBuild accused G2A of failing to act on $450,000 in potential lost sales, after scammers used stolen credit cards to buy legitimate keys and auction them off for profit.
Game studio claims it lost $450,000 to key resales
Game key resales are theoretically ideal for players -- you can buy that must-have title at a discount from someone who wasn't going to use it anyway. However, SpeedRunners publisher TinyBuild would beg to differ. It's accusing G2A of facilitating a black market in game keys that amounted to $450,000 in potential lost sales at retail prices. The studio maintains that G2A is refusing proper help (including compensation) after fraudsters bought keys from the TinyBuild store using stolen credit cards and posted them on G2A, making a tidy profit while TinyBuild made nothing. Supposedly, the only way to get help would be to forge a deal with G2A itself and undercut its own retail partners in order to compete with the bootleggers. Simply blacklisting a range of keys wasn't an option, either.
Nokia's stores are turning into Microsoft resellers
It's been a long time coming, but some of the last vestiges of Nokia's phone business are going away. Microsoft has started converting Nokia's stores and service centers into "Microsoft Resellers" (catchy, we know), complete with the colorful branding that you'd expect from a regular Microsoft store. It won't have the sheer variety of hardware, so you shouldn't expect to pick up a laptop while you're getting your phone fixed. However, the transition is still a big deal if you live outside of North America -- this may be the first time you'll visit a Microsoft shop, and your first chance at trying certain devices. As sad as it may be to see Nokia's name disappear from street corners, this is good news if you feel like you've been missing out on Microsoft's latest tech.
Amazon starts selling smartphones on O2 pay-monthly contracts
Amazon and O2 obviously established something of a rapport while working together on the UK launch of the Fire phone. Today, the pair solidify their alliance, with Amazon taking on a new role as an O2 contract reseller. The online retail giant spins it a little differently, saying you can now use its site to shop for the latest smartphones on pay-monthly contracts. With only O2 providing the contracts, though, it's six and two threes. Anywho, Amazon's "Phones & Accessories" store has been updated to include these new pay-monthly options alongside the existing SIM-free and pay-as-you-go handsets (which are available through multiple carriers). And to celebrate, several introductory deals are being offered to new and upgrading O2 customers. For a limited time, the Microsoft Lumia 735, Huawei Ascend P7 and HTC One M8 are free on contracts of £15, £20 and £28 per month, respectively. Amazon's also keen to point out you can now buy its Fire phone direct from the source for the first time -- because please buy Fire phone.
Nintendo wins another legal battle against R4 flashcart resellers
Nintendo has achieved another victory in its ongoing quest to rid the world of the R4 flashcart. The Tokyo District Court has ruled that two Japanese resellers of the homebrew/piracy-enabling device owe Nintendo (and 49 other companies, including Capcom, Konami, Square Enix and Namco Bandai) ¥95,625,000, or roughly $946,113 at today's exchange rates. Nintendo et al.'s victory also reinforces legislation passed into Japanese law in 2009, which makes it illegal to sell R4 carts in the country. Another blow to the R4 was dealt last year, when new law made importing the device into Japan illegal as well.
Microsoft to sell 256GB Surface Pro in the US, but only through certain resellers (updated)
Did you look on Japan with envy as Microsoft launched a 256GB Surface Pro in the country, leaving other countries with modest storage? If you're American, you won't have to fret any more: Microsoft has confirmed to Engadget that there will be "limited availability" of the 256GB model in the country through its new commercial reseller program. While the company didn't say exactly which stores will carry the Surface Pro, Windows Phone Central has already spotted the new version on sale at CDW for $1,200. New orders will still take a few days to ship, but it could be worth the wait for the ultimate version of Microsoft's official tablet. Update: Microsoft has clarified its earlier statement in an FAQ -- at least at present, you'll have to be in business, education or the public sector to get the 256GB Surface Pro.
Apple France raided over claims that it gives resellers the cold shoulder
Few would doubt that Apple prioritizes its own stores -- they're ambassadors for the brand. However, France's Competition Authority has just raided Apple and its distributors over complaints that this preference comes at the expense of resellers. Recently bankrupt retailer eBizscuss claims that Apple both stalls on delivering products to third-party stores and denies those outlets any flexibility in pricing. In other words, it's allegedly impossible to compete fairly when Apple holds all the cards. We've reached out to Apple for comment, although the Competition Authority is so far willing only to confirm to Les Echos that the raids took place. Whether or not the searches lead to any substantive legal action, Apple may face extra heat in France -- the Authority is reportedly investigating accusations that the American firm unfairly hiked the minimum pricing for iBookstore periodicals.
