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Australian Dollar @ 92 US Cents. $1000 price difference

S

sirjec

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 28, 2007
15
0
Looking around at a top spec'd MBP 15".

On the Australian store 4GB Ram/7200rpm HDD 15" MBP comes to $5427 AUD (or $5011 USD)

The same system on the US Store comes to $4004 AUD or ($3698 USD)

That's a difference of $1500 (edit, okay 1400) AUstralian dollars - OR ALMOST A FLIGHT TO THE LA. I think I migh consider my options and spend a week in Sanfrancisco on the difference.

now that I think about it, the this price difference might not be so bad :p
 
Its crazy that Apple treats their international customers like this...even more crazy is that we're willing to suck it up...

At least they're not as bad as Adobe!
 
You havd to take into account many different things such as sales tax on the US store, then there is the whole different cost stucture per country that is involved along with a whole range of economic stragegies/policies that have to be taken into acount. One example the average salary, it'll probably be different between the two countries causing the price in one to be seemed to be elevated. You have to factor all of these into account.
 
Having launched my companies product in another country, I can tell you it is expensive to set up shop in another country.

That said, how do Dells or HPs US vs. foreign prices compare?
 
sirjec said:
Looking around at a top spec'd MBP 15".

On the Australian store 4GB Ram/7200rpm HDD 15" MBP comes to $5427 AUD (or $5011 USD)

The same system on the US Store comes to $4004 AUD or ($3698 USD)

That's a difference of $1500 (edit, okay 1400) AUstralian dollars - OR ALMOST A FLIGHT TO THE LA. I think I migh consider my options and spend a week in Sanfrancisco on the difference.

now that I think about it, the this price difference might not be so bad :p
Click to expand...

Apple usually readjusts their prices for exchange rate fluctuations when a product is refreshed or updated. Look for lower prices in January when new MBPs are expected (assuming current exchange rates hold).
 
It really is crazy. Thank god Apple supports 240v on all their products, I usually buy any Apple stuff in the US.

(P.S. the difference can pretty much buy you a return ticket from Sydney to LA ;) , something I have to do about once a year..)
 
Yeah, I know what you are saying, my dad lives in Sydney, my mom lives in Florida, USA and the cost is way different. When I go to Sydney every summer to live with my dad it cost way too much for us to pay 2 round trips (good thing his company pays for it). When my dad buys stuff that is typically expensive, i.e. Macbook Pro last year, I bought it here and flew to Sydney with it. The prices are too different, but it makes being in America a little bit better... I guess.
 
If Australians stop paying that amount Apple will lower the proce. I'm sure Apple has done economic forecasts and figured out where the equilibrium price is.
Us Americans have it pretty well, we pay less for most things than anyone in the world (mostly because the most desirable companies are American)
 
Canerican said:
If Australians stop paying that amount Apple will lower the proce. I'm sure Apple has done economic forecasts and figured out where the equilibrium price is.
Us Americans have it pretty well, we pay less for most things than anyone in the world (mostly because the most desirable companies are American)
Click to expand...

Mostly because you have one of the biggest single markets and one of the lowest costs of business (OECD-wise).
 
xUKHCx said:
You havd to take into account many different things such as sales tax on the US store, then there is the whole different cost stucture per country that is involved along with a whole range of economic stragegies/policies that have to be taken into acount. One example the average salary, it'll probably be different between the two countries causing the price in one to be seemed to be elevated. You have to factor all of these into account.
Click to expand...

...including uplift simply for being ina "foreign" country.

Australian salaries are about on numerical par with the US: you earn US$50,000 for a job in the US, you probably earn AU$50,000 for the same role in Australia. This makes the opportunity cost of purchasing manufactured items in australia *much* greater than in the US, and then uplift is added on top of that. Cars are an even scarier example: nissan 350Z = US$35,000, or AU$75,000.

The australian macbook price would include 10% tax, the US price would probably need to add 8% californian sales tax.

The idea of travelling to the US to buy the mac isn't a bad one :p
I usually find that shipping products from the US and paying import duty on the goods, still makes it cheaper than sourcing locally. Another case in point: levi 501's in australia - AU$120/pair. in US - US$35/pair.

thank god for internet shopping :p
 
rdowns said:
Having launched my companies product in another country, I can tell you it is expensive to set up shop in another country.

That said, how do Dells or HPs US vs. foreign prices compare?
Click to expand...

Dell Australia is more expensive than Dell USA ... and outside of USA you don't get all the great Dell coupons.
 
psychofreak said:
Its crazy that Apple treats their international customers like this...even more crazy is that we're willing to suck it up...

At least they're not as bad as Adobe!
Click to expand...

Isn't the nickname for London/UK Treasure Island because everything costs more there? I never understood why things are so expensive in UK given the large population.
 
Although there has always been a big difference between the US and AU prices, it should be noted that the $A is at record highs, and has risen quickly over the last few weeks. Apple has never adjusted prices due to currency fluctuations except when it changes a product line, where it adjusts that to the current rate (plus the "foreign" surcharge still of course, even accounting for tax). In the past, occasionally other lines have been adjusted at the same time to keep things in order.

So if there is a new MacBook this week or next, I'd expect it to come at a better price than the current one. Though it's unclear whether Apple AU will take the opportunity to lower the MBP price as well.

All I know is the crappy US dollars I'm earning at the moment will at least buy me a cheaper MB than in Oz...
 
I'm going to be in the US in Dec/Jan and I'm seriously considering buying up some Apple products while I'm over there for this exact reason. I could get a MacBook for about $500 less and an iPod Touch for $150 less!
 
Hong Kong is the way to go...

If any of you happen to travel to HK, that's where you should pick up your apple products. I just ordered a 17-inch MBP with standard specs (going to upgrade RAM on my own) using my Student ADC discount and it worked out to be about 2200 USD. The key is that the Hong Kong dollar is pegged to the US and that HK has no sales tax. You basically save an additional 10-15% over what you would pay in NY.

Of course, it only makes sense if you are planning to go to HK anyways.
 
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