International Apple pricing unfair

[rugonnaeatthat]

I want to buy a dual 1.8 powermac and 20in, I really do, the problem is I live in Australia -

AUSSIE STORE:

Dual 1.8GHz PowerPC G5
• 256MB DDR400 SDRAM (PC3200) - 2x128
• 160GB Serial ATA - 7200rpm
• 8x SuperDrive (CD-RW/DVD-R)
• ATI Radeon 9600 XT
• 56K V.92 internal modem
• AirPort Extreme Card
• Bluetooth Adapter + Apple Wireless Keyboard + Apple Wireless Mouse
• Mac OS X [default]
• Apple Cinema Display (20" flat panel) - AU

Subtotal A$*6,445.00

US STORE

• Dual 1.8GHz PowerPC G5
• 256MB DDR400 SDRAM (PC3200) - 2x128
• 160GB Serial ATA - 7200rpm
• ATI Radeon 9600 XT w/128MB DDR SDRAM
• Apple Cinema Display (20" flat panel)
• AirPort Extreme Card
• 56k V.92 internal modem
• 8x SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW)
• Bluetooth Module + Apple Wireless Keyboard & Mouse - U.S. English
• Mac OS X - U.S. English

Subtotal $3,626.00(US$) currency converted to $4923(AUST $)

$1500 difference! Are all international store like this?

 

[Duff-Man]

Duff-Man says....yeah, this has been covered before. Here in Canada there is a difference still between the Cdn and USA prices but it is not as much as it once was. Part of the problem is that it would be difficult for Apple to adjust their prices every week with currency fluctuations - people would wonder why their item costs less (or more) this week as opposed to when they bought it last week. Also shipping and any import taxes can factor into prices in any country. Sometimes however it works the other way too - when I bought my original 5GB iPod the price in Canada was actually LESS that what USD customers paid given the exchange rate at the time...it is just one of those situations where no matter what they do, someone is going to complain...and with the current fluctuation in the US $$ it makes it difficult to know exactly if it is a temporary "blip" or a long term trend. Apple likes consistency and will adjust the prices only when it seems like it a trend and not a temporary fluctuation....oh yeah!

 

[toughboy]

I want to buy a dual 1.8 powermac and 20in, I really do, the problem is I live in Australia -

AUSSIE STORE:

Dual 1.8GHz PowerPC G5
• 256MB DDR400 SDRAM (PC3200) - 2x128
• 160GB Serial ATA - 7200rpm
• 8x SuperDrive (CD-RW/DVD-R)
• ATI Radeon 9600 XT
• 56K V.92 internal modem
• AirPort Extreme Card
• Bluetooth Adapter + Apple Wireless Keyboard + Apple Wireless Mouse
• Mac OS X [default]
• Apple Cinema Display (20" flat panel) - AU

Subtotal A$*6,445.00

US STORE

• Dual 1.8GHz PowerPC G5
• 256MB DDR400 SDRAM (PC3200) - 2x128
• 160GB Serial ATA - 7200rpm
• ATI Radeon 9600 XT w/128MB DDR SDRAM
• Apple Cinema Display (20" flat panel)
• AirPort Extreme Card
• 56k V.92 internal modem
• 8x SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW)
• Bluetooth Module + Apple Wireless Keyboard & Mouse - U.S. English
• Mac OS X - U.S. English

Subtotal $3,626.00(US$) currency converted to $4923(AUST $)

$1500 difference! Are all international store like this?

Well just the same here in Turkey..

For example.. Airport Express is 129$ in US and 149 Euros in here. which is something like 180$... iMac G5.. 1299 for the entrance model and 1499 for the middle level model there, 1449-1649 euros here.. which is something above 1700 and 1950$.. I could give tens more of examples but these two are what I am intrested these days..

Well Apple has an IMC here, not as themselves.. maybe thats why things dont work like they do in UK and other places.. but as far as I know, even in UK and Germany and etc, they have a higher pricing strategy.. I respect that strategy but just because of the enormous price difference and lack of warranty and lack of power supply auto-switch, I guess I am not buying an iMac G5 and sticking with PC (which is already cost efficient, will be chaisis-only and be 600-700$, but wont be a mac afterall 🙁 ). I wish I could buy a mac but I am not that stupid to pay for something which you can buy 30% cheaper from USA.

You know what.. I could buy even 40% cheaper, because I'd qualify to use education discount if Apple would do that here in Turkey.. 🙁 😡

 

[26139]

That sucks, but...

That's the unfortunate thing about living in one country and buying products from another. Tell ya what, when import beers (think Foster's, Labatt's, etc.) are priced the same as Bud Light, I'll petition apple to open a plant in your country to lower prices.