Research: Walmart sold 1.3 million iPads in March quarter
While in many minds the term Walmart has the connotation of low prices on "stuff" ranging from tires to baby clothing, some new research from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) shows that the discount retailer is an increasingly important part of Apple's overall distribution efforts. Business Insider notes that Tim Cook highlighted Walmart during the recent earnings call, saying that the company is "an increasingly more substantial partner in the iPad space... and an evolving partner on iPhone. And so we're working with them and enjoy working with them and hope to continue expanding." How much of a partner is Walmart? The company sold 1.3 million iPads in the quarter ending March 30, 2012, which means that the company sells 11 percent of all iPads. The only bigger retailers are Apple itself (with a 26 percent share of sales) and Best Buy (24 percent). While Walmart has the distribution channel to help Apple sell a lot of iPads, CIRP pointed out that this drives down the average selling price of the devices to that Walmart can make a "reasonable gross profit." In the long run, that may be a downside to Apple.
Canadian Apple reseller to close as Apple Store opens
Chris Duffie owns The Halifax Mac Store, and he has done business as an authorized Apple reseller in Halifax, Canada for the past decade. Now with an Apple Store launching in the nearby Halifax Shopping Centre, Duffie is closing shop says a report from ifoAppleStore and the Chronicle Herald. Duffie says he looked at the experiences of other third-party resellers that are near an Apple Store and decided it would be best to stop selling Apple gear and focus on service, support and consulting. He and another sales manager from his Mac Store will join Torusoft, a local consulting company, while his remaining seven employees will be laid off. [Via ifoAppleStore]
French reseller eBizcuss sues Apple over unfair competition
Apple opened its first retail store in France in November 2009 and caused sales to plummet for local Apple retailers, says eBizcuss CEO François Prudent. According to a report in Le Figaro, the effect is so great that eBizcuss has filed a lawsuit against Apple, alleging the company unfairly favors its own stores over resellers. eBizcuss is the largest Apple reseller in France and has 16 stores nationwide. CEO Prudent claims sales have fallen 30 percent in the last quarter because it was unable to secure a reasonable supply of iPads and MacBook Airs from Apple. The company also never received the iPhone 4S. It's not just hardware that Apple is keeping for itself, it's supposedly stealing valuable customers, too. Prudent claims Apple is actively courting his business customers and has wooed many away with its lower prices. While Apple is allegedly crippling the reseller market, the company is demanding more and more from its resellers. Prudent claims he recently invested over US$6.5 million on store improvements, including a new point-of-sale system, to meet Apple's criteria. This accusation of unfair trade practices is not anything new. Apple faced a lawsuit in 2004 when a group of five US resellers including Mac Accessory Center, Thomas Armes, MACadam Computers Inc., and others banded together and accused Apple of favoring its own stores over the resellers. Apple reached a settlement with all the plaintiffs in this case. [Via ifoAppleStore]
How one independent retailer competes with Apple Stores
Darryl Peck has a 25-year long history of working with Apple; first as a software developer, then as a reseller at outpost.com. Four years ago, the seasoned businessman decided to open his own retail store, PeachMac, and now he competes head-to-head with the Cupertino company. Even though Apple has five stores throughout Georgia, Peck still manages to draw in customers. Similar to Apple, the secret to his success is ample inventory, attractive store layout and exceptional customer service. Peck fills his stores chock full of Apple products and over 1500 accessories, as compared to the 300 or so carried at Apple Stores. Each accessory is carefully selected and tested for product compatibility before placing it on the shelves. Inventory inside the store is well-organized and pleasing to customers. Peck also places a high priority on customer service. He hires top-notch people and offers different programs and workshops not offered by Apple retail stores. Because he runs a small operation, Peck can focus more on his customers and believes the programs he offers are better than Apple's. This strategy is working out well for Peck. Despite the odds, PeachMac is thriving. The entrepreneur has five PeachMac stores in operation and plans to open three more by the end of the year. [Via Business Insider]
Increase in iPad recycling prompts Gazelle to enter reseller market
After the iPad 2 announcement, Gazelle saw a marked increase in the number of first generation iPads being recycled by consumers. The electronics recycler has received so many iPad 1 tablets in good to excellent condition that it has decided to begin selling them back to consumers in the upcoming weeks. Gazelle lets consumers send in used electronics for cash. It's an easy way to sell your device without the hassle of deadbeat sellers on eBay or the spam from Craigslist. The amount paid out depends on the model of the device and its condition. Currently, Gazelle is paying $183 for a good condition 16 GB WiFi iPad model. Since the iPad 2 announcement, the company has accepted almost 17,000 iPads, 90% of which are in mint condition. Rather than resell these iPads through Amazon or eBay, Gazelle has decided to open an online store as an extension of its current website. Pricing is still being determined, but the used iPads will likely cost between US$300 to $500. Gazelle may also collaborate with Square Trade to offer warranties on these used devices. If all goes well with the iPad, Gazelle plans to eventually add the iPhone to its online store. The company expects to receive over 50,000 iPhone 4 handsets when the iPhone 5 hits the market later this year.
