Monday, March 7, 2011

tech : iPad 2 surfaces on eBay India

Waiting for the iPad 2 to officially launch in India? Wait no more as the 16GB Wi-Fi only version is available on ebay.in for Rs. 35,900, a 50 per cent premium over the $499 US price. The seller known as absales1 has listed the iPad 2 as brand new, original, unused and undamaged. Even though the 16GB Wi-Fi only version is up for sale, the prices in Indian Rupees for all the iPad 2 variations are visible on the online shopping site. Details are as follows:

iPad 2 16GB Wi-Fi only: Rs. 35,900 (US price: $499 or Rs. 22,492)

iPad 2 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G: Rs. 45,900 (US price: $629 or Rs. 28,352)

iPad 2 32GB Wi-Fi only: Rs. 42,900 (US price: $599 or Rs. 26,999)

iPad 2 32GB Wi-Fi + 3G: Rs. 52,900 (US price: $729 or Rs. 32,860)

iPad 2 64GB Wi-Fi only: Rs. 49,900 (US price: $699 or Rs. 31,507)

iPad 2 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G: Rs. 59,900 (US price: $829 or Rs. 37,367)

As you can see, you would need to pay more than 50 per cent premium if you wish to be the first one to own the iPad 2 amongst your friends. The price difference is significantly large for all the variations of the iDevice. But, the seller claims that the iPad 2 will be shipped on March 11, the same day it is launched in the US.

Also, with the euphoria surrounding the iPad and many fan-boys around the world trying to get their hands on one, many eBay sellers may want to cash-in on the opportunity. To promote fair dealings and ensuring customer satisfaction, eBay has announced some guidelines for vendors interested in selling the iPad 2 outside the US. The guidelines are as follows:

Most sellers will be allowed to list an Apple iPad 2; however, sellers will be limited on the number of items they can list per week.

Apple authorized resellers will be allowed to list up to 50 items per week.
eBay Top-rated sellers will be allowed to list up to 4 items per week.
All sellers meeting minimum performance standards will be allowed to list 1 item per week.

To attain minimum performance standards, vendors are expected to:
Charge reasonable shipping and handling costs.
Specify shipping costs and handling time in the listing.
Follow through on their return policy.
Respond to buyers' questions promptly.
Be helpful, friendly, and professional throughout a transaction.
Make sure the item is delivered to the buyer as described in the listing.

Sellers that do not meet the minimum performance standards will not be allowed to list the iPad 2 during its release period. Also, to ensure that the delivery of your iPad is guaranteed, you may want to check with them if they meet the criterion set by eBay.