Why the iPhone 17 Pro Max has 109 different prices in Lebanon

On 23 October we tracked 109 listings for the iPhone 17 Pro Max at 39 Lebanese shops, counting the 256GB model and listings that don't state the storage. The cheapest was $1,269. The most expensive was $2,100.

When I first saw that range, I assumed our data was broken. Mostly it isn't. These aren't 109 copies of one phone. They're several different phones sold under one name, and the title often doesn't tell you which one you're looking at.

Used phones are in the mix, and they're barely cheaper

31 of the 109 listings are used phones, all from two shops. Used didn't mean cheap. The middle price for a used eSIM model was $1,500. For a new one it was $1,490.

eSIM only, or a SIM slot

Apple sells the iPhone 17 Pro Max in versions with no SIM tray at all, where your line has to be an eSIM, and versions that also take a physical SIM card. If your line is a physical card, this matters more than the color.

New eSIM-only listings had a middle price of $1,490. New listings that say they take a physical SIM ran from $1,500 to $1,659. And 34 of the 78 new listings don't say which version they are.

Then there's the warranty

57 of the 78 new listings don't mention a warranty at all. The others name at least four kinds: Apple, ABM, Tech+, and shop warranties such as "2 years" or "screen and back". They don't cover the same things, and a lot of the price difference between two new phones follows the warranty more than the phone.

Five questions before you pay

• Is it new or used?
• Is it eSIM only, or does it take a physical SIM?
• Which warranty, who honors it, and for how long?
• Has it been activated before? Four listings mention activation, so it's worth asking.
• Is VAT included in the price?

Once you have those answers, compare only against listings that match them. The gap shrinks, but it doesn't go away. New phones that take a physical SIM were listed from $1,500 to $1,659 that day, $159 apart.