People seeking Apple products in Guadalajara have little reason to pout, with Macs, iPods and iPads available in at least 61 spots in metro Guad, including the newest — an “Apple Shop” that opened last week in Sam’s Club next to Galerias mall.
The large majority (49) of these Guad-area sellers offer a variety of Apple products including computers such as Mac Book Air. A few, such as some Coppel and Sanborn’s, sell only iPads and iPods. (Of three Apple outlets in Chapala, only Telmex Ajijic Chapala sells computers.)
However, Guadalajara — in fact, all Mexico — lacks even one “Apple Retail Store,” that sanctum sanctorum where you find the widest gamut of Apple products and can attend instruction courses. Other differences between these “Apple Retail Stores” (which are owned and operated by Apple) and lesser beings such as “Apple Shops,” “Apple Premium Resellers” and “Apple Authorized Resellers” include return policies, service, upgrades and availability of non-Apple products under the same roof.
True, even the “Apple Shops” (of which there are six in metro Guad) are often staffed with trained Apple employees who bend over backward to accommodate.
Still, one local businessman with several Macs said that service is often an issue for him at local Apple businesses. “Sometimes you get good service, sometimes you don’t. And there’s no such thing as repairs for free, except maybe on guarantees.”
But another Mac aficionado reports she was thrilled with the free help she got unfreezing her Macbook and other minor problems with her iPad and iPod at MacGic, a cozy store in Centro Magno, one of two Apple sellers in that mall.
“I didn’t even buy my stuff at their store, but it didn’t make any difference. They didn’t ask for a receipt. You don’t often find that in Mexico.” She noted that she didn’t leave anything for repairs.
As for comparing prices between Mexico and U.S. flagship Apple stores, those offered locally seemed close to stateside. A customer who just purchased a Mac Book Air in Albuquerque at a flagship store paid 1,386 dollars (including 7 percent tax) while the same model at the iShop Mixup in Centro Magno (a “Premium Reseller”) costs the equivalent of 1,536 dollars (including the 16 percent IVA tax) — a difference of 150 dollars.
An additional 50 dollar educator discount was given stateside, which, assuming no discounts are given locally, made the U.S.-bought computer $200 cheaper than the Guadalajara version. Still, considering the cost of travel, the Mexican price can be cheaper for Mexican residents than the U.S. price. And your warranties are honored on Apple products purchased here, where they might not be if you bought if out of the country.