Even with early sales of the iPhone 17, Vietnamese consumers still have to buy it at the same price as when it was imported.

On the morning of September 19th, Apple Authorized Dealers (AARs) in Vietnam and many mobile phone retailers simultaneously began selling the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air generations after a week of pre-orders. This marks the first time the Vietnamese market has launched iPhones at the same time as Tier 1 countries such as the US, Singapore, China, Thailand, and Australia. The domestic market prices are considered "competitive," comparable to neighboring markets, although higher than in the US.

As a result, for the first time, the iPhone market in Singapore, Thailand, and other countries no longer witnessed long overnight queues of Vietnamese people waiting to buy imported phones to resell at a higher price in Vietnam. However, domestic consumers faced shortages, and traders continued to speculate during the launch period thanks to the rapid influx of goods into the market. The price of genuine products quickly increased by millions of dong before reaching the end consumer.

Bán iPhone 17 sớm, người Việt vẫn phải mua giá như thời xách tay - Ảnh 1. — The orange iPhone 17 Pro Max is sold out at retailers, but is readily available for immediate delivery from smaller businesses.

Unboxing the hottest orange iPhone 17 Pro Max: Is the 45 million VND price tag worth it?

Specifically, on the very morning the iPhone 17 went on sale, small retailers and iPhone dealers were already advertising the iPhone 17 Pro Max in all colors and storage capacities. All were genuine products sold by AAR nationwide, already activated (according to Apple and store regulations, devices must be activated immediately after purchase, before the owner leaves the store), and included a sales receipt.

On the morning of September 19th, orange iPhone 17 Pro Max models with 256GB storage were being resold for over 44 million VND, a difference of 6-7 million VND compared to the listed price. This was also the most frequently resold and sought-after version, hence the high price difference. The silver version was difficult to find sellers for due to the limited number of units released on the first day.

In contrast to retailers having readily available stock, authorized dealers lack sufficient quantities to fulfill pre-orders. Simultaneously, end users who genuinely want to own the device are facing difficulties accessing the product at the listed price, forcing them to pay several million dong in markups if they want a new iPhone on the first day of purchase.

Not only do some users have to pay high prices from small retailers, but they also accuse dealers of requiring them to purchase additional packages or pay extra fees to get the device on the launch day, otherwise their purchase slot will be given to someone else.

Bán iPhone 17 sớm, người Việt vẫn phải mua giá như thời xách tay - Ảnh 2. — Not every user with a genuine need can own an iPhone 17 Pro Max at the listed price.

According to observers, this situation means buyers are paying more for officially released devices, similar to the situation in previous years when people bought imported phones. At that time, iPhones brought to Vietnam on the day of release from Singapore and Thailand (the two closest markets) had a price difference of up to tens of millions of VND compared to the listed price, and this difference gradually "cooled down" as the official domestic release date approached.

However, this phenomenon is not unusual. In Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and other countries, buyers and resellers alike line up to buy the devices early, then resell them right at the Apple Stores at a significantly higher price to make a profit. "Reselling on the spot is very common; some people even hold signs advertising the purchase of unlimited iPhone Pro Max devices right outside the store, next to the line of people waiting to buy," said T, a person who once went to Thailand to queue up when the iPhone 15 series was launched.

Currently, all Apple Authorized Retailers (AARs) are reporting that they have run out of iPhone 17 Pro Max and some versions of the iPhone 17 Pro. Users who want a device must pre-order and wait for the next shipment to be delivered in order. At the same time, Apple Stores have also postponed delivery to early October. Therefore, for the next two weeks, it will be difficult for iPhone buyers to purchase the device at the manufacturer's suggested retail price.

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