Apple ends $30 MobileMe and iWork rebate program
An internal memo suggests Apple is ending the US$30 MobileMe and iWork rebate program. The program offers customers a $30 discount on a $99 MobileMe subscription or the $79 iWork suite when they buy a new Mac. According to the memo, Apple has told all resellers to end the program on April 18th. All references to the rebate must be removed by the end of that business day. This change is stirring up the persistent rumor that MobileMe is undergoing a major overhaul. Apple recently stopped selling boxed copies of MobileMe leading to speculation that some or all the cloud service may be offered for free. This change may be announced in the upcoming months, possibly at WWDC and may be tied to Apple's iOS 5 update. The termination of the iWork rebate program is not tied to MobileMe, but it does hint an update to the productivity suite is on the way. The desktop version of the suite was updated in 2009 and is in need of a refresh. Much of the changes to iWork in 2010 focused on bringing the applications to the iPad. iWork 11 was expected to debut with the roll out of the Mac App store, but that rumor failed to materialize.
Pricey iPad 2s showing up in online auctions
The "amazing" demand for the iPad 2 is creating a booming resellers market for those looking to flip their iPad 2. While iPad 2 units are impossible to find in stores, the internet is teeming with iPad 2s for those willing to pay any price. The 64 GB Wi-Fi + 3G model is the top of the line iPad 2 model and retails for US$829 online and in stores. A quick search of eBay uncovers auctions selling this model with a price tag as high as $4,000. While $4K may be on the high end of the scale, many units have sold for as much as $2000. This same model is also selling for between $1000 to $1500 on Craigslist in major metropolitan areas such as New York City. Even the low-end 16 GB Wi-Fi iPad 2 model is available at over-inflated prices with some sellers asking $2000 for the $499 tablet device on eBay and up to $1000 on Craigslist. If you did not score an iPad 2 on day one and still want one, what are you doing to secure your tablet device? Would you pay $1000 plus for the iPad 2, or do you prefer to stalk your local Apple store waiting for that elusive shipment of new iPad 2 inventory?
Norwegian Apple reseller suffers break-in, 50 boxes stolen
An Apple reseller in Norway, of all places, suffered a break-in earlier this morning. According to the main local paper, Aftenposten, the thieves stole a BMW, which was then used to back into the store as seen in the wild pictures above. Once the storefront was broken open, 50 boxes were lifted from the property. While the stolen property was not identified, odds are that there were at least a few iPads in there, given that the device was just released in that country. Two masked men were apparently seen fleeing the scene, but it's not known if the police have gotten in touch with Batman or Robin yet. Demand for the iPad is off the charts in other countries right now (not that it's suffering here in the US), so it's not surprising that they're seeing robberies overseas as well. Hopefully the thieves will be brought to justice and the stolen Apple products recovered.
iPads at TJ Maxx were bought at retail
Just in case you missed it, here's a resolution to the whole question of where those iPads at TJ Maxx came from. A high tech tablet isn't really the usual fare for the discount clothing retailer, and Steve Jobs himself confirmed that the chain wasn't an "authorized reseller" of Apple's magical, revolutionary device. But TJ Maxx says in an official statement that it has its ways: "Earlier this week, a small number of T.J.Maxx and Marshalls stores received a very limited quantity of first quality electronic tablets that were sourced from a retailer," the chain tells Fortune. In short, they bought the iPads from someone who was authorized to sell them, and then resold them (losing about $100 off of the standard retail price) to whoever came in the store and found them. Why? The "coming in the store" part was the important one -- for around $8000, according to analysts, TJ Maxx picked up a sizable amount of foot traffic from people just coming through the doors on the weekend before Black Friday, not to mention a flurry of publicity on Apple blogs like, say, this one. In short, it was a publicity stunt. Honestly, as publicity stunts go, selling iPads for $400 is a pretty good one. Steve himself wasn't real happy about it, but if any other retail chains want to pick up the banner, we'll follow the charge. [via App Advice]
Apple paying back bonuses on cost of defective 27-inch iMacs
Gizmodo is reporting that Apple has begun refunding up to an extra 15% of the purchase price of the 27-inch iMac to those customers who bought defective units. The news broke yesterday with a UK-based Apple Authorized Service Provider/Reseller claiming that Apple is out of 27" screens in Europe, and they're dealing with a waiting list of customers already. So they're now offering up (to only certain customers so far, not an official policy) not only a full refund, but an extra 15% on top of the price, roughly $300 on the cost of a $2000 iMac. Gizmodo also points out that the refund doesn't include sales tax or shipping costs, so some of the 15% covers that as well. You won't be able to make money on this, but Apple is apparently offering up a small bonus to customers inconvenienced by the issues. Earlier this week Apple released another firmware update to address the flickering screen issues with the 27-inch iMacs but it seems that has not alleviated all the issues.
