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Japan. HELP! with buying Macbook Pro from Japan.

A

ayoub20600

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 23, 2018
11
1
Spain
Hi there,

In the 11 of the next month, I will be in Japan for 9 days, and the idea is take an MacBook Pro from there because is much cheaper than here in Spain, So my configuration will be:

CPU: intel i9.

Storage: 1Tb SSD.

RAM: 32 Gb of RAM, and a bundle of FinalCut Pro X etc...

I prefer a Spanish keyboard, but it would be fine for me if I found an US keyboard, but the problem is if I order the PC physically in Apple Store Japan, that will take a while (about 10 days on web), and I don't know if they have this configuration there ready to buy, because I want to take benefit of the student discount and the duty free. If I pay online, I will just have the student discount, but not the duty free.

The question is: Do they have this configuration in Apple Store Tokyo or Osaka or Kyoto? If they have it, can I chose an US keyboard? Or the best way is ordering it online and claim the duty free in the airport (How they refund me the money? in cash or by a transfer?)



The price in Japan compared to Spain is about 1000$ cheaper



Thanks
 
ayoub20600 said:
Yes, but I need to talk with Apple Japan. I think they only speak japanese wish is impossible for me.
Click to expand...

I bought mine in Japan, its actually really easy. They have staff in the Japanese apple stores who are actually expats from America/Canada/Australia etc. You won't have any trouble when you get there.

What you need to do is check your configuration on the Japanese Apple Store page:
https://www.apple.com/jp/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro

if the delivery options come up saying '在庫あり' then that means you can buy it in store immediately. Anything else, and you'll have to wait but it will say how long.

As for keyboard, you can only get UK and US keyboard which is:
英語(米国) English American or
英語（英国）for English British.
I always end up getting the American keyboard because they keep those in stock in the stores.

Take your passport to the store when you go and they will take off the tax then and there, no queueing up at the airport.
 
Last edited:
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northernmunky said:
I bought mine in Japan, its actually really easy. They have staff in the Japanese apple stores who are actually expats from America/Canada/Australia etc. You won't have any trouble when you get there.

What you need to do is check your configuration on the Japanese Apple Store page:
https://www.apple.com/jp/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro

if the delivery options come up saying '在庫あり' then that means you can buy it in store immediately. Anything else, and you'll have to wait but it will say how long.

As for keyboard, you can only get UK and US keyboard which is:
英語(米国) English American or
英語（英国）for English British.
I always end up getting the American keyboard because they keep those in stock in the stores.

Take your passport to the store when you go and they will take off the tax then and there, no queueing up at the airport.
Click to expand...

The Apple Japanese page says tomorrow delivery with my configuration with a japanese keyboard, but when it put an US, UK or even Spanish keyboard, it showing me right now 3 November wich are 10 days. I think I'll take my chance there and try to buy it directly from there.

Thanks a lot.
 
ayoub20600 said:
The Apple Japanese page says tomorrow delivery with my configuration with a japanese keyboard, but when it put an US, UK or even Spanish keyboard, it showing me right now 3 November wich are 10 days. I think I'll take my chance there and try to buy it directly from there.

Thanks a lot.
Click to expand...

I just tried adding what you specified to a cart and it said 2-4 business days with a Spanish keyboard.

They have an English sales line... https://www.apple.com/jp/store/english/
 
Actually, the better thing to do is to go to the major electronics stores where they give you 5% if paying by credit card (e.g. visa) and do the tax free of 8%, giving you a total of 13% off total. The only problem is you might need to hunt around for a store that has the US keyboard.
 
I commute from the US to Japan spending almost every other month in each. I have bought macs in both places. I recommend only buying through Apple if you are buying in Japan but not living in Japan, as if you buy at a third party store and something goes wrong quickly it could be harder to return it. Returns are not so commonplace in Japan but Apple has return policies more in line with other countries. Make sure that a Spanish Apple Store will take back a Japan sourced Mac within the 14 day try out window. I have been told in the past that refunds are difficult as the purchase is in one currency and the refund would be in a different currency. However exchanges and repairs go smoothly as long as they can get the right model in stock. The Shinjuku store had a really helpful Spanish employee working there this August when I went for a service call.
 
ayoub20600 said:
... I want to take benefit of the student discount and the duty free. If I pay online, I will just have the student discount, but not the duty free.
Click to expand...
I tried doing this when I lived and studied in Japan (Tokyo). The employees at the Apple Store wouldn't let me have both. The student discount is only for people that are studying in Japan (which I did at the time), but that also means that I lived there and didn't qualify for the duty free. I was there with someone else who was also a student but in another country. That person could o ly get duty free and not the student discount.

