TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Apple, luxury brands drop China prices as VAT cuts come into effect

  (Reuters)
Beijing
Wed, April 3, 2019 Published on Apr. 2, 2019 Published on 2019-04-02T14:16:07+07:00

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Apple, luxury brands drop China prices as VAT cuts come into effect New iPhone X phones are purchased at an Apple Store in Beijing, China November 3, 2017. (Reuters/Damir Sagolj)

A

pple Inc and other consumer brands lowered prices for their products in China on Monday as a cut in the country’s value-added tax (VAT) rate came into effect.

Price tags for products listed on the Apple’s China website were lowered on Monday morning, including a discount of up to 500 yuan ($74.44) for some of its latest iPhone models.

Suggested retail prices for brands including LVMH’s Louis Vuitton and Kering’s Gucci were also cut by around 3 percent, according to local media reports.

It follows announcements last month from car brands BMW AG and Mercedes-Benz, which said prices for several car models would drop following the tax changes.

Apple declined to comment on the price cuts, while LVMH and Kering did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Read also: Apple cuts outlook, sees 'challenges' in China, emerging markets

Beijing said in March that it would cut taxes and fees for all companies by nearly 2 trillion yuan in 2019, with the manufacturing, transportation and construction sectors set to benefit as it looks to stimulate a slowing economy.

The world’s second-largest economy is growing at its weakest pace in almost three decades amid lower domestic demand and an ongoing trade war with the United States.

Several Chinese electronics retailers lowered prices for iPhones in January, discounting latest models by up to $118, after weaker-than-expected sales at end-2018.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.