Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Lowering iTunes Prices in UK
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Work? Don't you mean you're about to start your 3hr lunch?George Jnr or Snr?Take care. Work to do!
As much as I hate to interrupt an aftershock of the 100 years war...
This is a good question, naroola: what do they think they're doing here? If and/or until the UK goes Euro this is tough to sell as a real long term solution. Along these same lines, all the posts in this thread whining about price differences between different economies are a waste of time: unless one does a good amount of major currency trading, only economy-specific, income-related buying power matters...and that doesn't even get into sales tax differences and what different cultures expect in return for paying them.
I appreciate the effort put into profound layers of sarcasm here, but you're wrong.
As has been pointed out, Euroland prices are anything but standard. There are 1000s of examples, but since you mention cars: what about all the French people who buy cars in Belgium? In fact, What about me? I am currently finishing up a perfectly legal car purchase of a decidedly non-luxury Italian car in Slovenia for about 55% of what the same car would cost me in France. In fact I buy as many things as I can in Slovenia: everything's cheaper, it's 9 hours by car from here and, now that it's Schengen space, border concerns have gone from miniscule to absolutely zero. [and, although this has nothing to do with nothing, I get to do most deals in English, which many Slovenian businessman speak quite well.]
Maaan, I was SO disappointed when I found out our ideas about the armpit hair of French women were all wrong...
"Hey, man, could you change the station? It's been a long day and I hate the f#$#ing Eagles!!"
--Jeffrey Lebowski
What puzzles me about this is that the Pound and the Euro are currencies that are not linked to each other. So how can they maintain the same standard pricing throughout Europe? I mean, say the Euro takes a dive of 30% next year, then will Apple have to reduce the price per download in the UK by something similar? Then again, I might be missing something here.
This is a good question, naroola: what do they think they're doing here? If and/or until the UK goes Euro this is tough to sell as a real long term solution. Along these same lines, all the posts in this thread whining about price differences between different economies are a waste of time: unless one does a good amount of major currency trading, only economy-specific, income-related buying power matters...and that doesn't even get into sales tax differences and what different cultures expect in return for paying them.
I appreciate the effort put into profound layers of sarcasm here, but you're wrong.
As has been pointed out, Euroland prices are anything but standard. There are 1000s of examples, but since you mention cars: what about all the French people who buy cars in Belgium? In fact, What about me? I am currently finishing up a perfectly legal car purchase of a decidedly non-luxury Italian car in Slovenia for about 55% of what the same car would cost me in France. In fact I buy as many things as I can in Slovenia: everything's cheaper, it's 9 hours by car from here and, now that it's Schengen space, border concerns have gone from miniscule to absolutely zero. [and, although this has nothing to do with nothing, I get to do most deals in English, which many Slovenian businessman speak quite well.]
Maaan, I was SO disappointed when I found out our ideas about the armpit hair of French women were all wrong...
"Hey, man, could you change the station? It's been a long day and I hate the f#$#ing Eagles!!"
--Jeffrey Lebowski
Apple has had chance to capitalize in Europe and rest of world and dropped the ball. Alienated big labels, DRM, itunes only, price inflexibility.... I've been using Amazon's service lately and have to say it's not as fancy but good selection, good integration and CHEAPER! Apple needs to adjust prices worldwide and rethink model. This goes for $3.99 for 24 hour vid rentals too. Too high priced, not enough time nixes it for me. Feel bad for blokes on other side of the pond but Apple, Inc. is Apple, Inc. At least you have better cell services and options...
That says a lot more about the national governments than about market economy and the EU. The same also goes with gambling, where most gambling monopolies in the EU are owned by the governments, generating billions of income to the governments in the name of protecting the people against gambling addiction.
The EU VAT directive is quite clear on this and where the card is registered doesn't have anything to do with it at all. It's the physical location of the customer that matters, even for electronic sales.
Although it isn't entirely safe, they could use geolocation on the IP address to determine the location of the purchaser. NETeller and other payment providers who are regulated do it, so it should be sufficient for Apple too.
But if you went to Euroland to buy a car the steering wheel would be on the left side which is clearly wrong.
The only ones who really gain something from the pound are the banks. For the rest of us it is just a pain whenever we travel outside the UK or buy something from abroad.
But even with the Euro you would see the face of the Queen on the Euro coins, so all would not be lost.
Which sovereignty exactly? The one that England had in the 18th century?
Mind you, after changing the traditional Sterling (with shillings and all that) to, ehr, Sterling, the current Sterling is one of the youngest currencies (aside from the Euro) in the world, so there's not much tradition or heritage to preserve either.
Anyone that buys their music solely from iTunes is a tool anyway. DRM, piss-poor quality (128kbps, ohoho! You jest!), cocking up single sales (Biffy Clyro 'Semi-Mental', listed the band as Semi-Mental so their charting was erased, same with Reuben and 'Christmas Is Awesome', they put the sales up for the wrong song, so they didn't chart this Christmas). iTunes is a mess.
This is a great point and may deserve its own thread, as the EU should be about to rule on France's blatantly illegal gambling monopoly, which could serve as precedent for other EU countries who have similar laws. I think it can be seen as a complicated and very interesting trial of the EU's ability to overcome MASSIVE financial incentives at the country level and enforce its policies...whatever ones opinion may be on gambling, the opening of the French gambling market to non-government interests would be a huge credibility boost for the EU as it tries to take steps in the direction of a single market.