YMMV but I just wanted to share my experience.
 
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ayoub20600 said:
Right now. Apple Japan said 5 November for an Macbook Pro with US/UK keyboard or ES keyboard.
https://imgur.com/a/Wl4sL4F
Click to expand...
Hi
Did you manage to order MacBook you wanted ? I want to do the same thing. I'm going to Japan for couple of days, 8 to be precise. The Apple Japan website require Japanese phone number, were you able to go around it ?
 
Mic89 said:
Hi
Did you manage to order MacBook you wanted ? I want to do the same thing. I'm going to Japan for couple of days, 8 to be precise. The Apple Japan website require Japanese phone number, were you able to go around it ?
Click to expand...



Hi there,
Yes, I bought it from Apple store Osaka applying the duty free, and yes, they have stock in there stores with the US keyboard. Apple store Tokyo is much bigger than Osaka, so you could find you configuration easily.
Feel free to ask any other questions.

Regards,
 
ayoub20600 said:
Hi there,
Yes, I bought it from Apple store Osaka applying the duty free, and yes, they have stock in there stores with the US keyboard. Apple store Tokyo is much bigger than Osaka, so you could find you configuration easily.
Feel free to ask any other questions.

Regards,
Click to expand...

Hi
Actually I have one more, I don't think you will be able to answer this but it's worth a try. Checked the apple Japan store website and today it's says that version with US or UK keyboard will not be available for pick up until 02.04.19. So i guess they don't have it physically in stock, maybe it will be there by the time I arrive there, and maybe not. I don't want to risk it. I think of ordering it before I go to Japan and picking it up in Apple store in Tokyo. But you have to pay the same time you placing an order, and I don't know how that works with tax return becouse you have only one day to claim it from the shop. Is it same day you making a payment or the same day you're picking it up. Is it even possible to claim it when you buying something online ?
 
if you want to go for sure, you can order it online, Applying the student discount if you are a student, and you will save 10% (more than the tax that its 8%).
You can use Google translate to translate de apple japane website. When you choose your configuration, and next you can write the hotel address, because it should be a Japanese address and your payment method.
In the apple store Osaka they wouldn't give me the student discount, and they tell me I must be studying in Japan to take it. So the duty free is 8%, and the student discount is 10%, and for me, I will go for the student discount because is 2% much cheaper and you will get the US keyboard for sure. Otherwise, check others apple store to see stock. You can do it on the apple website.
What city's you will visit, A can check it for you, and tell me what configuration you want.

Regards,
 
ayoub20600 said:
if you want to go for sure, you can order it online, Applying the student discount if you are a student, and you will save 10% (more than the tax that its 8%).
You can use Google translate to translate de apple japane website. When you choose your configuration, and next you can write the hotel address, because it should be a Japanese address and your payment method.
In the apple store Osaka they wouldn't give me the student discount, and they tell me I must be studying in Japan to take it. So the duty free is 8%, and the student discount is 10%, and for me, I will go for the student discount because is 2% much cheaper and you will get the US keyboard for sure. Otherwise, check others apple store to see stock. You can do it on the apple website.
What city's you will visit, A can check it for you, and tell me what configuration you want.

Regards,
Click to expand...

Well, I'm not a student unfortunately so thats not for me. The only option would be 8% tax refund. I will be in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. I've already checked Apple Store Japan and in all those places it says that version with US or UK will be available for pick up or deliverd not sooner then 4th or 6th of February. It's not a problem with Japanese adress it's more about getting the sales tax back when ordering online. Not sure if that's possible. It's almost 150£ so that's something.
[doublepost=1548689509][/doublepost]Checked it 5min ago, it's already 2 week waiting time for US keyboard when you won't to pick it up from the store.
 
Mic89 said:
Well, I'm not a student unfortunately so thats not for me. The only option would be 8% tax refund. I will be in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. I've already checked Apple Store Japan and in all those places it says that version with US or UK will be available for pick up or deliverd not sooner then 4th or 6th of February. It's not a problem with Japanese adress it's more about getting the sales tax back when ordering online. Not sure if that's possible. It's almost 150£ so that's something.
Click to expand...

Well, Apple they don't refund the duty free for items that have been purchased from the online store. You can do it on the airport wich it very complicated, so I will wait and go to pick it up physically. Even the web show you they don't have stock, I think the always had it, because many tourists go there for shopping.
In my case, the web showed me 5 days to deliver, and I called the apple store jp to check the stock, but they don't speak English, wich they transferred my call to an Australian operator who tried to figure out if they had stock and finally he told me its impossible because to localize the stock, and when I went, they already have it in the store, so don't worry about the stock and the keyboard.

