E-commerce platforms in China, such as Pinduoduo by PDD Holdings and Taobao by Alibaba, are offering iPhone 15 models at discounts of up to $123 below the standard retail prices.
Chinese e-commerce platforms, including PDD Holdings’ Pinduoduo and Alibaba’s Taobao, are presently providing significant price cuts on Apple’s latest iPhone 15 series. Some of these platforms are selling these models at prices up to CNY 900 (approximately $123 or around Rs. 10,229) below the original retail cost.
It has been observed by analysts that the iPhone 15 is not performing as well in the Chinese market as its predecessor. Recent data from Counterpoint Research indicates that iPhone 15 sales in China have dropped by 4.5 percent in the first 17 days following its market release when compared to the iPhone 14.
At this time, Apple, Pinduoduo, and Alibaba have not responded to requests for comments.
In China, Apple occasionally permits its partner vendors to offer discounts to stimulate demand. Nevertheless, Chinese e-commerce platforms are engaged in a fierce competition centered on providing value for money, as consumers tighten their spending amid a slowing economy. Discounting has become a key focus for the upcoming annual Singles Day shopping festival.
For instance, Pinduoduo is currently offering the 128 GB version of the iPhone 15 Plus for CNY 6,098 (approximately Rs. 69,312), which is CNY 900 less than Apple’s retail price of CNY 6,999 (approximately Rs. 79,553), according to investigations conducted by Reuters.
Additionally, the 512 GB iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is priced at CNY 11,999 (approximately Rs. 1,36,385) in Apple’s official store, can be acquired for CNY 10,698 (approximately Rs. 1,21,598) on Alibaba’s Taobao e-commerce platform.
The news regarding these iPhone 15 discounts on e-commerce platforms was initially reported by The Economic Observer weekly newspaper on Monday.
In the preceding month, data from Counterpoint indicated that Apple was anticipated to capture a larger share of India’s smartphone market, particularly with the premium iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models. These models are expected to account for a greater proportion of Apple’s shipments, with the company projected to hold a 7 percent share of all smartphone sales in India from July to December, up from the 5 percent share in the first half of 2023.