Core group Africa, the Apple’s
official value added distributors for sub-Saharan Africa has cautioned Nigerian
consumers to avoid buying grey Apple products from unauthorized resellers, as
these products do not honour warranty agreement.
Chairman, Core Group Africa, Mr. Rutger-Jan van Spaandonk, gave this caution in Lagos, in an
exclusive interview with ITRealms, a
publication of DigitalSENSE
Business News, lamenting that this kind of patronage by some Nigerians deny
them of full buyer’s benefits.
He explained to ITRealms that countless technology
consumers and buyers of Apple products in Nigeria who fail to purchase the
devices through official channels like the Apple iStore, Ikeja Mall and other
authorized resellers are denied of the full Apple experience like outright
product replacement in cases of factory fault, authentic two-year warranty, after
sales support, access to well trained personnel, device set-up training and
others.
Mr. Spaandonk also noted that Apple
products such as the iPhone, iPad and MacBook are the most desired in emerging
markets especially in the smartphones segment because Apple has revolutionized
the mobile computing industry and delivers the most amazing experience
consumers have ever had with technology.
“For
our customers, Apple devices are investments and we’re
always striving to ensure they get great value for money. Because we understand
this, we want Apple customers to purchase our devices with guaranteed peace of
mind and access technology that truly impacts lives,” Spaandonk asserted.
He elucidated that grey products are rampant
in which marketers smuggle non-counterfeit, but mostly refurbished products
into the country without the permission of the intellectual property owners or
paying all necessary taxes and customs duties.
Though a grey product tends to be
cheaper, it is not in the customer’s
best interest. It is usually not the standard version, has no record with
manufacturer’s exports, neither are there
provisions for warranty, spare parts, consumer education, product set-up and
after sales support. The sellers do not pay custom duties or make false
declarations at entry point.
“Though
the combination of economy strapped consumers seeking very low prices and
unauthorized traders eager for huge profits present this compound problem to
both brands owners and the government at large, the undiscerning consumers are
the worst hit,” he said.
“We
appeal to Nigerians to patronize the iStore and the authorized resellers to get
the best value for their hard earned money, enjoy authentic warranty
documentation and experience and help generate genuine revenue for government.
We are already in talks with relevant officials and agencies towards collaborating
to check the issue of grey and fake.
“Quality
conscious Nigerian consumers should enjoy the amazing Apple store experience as
well as obtain full peace of mind. With the full two years warranty offered by
Apple iStore and the world class sales and technical team, Nigerians should
resist the temptation of buying grey products from unauthorized resellers,” Spaandonk
said.
ITRealms
recalls that Core Group Africa is the official Value Added Distributor (VAD)
for Nigeria, Ghana and Angola and acts as the dedicated full-service brand
custodians, managing a brand’s presence from end-to-end, taking
care of logistics, distribution, sales, marketing and support. iStore, Ikeja
Mall is the home of all official Apple devices and accessories offering
customers with world class Apple products with genuine warranty, after sales
support, spare parts, and training.
Pix: Chairman, Core Group Africa, Mr. Rutger-Jan van Spaandonk