Keep me updated.

Regards,
 
ayoub20600 said:
Well, Apple they don't refund the duty free for items that have been purchased from the online store. You can do it on the airport wich it very complicated, so I will wait and go to pick it up physically. Even the web show you they don't have stock, I think the always had it, because many tourists go there for shopping.
In my case, the web showed me 5 days to deliver, and I called the apple store jp to check the stock, but they don't speak English, wich they transferred my call to an Australian operator who tried to figure out if they had stock and finally he told me its impossible because to localize the stock, and when I went, they already have it in the store, so don't worry about the stock and the keyboard.

Keep me updated.

Regards,
Click to expand...

I will, thanks for the help.
 
Yes, I a, travelling to Kyoto for 6 days, next week. I am also interested in buying Macbook Pro 2018 version (8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD) with English keyboard. I am wondering it will be possible to buy directly from store with these configurations?
 
GoluMac said:
Yes, I a, travelling to Kyoto for 6 days, next week. I am also interested in buying Macbook Pro 2018 version (8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD) with English keyboard. I am wondering it will be possible to buy directly from store with these configurations?
Click to expand...

I left Tokyo few days ago, I didn't buy anything but I spoke with the Apple Store staff, you can buy macbook ( 15" standard version) with US keyboard in apple store located in Ginza. You can ask about one you want there.
 
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Mic89 said:
I left Tokyo few days ago, I didn't buy anything but I spoke with the Apple Store staff, you can buy macbook ( 15" standard version) with US keyboard in apple store located in Ginza. You can ask about one you want there.
Click to expand...
Oh that is nice. so it seem there is a good chance that the Apple store in Kyoto may have standard version with english keyboard.
 
GoluMac said:
Yes, I a, travelling to Kyoto for 6 days, next week. I am also interested in buying Macbook Pro 2018 version (8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD) with English keyboard. I am wondering it will be possible to buy directly from store with these configurations?
Click to expand...

Probably you ll find it.
[doublepost=1551000154][/doublepost]
Mic89 said:
I left Tokyo few days ago, I didn't buy anything but I spoke with the Apple Store staff, you can buy macbook ( 15" standard version) with US keyboard in apple store located in Ginza. You can ask about one you want there.
Click to expand...
Mic, why you didn't buy anything? Did you find your setup?
 
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ayoub20600 said:
Probably you ll find it.
[doublepost=1551000154][/doublepost]
Mic, why you didn't buy anything? Did you find your setup?
Click to expand...

I just checked out the Apple site for the entry level 15 inch MBP with touch bar now, and it looks like the 'tax free price' is actually better than the student discount prices!

The tax free price is 258,800
The student discount price is 242,800 (excluding tax.) After tax (because tax needs to be paid by residents/students, the price becomes 262,224... But for some strange reason they actually change you 260,784.

Does that sound about right, Auoub? Thanks for starting this thread by the way. very helpful.

Edit 2. It also seems like the student discounted version includes an 18000 gift card (worth about $160.) If so that would make that better value. Can I order the student discount version online without proof? A friend of mine lives in Japan, so I can get it sent to her place, but she's not a student.

Edit 2. AppleCare+ is also important to me, and it looks like buying it with the student discount works out 5000 cheaper too.
 
Last edited:
icebergx said:
I just checked out the Apple site for the entry level 15 inch MBP with touch bar now, and it looks like the 'tax free price' is actually better than the student discount prices!

The tax free price is 258,800
The student discount price is 242,800 (excluding tax.) After tax (because tax needs to be paid by residents/students, the price becomes 262,224... But for some strange reason they actually change you 260,784.

Does that sound about right, Auoub? Thanks for starting this thread by the way. very helpful.

Edit 2. It also seems like the student discounted version includes an 18000 gift card (worth about $160.) If so that would make that better value. Can I order the student discount version online without proof? A friend of mine lives in Japan, so I can get it sent to her place, but she's not a student.

Edit 2. AppleCare+ is also important to me, and it looks like buying it with the student discount works out 5000 cheaper too.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the price is correct (258.800 ¥ ) remember, you will need your passport, so they can put the bill on it that in turn you will need it in the airport.
Even you have a friend in Japan, a proof still needed to apply for the student discount. My advice for you: don't do it. Just take the duty free.
Anything else, I'm gere to answer your questions.

Regards.
 
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