Refusing To "Subsidize" E-Commerce Platform, Apple Wants To "Regain" Channel Discourse Power

In terms of brand loyalty, Apple also wants users to experience offline and feel Apple's services, so as to increase the stickiness and trust of Apple products. It's not a simple online purchase.

Boycott 10 billion subsidies and strictly control online channels Apple is regaining control of the channel, bringing the powder back to offline stores.

"It is very clear in the industry that companies like apple must be very strict in channel management, and there is a strict distinction between online and offline. Pinduoduo has not been authorized, but it does not mean it is a fake. So even with sales, apple doesn't want to see that. " On October 28, a senior official in the Investor Relations Department of an apple domestic agent said in an interview with 21tech that Apple has always attached great importance to offline channels, and it is not only this year that it has started.

Recently, many dealers have exposed Apple's new regulations in China's market channels on social platforms. Before receiving iPhone 12 products, they asked for a voluntary commitment to sign an agreement, promising that all purchased machines would not flow to online channels such as pinduoduo, tmall, Taobao, vipshop, Jingdong, Suning and other online channels and overseas markets, either directly or indirectly. If there is a fine of 400000 yuan.

As a result, almost no surprise, whether it is tmall, Taobao, Jingdong or pinduoduo, the voice of promoting Apple's new products this year has been much lower. On the contrary, platforms such as hungry, Jingdong home and meituan takeout began to try to deliver goods from the nearest partner.

On the whole, even though Apple's appeal is far from its most glorious period, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are still well deserved hot hits on the double 11 this year. But desalination online channel, can bring more increment for apple? It still deserves attention.

Refuse e-commerce "subsidy"

Before Apple's iPhone 11 went public last year, there was a price war among e-commerce platforms, which directly led to the price reduction of nearly 1000 yuan for the newly launched Apple iPhone 11, which had a great impact on the mobile phone market. But this year, that has changed completely.

At 8:00 p.m. on October 16, Apple's official website started to purchase by appointment. Due to the large number of appointments, Apple's official website was instantly crowded, and the offline Apple stores also had a grand situation of queuing up for purchase. On the first day of sale, the prices of iphone12 Series in most channels were rising. The premium of iphone12 (white and blue) was about 200 yuan, while the price of iphone12 Pro was in the range of 1000-3000 yuan. Blue models were out of stock.

Interestingly, pinduoduo launched the 10 billion subsidy Apple special event in advance on October 16 before Apple was put on sale. However, due to the shortage of stock, the page was soon offline. Search for "iPhone 12" among the 10 billion subsidies, indicating that "there are no iPhone 12 related products in the 10 billion subsidy", instead, the activity of grabbing 300 coupons with 0.1 yuan.

On the day of sale, Jingdong and Suning had more than one million bookings, while Apple's official website and Apple's tmall store limited the purchase of new machines, and each model was limited to two. However, Jingdong and Suning e-buy can't directly place orders in the two major channels, so they need to buy in limited quantities every day.

It can be seen that behind the price stability is Apple's strict restrictions on e-commerce platforms. "It's true that Apple didn't distribute goods to online channels this year." A securities analyst confirmed to 21tech that Apple's restrictions on e-commerce channel sales are mainly due to the company's strategy adjustment, which is not to win by simple and crude low price, but to expand the user base through multiple models and multi price combinations. The growth of Internet business is driven by the growth of sales data.

Apple has not been involved in Internet promotion for many years.

On May 29, this year, affected by the epidemic situation, Apple announced its first official participation in tmall 618 discount activity. Apple's official flagship store iPhone 11 and other full range products supported cross store full reduction and offered 150 yuan conference hall coupons, equivalent to 8% discount of the whole venue, with a maximum drop of 1830 yuan. This includes the latest iPhone se, which was just released in April. Apple officially reduced the price by 200 yuan and supported 12 installment interest free.

According to the official data of tmall, more than 60% of Apple products are sold from third to sixth tier cities, and Apple products after price reduction have covered the low-level market.

Rectifying offline channels

In the past few years, due to subsidies from e-commerce platforms, some apple dealers have also reduced prices for some online sales in order to achieve higher sales. The price of new products will break through, which will cause apple to fall. It is reported that in order to rectify this phenomenon, apple not only requires dealers to sign agreements, but also requires all purchased machines to be activated on site when they flow to non Apple authorized physical stores.

To be sure, Apple's choice is justifiable for standardizing sales channels for profit and brand considerations. "In the past, both pinduoduo and other e-commerce platforms used subsidies as gimmicks. In fact, the amount of discount was very small. But they have attracted the attention of users, causing many users to take the online as the first choice, affecting the offline sales According to the agency's senior management, apple is mainly to avoid disrupting the market by e-commerce subsidies.

"In addition, the loyalty of Apple's products and off-line service experience will also increase the sense of trust of Apple's products. It's not a simple online purchase. " The person further added.

However, with the increase in supply, the shortage of iphone12 has been eased. It is reported that due to the hot sales, Apple has added 2 million units to the cooperative enterprise for the iPhone 12. Because this generation of iPhone 12 is based on multi model combination, supports 5g, reduces weight, changes in stock models and other factors, Cinda Securities believes that Apple's iPhone In the fourth quarter of this year, the supply chain orders are between 80 million and 85 million units, and the sales volume in 2021 is expected to reach 230 million to 240 million units.

On October 29, 21tech inquired on Apple's official website and found that the arrival time of iPhone 12 orders was after November 6, while the arrival time of iPhone 12 Pro was in the middle of November.

However, the price of Apple's offline channel has not been completely stable. According to the city express, the lowest offer for the iPhone 12 dropped to 5800 yuan, 500 yuan lower than Apple's official price. In the final analysis, the final price of any product is determined by the market performance, and the iPhone is just an ordinary commodity, which can not escape this law.

Therefore, for apple, software, cloud services, after-sales value-added has become an important profit growth point. FactSet expects Apple's iPhone revenue to be $28.8 billion in the fourth quarter, down sharply from $33.36 billion in the same period last year, but analysts expect the company to make up for the revenue gap through other products and services.

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