Apple Introduces Cross Border Ordering
Apple on Tuesday opened up its online store just a little bit, enabling customers to buy products and have them delivered to another country.
The company announced its new cross border campaign yesterday as an easy way for customers to buy Apple products as gift and have them delivered to a friend or relative living abroad.
“Now it's easy to give iPod and Mac gifts to friends and family in Mexico, Europe, and Southeast Asia. Simply visit the Apple Online Store of the destination country by clicking on its flag icon below. If you don't speak the language, no problem. Just place your order with an Apple Online Store expert.”
The campaign is being rolled out in the following 20 countries: Mexico, Austria, Belgium (Both Dutch and French), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland (both French and German), the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand.
Unfortunately there’s still no option to ship to Canada. Users will be billed in the currency of the country they’re trying to deliver to. So if you’re shipping to the UK you’ll pay in British Pounds and if you’re shipping to Ireland you’ll be charged in Euro. Exchange rates are determined by your own bank at time of purchase.
Could this system be taken advantage of by purchasing an Apple product to have shipped to a friend, or even a hotel in advance of a visit, if the exchange were in favor of the buyer? Sure, except that nearly all Apple goods are cheapest in the U.S. At least you'll able to save some luggage space and avoid the hassle of taking out your MacBook Pro for airport security on your way to your destination.
Hit up the cross border part of the Apple Store if you want to send something to your friend or loved one abroad.
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Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
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aalkema Not that I'm going to buy anything from Apple... but how hard is it to ship to Canada? We're right friggin' beside you!Reply
Is there some other reason things are always 'only available in the US'? -
O_o .. Apple.ca has apple store and it has same stuff listed as apple.com store.Reply
I bought my ibook G4 and newer version of mac os 10 from apple store years ago. -
keither5150 Let the online fraud begin. Apple is retarded. Most online companies won't ship to an address other than the billing address on the card. I did online fraud investigation for a small online company ( 5 million in yearly sales). Nearly every overseas order that used an US billing address turned out to be fraudulent.Reply
This won't last long.
Hey Akimbo... order while you can. -
keither5150 And..... Hardly any overseas country subscribes to AVS (address verification service)Reply -
grieve I guess us Canadians will have to continue going to the mall to buy Apple junk… Or maybe I’ll just spend my hard earned money on something better, like a PC.Reply
It is odd that Canada doesn’t get to ship? Also Canada was one of the last countries on earth to get the Iphone. Perhaps Steve Jobs is anti-Canada!