Rip-Off UK - New evidence of iPod rip-off

[Eddie Ranu]

Now that almost all apple products have been recently updated, I had a look at the price differences between the UK, US and Australian Apple stores.

We all know about rip-off UK, and that this is partly down to 17.5% VAT and higher wage and living costs but I found something interesting which suggests that iPod prices in the UK are inflated well-above the mark up on other Apple products.

Below are two tables of Apple prices in UK vs. US and UK vs. Aus (taken at current exchange rates)


________GBP___USD___@1.87_Save_Save
________£_____$_____£_____£____%
Shuffle_55____79____42____13___23%
Nano____99____149___80____19___20%
________129___199___106___23___18%
________169___249___133___36___21%
iPod____189___249___133___56___30%
________259___349___187___72___28%
Macbook_749___1099__588___161__22%
________899___1299__695___204__23%
________1029__1499__802___227__22%
Mac_Mini399___599___320___79___20%
________529___799___427___102__19%
iMac____679___999___534___145__21%
________799___1199__641___158__20%
________999___1499__802___197__20%
________1349__1999__1069__280__21%
AVERAGE________________________22%

________GBP___AUD___@2.49_Save_Save
________£_____AU$___£_____£____%
Shuffle_55____119___48____7____13%
Nano____99____219___88____11___11%
________129___299___120___9____7%
________169___380___153___16___10%
iPod____189___380___153___36___19%
________259___499___200___59___23%
Macbook_749___1749__702___47___6%
________899___2099__843___56___6%
________1029__2399__963___66___6%
Mac_Mini399___949___381___18___4%
________529___1249__502___27___5%
iMac____679___1549__622___57___8%
________799___1849__743___56___7%
________999___2299__923___76___8%
________1349__2999__1204__145__11%
AVERAGE________________________10%



Notice that average prices are 22% lower in the US and 10% lower in Australia than the UK. No surprises there.

BUT. See the pricing for the 30 and 80Gb iPod. These are approx 29% lower in the US and 21% lower in Australia. It is the only product that has anything like this price difference.

Further evidence of a “fix” is that the 30Gb iPod is the same price as the 8Gb nano in the US and Australia but here in the UK we have to pay £20 more for it!

C’mon Apple UK, sort out your iPod pricing!

 

[meanpeoplesuck]

That's enlightening, Ireland has 21% VAT though, I'm not positive if we get screwed as much, I'm sure we do.

 

[mpw]

<snip>

There's no rip-off, just business.

Don't forget that on top of VAT there is import duty on iPods but not on Laptops/desktops into the EU where I believe all a flat rated going into Oz.

Using the 30GB iPod as an example and removing sales tax gives and EU import tax

GBP   USD   US>GBP   SaveGBP   %
158   249   133       25        16

16%, is that really a rip-off? I'll bet you could find plenty of products on sale in the UK that differ by more than 16% between UK stores.

EDIT:Correction to figures

 

[Eddie Ranu]

Fair point, but UK import duty on iPods is only 2% so this still doesn't explain the difference between iPod pricing and other Apple products.

Anywho, I'm off to Australia in a few weeks, so will buy the 80Gb iPod over there, smuggle it back to the UK and pocket £59 of saving

 

[Savage Henry]

We all know about rip-off UK, and that this is partly down to 17.5% VAT and higher wage and living costs but I found something interesting which suggests that iPod prices in the UK are inflated well-above the mark up on other Apple products.

You've contradicted yourself in the same sentence. Don't consider VAT, Higher Wage and Li
ving Costs to only then asset that the figures 'suggest' prices are inflated. If you put an econmoically recognised value on the relatvity of wages and living costs then I may listen.

 

[Eddie Ranu]

I think you're missing the point I was trying to make here. Let me try putting it another way...

"The tables above show that on average, Apple prices are 22% lower in the US than the UK. I am happy to pay this difference since I realise it is for VAT and other costs. What I'm not so happy to pay is the additional increase shown on the UK iPod prices (not nanos or shuffles by the way) which makes them about 29% cheaper in the US."

 

[liketom]

I think you're missing the point I was trying to make here. Let me try putting it another way...

"The tables above show that on average, Apple prices are 22% lower in the US than the UK. I am happy to pay this difference since I realise it is for VAT and other costs. What I'm not so happy to pay is the additional increase shown on the UK iPod prices (not nanos or shuffles by the way) which makes them about 29% cheaper in the US."

I always moan about the price of almost anything but i still have an option to buy if i want it, it's like the price of fuel in the uk - we all moan about it but we all still buy it

 

[OllyW]

Ignoring VAT, import duties and exchange rates, the iPod Shuffle and Nano range are charged at more or less the same price steps through the range as US customers are paying.

Using the 4GB Nano as the reference, the Shuffle calculates at 43% UK / 40% US. The 2GB Nano is 77% UK / 75% US and the 8GB Nano 131% UK / 125% US. Not really any big rip offs there.

The big iPods on the other hand are well over priced. The 30GB comes out at 147% UK / 125% US with the 80GB 201% UK / 175% US.

 

[engelhart]

Don't forget those US prices do not include tax, so for instance I have to pay 7% PA sales tax on top (unless I drive to Delaware). I never realised that till I moved here from the UK.

Still, doesn't get away from the fact that they are cheaper in the US but not by quite as much as that suggests.

 

[Pressure]

US vs DKR

iPod 30GB: US$249 vs DKR$375
difference: 50%
iPod 80GB: US$349 vs DKR$511
difference: 46%
iPod Nano 2GB: US$149 vs DKR$204
difference: 37%
iPod Nano 4GB: US$199 vs DKR$272
difference: 37%
iPod Nano 8GB: US$249 vs DKR$375
difference: 50%
iPod Snuffle 1GB: US$79 vs DKR$110
difference: 39%
MacBook (base model): US$1099 vs DKR$1485
difference: 35%
MacBook Pro (base model): US$1999 vs DKR$2680
difference: 34%

Average: 41%

Come on...you will have to do better than that Wipe the tears...

 

[The Grood]

I share your pain!

In fact, I shared it fairly recently:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/229144/


You'll find some interesting points that might help clear things up for you. But not, I think, an answer you could live with.

 

[Macky-Mac]

I think you're missing the point I was trying to make here. Let me try putting it another way...

"The tables above show that on average, Apple prices are 22% lower in the US than the UK. I am happy to pay this difference since I realise it is for VAT and other costs. What I'm not so happy to pay is the additional increase shown on the UK iPod prices (not nanos or shuffles by the way) which makes them about 29% cheaper in the US."

EVERYTHING.....is more expensive in the UK......hotels, restaurants, Starbucks, The Gap, postage stamps.......you name it! Why should ipods be any different?

 

[clevin]

coz Uk people is richer