 

[toughboy]

Duff-Man says....yeah, this has been covered before. Here in Canada there is a difference still between the Cdn and USA prices but it is not as much as it once was. Part of the problem is that it would be difficult for Apple to adjust their prices every week with currency fluctuations - people would wonder why their item costs less (or more) this week as opposed to when they bought it last week. Also shipping and any import taxes can factor into prices in any country. Sometimes however it works the other way too - when I bought my original 5GB iPod the price in Canada was actually LESS that what USD customers paid given the exchange rate at the time...it is just one of those situations where no matter what they do, someone is going to complain...and with the current fluctuation in the US $$ it makes it difficult to know exactly if it is a temporary "blip" or a long term trend. Apple likes consistency and will adjust the prices only when it seems like it a trend and not a temporary fluctuation....oh yeah!

Well.. I dont get your point.. why dont Apple sell things in US Dollar all over the world AT THE SAME PRICE, and convert them to local currenct at the point of sale?.. they dont have to adjust anything, just have a fixed US Dollar price and convert it when needed.. am I missing a point?

When I bought my 10Gb 2nd Gen. iPod, I remember paying nearly twice as Americans do.. 🙁

and I really can't see that much cost difference between shipping a product from Taiwan to UK and Taiwan to US (they were assembled in Taiwan, am I right??)

I still wish, as a Turkish customer, to be as valuable as an American customer for Apple.. It's really sad to see that the one you are dedicated to does not care about you so much... 🙁 😡

 

[JFreak]

i believe US prices are tax excluded, and other stores have already included the local tax. it might have something to do with legislation, for example european stores must not advertise taxless prices which might not be the case in the usa.

 

[joeyboy76]

i believe US prices are tax excluded, and other stores have already included the local tax. it might have something to do with legislation, for example european stores must not advertise taxless prices which might not be the case in the usa.

you are correct. US prices dont include the sales tax coz they are different from state to state. shop in washington or new jersey, where the sales tax is zero.

here in singapore, the prices at the apple.com.sg store is GST (Goods and Servicest Tax) included, which is around 5%.

and i think Aussie tax is 10% if i'm not mistaken.

taxes in UK are even much higher.

taxes suck, but that's the only other thing that is sure in this world aside from death.

 

[rugonnaeatthat]

taxes & currency fluctuations don't account for that much

taxes & currency fluctuations don't account for that much- we are talking about enough money for me in Australia to fly half way around the world to New York and back with a little spending money - if only the warranty on powermac was international! Difference is more than an US priced ibook!

Is it Apple Australia just pocketing the money? We don't get many Apple ads down here and there are no apple stores - where's the money going?!

 

[Counterfit]

and I really can't see that much cost difference between shipping a product from Taiwan to UK and Taiwan to US (they were assembled in Taiwan, am I right??)

Taiwan to LA, shortest (probably) to the contiguous 48 states. Taiwan to London, but not going through the US.
What would be slightly more likely is Taiwan -> LA (or somewhere in Cali) -> Boston (New York would be more likely, but Boston is further east) -> London
so:
Taipei -> LA = 6776 miles
LA -> Boston = 2605 miles
and Boston -> London = 3280 miles
Total = 12661 miles. Almost twice the distance, which would add quite a bit to the shipping cost. Jet fuel isn't cheap you know 😉

 

[daggle]

The Aussie prices include 10% GST (Goods & Services Tax).

From a recent purchase from the .AU AppleStore (if they ever ship it!):

MICROSOFT OFFICE STD EDITION 2004-INT T9189Z/A On or before
10/21/2004 $635.45 1 $635.45

Open

ALADDIN-SPRING CLEANING 6.0-USA T7223LL/A On or before
10/21/2004 $72.68 1 $72.68

Open

BNDL .MAC V2.5-PROMO-INT B8736Z/A On or before
10/21/2004 $90.00 1 $90.00
.MAC RETAIL BOX-INT M9495Z/A $90.00 1 $90.00

Open

IMAC20/1.8G5/1GB/250G/SD/X Z096059PU On or before
10/21/2004 $3,378.18 1 $3,378.18
Power Supply, WW 065-5258
1GB DDR400 SDRAM (2 DIMM) 065-4715
250GB SERIAL ATA DRIVE 065-4720
SuperDrive 065-4705
No BlueTooth 065-4717
No Airport Card 065-4716
Not Applicable 065-4681
Keyboard/MAC OSX-X X065-4696
Accessory Kit-X X065-4979

Open

SubTotal: $4,176.31
Estimated Tax: $417.63
Shipping Charge: $0.00

Estimated Total: $4,593.94

-----------------------------------------

Ship, damn you, ship! 😎

 

[caveman_uk]

Taiwan to LA, shortest (probably) to the contiguous 48 states. Taiwan to London, but not going through the US.
What would be slightly more likely is Taiwan -> LA (or somewhere in Cali) -> Boston (New York would be more likely, but Boston is further east) -> London
so:
Taipei -> LA = 6776 miles
LA -> Boston = 2605 miles
and Boston -> London = 3280 miles
Total = 12661 miles. Almost twice the distance, which would add quite a bit to the shipping cost. Jet fuel isn't cheap you know 😉

Except of course European powermacs are assembled in Ireland. Rather scuttles your argument 🙄

Also laptops ship (sort of) direct from Taiwan. They don't go via the US. They go via Luxembourg where they sit for a couple of days taking in the local wines, beers, gauloise and fine pastries until the courier can be arsed to ship them to the UK.

