Update: This will happen again with the new Nokia N900 that will be released in Saudi Arabia soon.
I had high hopes when Nokia decided to officially enter the Saudi Arabia market (through their Nokia Stores) that the prices of the Nokia phones will be reduced to more acceptable rates. But instead those Nokia stores are doing what I can only describe as price gouging.
I will quickly explain “price gouging” as I will talk more about price gouging tech in Saudi Arabia. Price gouging is a pejorative term for a seller pricing much higher than is considered reasonable or fair.
Let’s start with the Nokia E75. Before the phone was released the Saudi Arabia Nokia Stores took pre-orders on the phone. You had to pay 100SR deposit and pay the rest later. The phone was sold for about 1,900SR for pre orders only. But when the phone was released it was sold for 2,300SR. Now it cost 2,199SR. These prices were for the “black” Nokia E75 only. The red edition of the phone (same features) was only released this week and it cost 2,499SR. So you are paying 300SR (almost $100) more just to get a different color. The 2 phones are identical in every way, both are sold for the same price at Amazon.com. This is neither reasonable nor fair.
The pricing on the Nokia E75 is not fair for Saudi Arabia as well. The Saudi custom fee is cheap on electronics. Yet the Nokia E75 is sold in by Amazon.com for $450 (1,750SR) much cheaper than 2,200-2,500SR sold by the Nokia Store. The E75 is sold in Jordan for what’s equivalent to 1,880SR! But to be fair the Nokia E75 is sold by Amazon.de (in Germany) for 382 EUR (1,988SR). Update: Nokia E75 is sold in the eastern province branch of Hyperpanda for only 1,990SR! Thanks Ahmed for reminding me.
The second example is the upcoming Nokia N97. The Saudi Nokia Store is beginning to take pre-orders for the the phone and the posters only showed the white model. I expect they will do the same as what they did with Nokia E75 red and gouge the price even more. The expected price of the Nokia N97 in Saudi Arabia will be 3,400SR! The N97 is expected to be sold for 3,000Dh in the UAE!
On Amazon.com the Nokia N97 will be sold for $604 (2,300SR). You read this right! 1,000SR difference! In the German Amazon.de website it will be for 650 EUR (3,384SR). Not reasonable or fair, isn’t it?
This is just Nokia’s way of thanking the Saudi Arabia market, by overcharging us for their phones. What do you think? Is Nokia justified with these prices?
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Well mate, with the recession going on they need to make money. They obviously cant do that in other parts of the world but they think over in middle east we got lot of oil and made billions last year when the price was $100+ gallon so why not rip us off here.
Farukh, so it’s their way of having revenge? What about prices in Bahrain?
If anyone’s to blame for this… It is the saudi consumer…meaning us.
We have been giving an undue market share to Nokia for sometime now and the most anticipated phones in the market are also only Nokias.
If you check SE phones, they are actually cheaper here than anywhere else.
On 18th June, 2009 the phone is priced at SAR 2,949 in Electro at Alandulas Mall JEddah, whereas in Hadad Telecom shop in Andalulas the phone is priced at SAR 3,500. One day ago on the 17th June the phone cost SAr 3800 at the Haddad shop on Palestine Street. The price fell SAR 300 in one day
so the consumer is screwed depending where he buys it
?
The phone is being offered at SAR 3100 in Extra Sultan Mall Jeddah.
that’s cheap. right
mobile phone price in Malaysia is much more cheaper than in Saudi..
N97 in malaysia is only around RM2200-2400..so if convert to riyal you can see how much is the difference..
Nokia told me “With regard to phone pricing in different regions and our devices’ functionality, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused and we greatly appreciate your feedback. Please be assured that we will be forwarding your comments to our R&D department for further review. We will keep you informed as and when we receive any updates.” We will see.
guys why don’t you check out thid website www eshopbahrain com?
sorry I forgot the dots
,,, its http://www.eshopbahrain.com.
Khalid bro its my 1st tym 2 visit ur site bro u r really in reality all those topics are 4 sure true 4 me too well nokia should bring in notice that prices well bro can u give me a suitable website to know the present prives of nokia phones i would be greatfully thank ful 2 u
regards
superb
you mean the price in Saudi Arabia?
Yup Sir Khalid
This store actually lists some prices, should get an understanding of the prices:
here’s the list
Actually, a friend of mine said the price for an n97 is 2,250SAR…
thats here in jeddah
So 2 months later the prices are reduced to the intended price?
m goona bye this fukin phone its amazin
Dear sir,
please provide to us the best price for e75
I am not aware of the prices dear phone
I am waiting to get my hand on Nokia Aeon ( http://www.domesticutilities.com/aeon.htm ). I beleive this phone will be the best upcoming nokia phone in future
yeah, it will be a while. that’s a concept phone
my friend just bought N97 last week for 1,750. she bought it from a friend from dubai and it’s brand new… if its true, it’s very cheap compared to saudi prices…
hiiiiiiiiii
if any body knows about nokia 5530 touch screen/ latest price in saudia arabia please inform me on my email.
i want to buy it
thank you very much
well in malaysia nokia is selling more expensive than a dealer.
ads are out for the new nokia n900 on the streets. Expect price gouging! Amazon has it for $500 after $50 rebate.
Hi All,
It is very unfortunate that in a country like saudi arab there is tooooo much of cell phone piracy wher in duplicate nokia phones are sold on the move and adding on just the front and the back panels are mutually changed for the existing old phones and re-packed in dubai and sold in saudi arab .
Just by looking at the panel one has to bear the brunt and pay huge amount of money .
Guys remember one thing allah is watching us every nano second “BEWARE” and fear the almighty allah
is N900 already available in saudi arabia? when? please email me..thank you
a current example….
Panda outlets are selling nokia E 72 for 1200
Extra stores are selling it for 1350
and Jarir book stotre for 1600
now who is fooling whom.. i can understand…
all the sets are China Made.. warranty and the box packs are also same…
then why 100 riyal diff in each shop ?????
also i personally belive that nokia phone available in Kingdome are MOSTLY fake or duplicates…. why ???? well because the youth buys 1 cell for 2 months then changes it.. it gives shoppers an advanntage to resell it as new…
u can easily reset any nokia mobile phone so nobody can catch u…
i would personally prefer that you buy nokia only from the DEALERS…. like Extra store… Jarir .. but again u;’ll have to see who charging u less
100SR difference is accepted. But 400 is too much of a difference and it’s “Jarir” …
Thanks for your feedback!
to all cellphone users. where can I find original made in finland cellphones here in Saudi Arabia? thanks a lot
[...] talked about price gouging (or should I just call it “high mark-up”?) in Saudi Arabia (using Nokia E75/N97 as examples). You can read The National’s report on their site. You can also check their interactive [...]