Apple Bans Online Sales In Japan

siddesu writes "Large retail stores in Japan were ordered a week ago to stop selling Apple products online (Google translation; Japanese original). The comments in the Japanese business newspapers suggest that Apple believes online shopping confers an aura of 'cheapness' on its products; but surely killing the Apple store's competition must have entered into the calculation. As of today, most of the largest retailers have notices on their Apple catalog pages asking you to visit the shop if you want to acquire a piece of magic. It seems that for the moment the campaign is aimed at the big fish, as smaller shops still seem to be selling Apple products."

Comments

Israel bans iPad, take that Apple!

[BountyX]

Israel saw this coming and preemtively banned the iPad.

Re:No online sales?

[antifoidulus]

But if you use your goat to buy an iMac, how will you pay your doctor? But then again, I guess since Japan is among those countries that actually makes sure everyone has cheap health insurance(though it's not single payer like the Canadian system), they might not have to worry about it as much as that other country that unfortunately thinks "Republicans" are a good idea.