Apple store in Brazil? Jobs says no

A Brazilian friend just returned home for a week and had her bag packed with running shoes. A pair that she can buy for $125 here in California can be twice that in Brazil. Insane.

Well, if I remember correctly, we do have Apple stores in Mexico (there's even one inside my campus). Just saying.

That has to be one of the most shoddy pictures I have ever seen. Was that made with Microsoft Paint?!

Having only visited Brazil a couple of times on business I have to say the country is doing itself more harm than good. The protectionism on some things is simply outrageous. It is not just computers but things like machine tools and other stuff.

The number one problem is that you as a country can't expect everything to be made in your country. Especially in this day and age where one plant anyplace on the planet can supply world wide needs. Even when it is possible to have a domestic industry it makes no sense to limit your peoples choices. Be it wine or computers people have tastes for specific products and further like to experiment. Related is the bigger issue of manufacturing with qualified people, draconian import restrictions can actually reduce growth because of the lack if highly skilled labor. Frankly trying to produce everything in Brazil leads to Brazil producing a lot of half assed products they can't sell outside of the country.

This leads us to the second issue Which is no one country can expect to maintain leadership in every technology. In many cases if you can't maintain leadership there is no sense in competeing at all.

Like I said I've only been to Brazil twice and really have enjoyed each trip even if it was for work. The people are fantasitc and the food is very much the best in the world. I'm at the same time saddened by some of the things I've seen down there. Frankly I don't think people realize how much damage the high import taxes and outright restriction have had on the people of Brazil. It is certainly a case of policies doing more harm than good.

Another thing was the disrespect for workers and productivity. A strange combo you may say but I've seen things with my own eyes that boggle the mind. It was nothing to view a construction site with 20 to 30 times the number of people working there as would be needed in other countries. To seriously raise the standard of living in Brazil you first have to address the productivity problem. The make work mentality also leads to qualty problems so that should be of concern to everyone in Brazil.

In anyevent back to Jobs comments, I have to agree with him. The import taxes and restrictions are outrageous. That is one significant issue. The next is why should they be compelled to set up a plant in Brazil to get better treatment. The productivity and quality control problems mean the products would never be salable outside of Brazil. In any event if they have one plant serving worldwide demand for a product why bother at all.

Dave

Hi, i'm from Mexico, and we have apple store, actually is very recent, like a year at must, but as you can expect is ridiculous expensive.
And i know everyone is blaming the hi taxes, the reality is that even without them is still cost prohibitive to buy a mac wen your minimal salary is less than 4 dollars a day.

There are Apple-like stores at Mexico and Brazil taht are "PRemium Resellers" Just sell apple products and look exactly the same as an US Apple store.

Import taxes are needed to protect internal market, but our (Brazilian) are off the charts. And what are this taxes protecting ? We still have almost nothing in integrated circuits production, and with our taxes (not only the import taxes) we will never have.


BTW Thanks, Silvio Sousa "Goat"
:P

[Thanks, Silvio Sousa Cabra!]

It's not Cabra but Cabral.... :)

Cabra is an animal name in portuguese.



espacomac.com

This is why countries should not practice protectionism. Free trade FTW!

Don't feel bad Brazil, at least Apple is thinking about you. I live in Montana and a few years ago I ran into the guy in charge of all Apple stores while he was vacationing up here. I asked when he was going to open a store in Montana. He said that the word "Montana" had never come up in any meeting he had ever had.

Oh yeah, still no iPhone here either. At least Brazil has that. But then I don't spend any time parked on the 101 or 280 around Cupertino, so I can't complain.