iPhone is a hot item, but retailers aren't happy.

Domestic retailers are finding it increasingly difficult to do business, even though the iPhone 17 is in high demand in the Vietnamese market with impressive growth figures.

The first customers to own the iPhone 17 - Photo: Contributor

Approximately 250,000 pre-orders for iPhone 17 models were placed at authorized Apple retailers during Vietnam's first early launch alongside the rest of the world .

It cost almost half the price of an ounce of gold, but I was lucky enough to buy an iPhone 17.

On the morning of September 19th, numerous authorized Apple retailers in Vietnam simultaneously began selling and delivering iPhone 17 models to customers. This marks the first time Vietnam has had the earliest launch, alongside many other countries worldwide (previously often a few weeks later), such as the US, China, Japan, and Singapore.

However, "The early launch also caused a surge in demand, while the initial supply of Apple products was limited, putting significant pressure on retailers," Ly Trung Dung, director of mobile telecommunications and accessories atFPT Shop, shared with Tuoi Tre newspaper.

Therefore, most retailers only delivered a small number of devices to customers who had pre-ordered during the first few days of sales. Some retailers, such as The Gioi Dien Dong 's TopZone system, even organized a lottery, and only lucky people were able to buy an iPhone on the first day, even though the price of the highest-end version reached nearly 64 million VND (almost half the current price of gold).

Many users expressed immense excitement at being among the first to own the iPhone 17. Hoang Phuong (Ho Chi Minh City) said: "For many years now, my family has had a tradition of upgrading to the iPhone immediately upon release. This year, I continued by buying three iPhone 17 Pro Max phones for the whole family."

Similarly, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Khanh (Ho Chi Minh City) also shared: "Every time Apple launches a new product, I choose to buy it at FPT Shop because I always receive the device early. In addition, there are many practical benefits such as price subsidies, 0% interest installment plans, or lifetime warranty packages, which give me peace of mind when using the product for a long time..."

Although Apple did not officially announce iPhone 17 sales figures in Vietnam immediately after the first day of sales, according to preliminary observations by Tuoi Tre newspaper , approximately 250,000 iPhones were ordered by Vietnamese users through AAR retailers - official authorized Apple dealers. This does not include numerous smaller stores selling imported products from abroad, and especially Apple's own online store in Vietnam.

According to statistics from the Di Dong Viet mobile phone system based on pre-orders, 65% of customers chose the iPhone 17 Pro Max out of the four new iPhone models this year. Specifically for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the 256GB version was the most popular choice. Regarding color, 60% of customers chose the Cosmic Orange color.

Among the other versions, approximately 20% of customers chose the iPhone 17 Pro, with the Cosmic Orange version accounting for about 50%; 11% chose the iPhone 17, with Lavender Purple being the most popular choice - about 37%; and 4% chose the iPhone Air, with Cloud White accounting for 36% of the choices...

Competition is becoming increasingly fierce.

With the milestone of becoming a pioneering market alongside many major countries around the world, this year's "Apple Festival" (as industry insiders jokingly call the season for selling new iPhones) in Vietnam has witnessed many changes.

Firstly, users in Vietnam can own iPhones early, becoming the first owners, without having to hunt for imported units from abroad.

Secondly, there is the strong growth of the Vietnamese market, with demand for the iPhone 17 increasing fivefold compared to the iPhone 16 in 2024. Thirdly, there is increasingly fierce competition in the retail sector due to strong demand but limited supply.

According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Dat, chairman of the Di Dong Viet retail chain, this year's iPhone market has been particularly volatile. The simultaneous launch in Vietnam and the global market has made the market extremely vibrant. Vietnamese consumers were very eager to buy from the very first days, leading to a significant imbalance between supply and demand.

"This puts a lot of pressure on retail systems, as many customers don't receive their products on time, forcing us to constantly explain and find the best ways to serve them," Mr. Dat said.

The supply-demand imbalance also causes retailers to incur higher costs in "optimizing allocation and implementing various solutions to best meet buyer needs. Early sales require the system to mobilize maximum personnel, ensuring both rapid device delivery and maintaining a comprehensive customer experience – from store visuals and product experience areas to consultation and after-sales service," said Mr. Ly Trung Dung.

Ms. Anh Hong, e-commerce director of the 24hStore system, also stated that with the large volume of pre-orders, early delivery, inventory control, distribution of goods between warehouses/branches, ensuring color and capacity... have become stressful. Any delays or shortages affect the reputation and customer reviews.

Along with that, there is fierce competition among retailers in activities such as 0% installment payments, trade-in support, and cashback discounts... "If not carefully controlled, financial and marketing costs can eat into profit margins. Especially for high-end products with lower production volumes, even a small loss per order can have a significant impact," Ms. Hong commented.

According to Mr. Nguyen Lac Huy, a representative of the CellphoneS system, the iPhone retail market in Vietnam can be divided into three levels of retailers: authorized T1 retailers (The Gioi Dien Dong, FPT Shop, CellphoneS) who can purchase directly from Apple but are bound by strict policies.

Authorized T2 retailers (such as Di Dong Viet, Minh Tuan Mobile, etc.) purchase goods from distributors, while non-authorized retailers must source goods from the secondary market, including parallel imports. Each level of retailer has different advantages and disadvantages and its own strategic business choices.

"It can be said that the iPhone retail market is highly diversified. The competition to sell iPhones is fierce, unlike other phone brands which mostly focus on price and promotions during the launch period," Mr. Huy commented.

Corporate profit margins are becoming increasingly thin.

According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Dat, competition among retail chains is becoming increasingly fierce. Everyone wants to offer more practical benefits and value to customers. However, this is causing profit margins in the retail industry to become increasingly thin, only about 1-2%.

Mr. Ly Trung Dung also stated that the demand for iPhones in Vietnam has consistently grown by double digits each year, and the market is becoming increasingly vibrant with the addition of more retailers, distribution channels, and even Apple's direct participation through online channels. This creates a competitive environment not only in terms of price but also in terms of service quality.

"Customers therefore benefit from more choices, but they also have higher demands regarding after-sales service, returns, and quick installment payment services," Mr. Dung said.

Vietnamese consumers spent over 12 trillion VND buying iPhone 17.

The price of the 256GB iPhone 17 Pro Max is approximately 38 million VND, while the highest capacity 2TB costs nearly 64 million VND. The lowest price for the iPhone 17 Pro is nearly 35 million VND, and the highest is nearly 48 million VND.

According to statistics, 85% of products purchased by Vietnamese consumers are iPhone 17 Pro and above. If we take the average price of this version as the average, with 250,000 units ordered, the total amount spent by Vietnamese people on iPhone 17 is approximately 8,750 - 12,000 billion VND.

If you include the figures from unofficial retailers and Apple's online store, the actual number is certainly much higher.

Tuoitre.vn

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/iphone-hot-nhung-nha-ban-le-khong-vui-20250921215919497.htm#content