Ironically the laptops are the most reasonably priced macs in Europe only costing a bit more than the US ones when taxes are taken into consideration. The powermacs (made in Ireland) have the most inflated prices. Could this be because we may go to the US to buy a cheap laptop but we're really unlikely to haul a powermac all the way back to blighty? So they screw us on the powermacs 'cos they won't lose sales but keep the laptop prices reasonable.

In the end though, we've whinged about this for ages and absolutely nothing gets done. You either pay the price asked or you don't. It sucks but it's your choice.

 

[toughboy]

Taiwan to LA, shortest (probably) to the contiguous 48 states. Taiwan to London, but not going through the US.
What would be slightly more likely is Taiwan -> LA (or somewhere in Cali) -> Boston (New York would be more likely, but Boston is further east) -> London
so:
Taipei -> LA = 6776 miles
LA -> Boston = 2605 miles
and Boston -> London = 3280 miles
Total = 12661 miles. Almost twice the distance, which would add quite a bit to the shipping cost. Jet fuel isn't cheap you know 😉

yeah sure, I know its not cheap but why do all the products go through US? that is the part I dont understand.. Apple has a standart package and can be done in Taiwan..

about the tax stuff, the prices in Turkey that I gave in my previous post was prices before tax, not after.. it is not a tax subject, it is how Apple looks to US (and probably Japan) and the rest of the world..

 

[pianojoe]

Now, this is easily resolved. Find someone in the US who will send you a Power Mac G5 by DHL Express. Will cost you a lot of money, maybe $300, but not $1500. Of course, you will have to add your 10% tax at the customs, and Apple will not cover the machine under their warranty in your country. (You'd have to send it back to the states for service.)

 

[Lollypop]

It actually almost works out cheaper for me (in SA here) to go to the UK and get my powerbook there. 15inch combo PB 1399 pounds, in Rand, 15700, In local stores, R17999! And dont even start me on support!!! I can understand shipping and everything costing money, but really!

 

[toughboy]

Of course, you will have to add your 10% tax at the customs, and Apple will not cover the machine under their warranty in your country. (You'd have to send it back to the states for service.)

those are the two parts that cannot be solved..

Portables and iPods have international warranty but desktops dont.. as caveman uk said, its matter of choice and for the reasons above, I only have a powerbook and iPod but not a desktop mac.. (which I'd love to..)

another point is that customs may even not allow those stuff in.. Because there is already an Apple IMC here, and they are allowed to sell the products and you are to pay them only..

you know what.. now I understand those "peace-guys" better.. 😀 "world should unite... no borders.. no wars.. yes macs" 😀😀😀

 

[Bigheadache]

We definitely get ripped off here in Australia. The differentials in taxes don't account for the huge price differences in big ticket items like G5s and powerbooks. Even worse is that Apple Australia have a much tighter rein on the resellers here so we don't see the kind of discounts you Americans can get from places like Macmall, etc, etc. Even the ipods they sell at JB or Target are never discounted. If they were 5-10% overpriced (after accounting for tax differences) i think most people would accept that as the additional impost to get a local warranty and a bit of localisation in the software package. But like the first post indicated, when you get differences of $1500 its ridiculous. $1500 gets you a decent PC to play games over here.

And don't give me that sad excuse about the currency fluctuating. The Aussie dollar has been in the US$0.68-$0.75 range for over 2 years. Its like Apple set their FX policy 7 years ago when the Aussie dollar was US$0.55 and haven't revisited it since. If Dell can manage it within reason then Apple should be able to.

 

[mpw]

taxes & currency fluctuations don't account for that much- we are talking about enough money for me in Australia to fly half way around the world to New York and back with a little spending money - if only the warranty on powermac was international! Difference is more than an US priced ibook!

Is it Apple Australia just pocketing the money? We don't get many Apple ads down here and there are no apple stores - where's the money going?!

What about duty isn't that 5% on entry to Oz + 10%GST on top of that + I just got quoted a FXrate that saved around a hundred dollars to what you quoted bringing the difference to around $1000. So there's a $500 saving add in shipping profit for Apple Oz as a distributer and any modifications that might be needed for outside the US and the difference probably comes below $1000. Still a big deal but that's the cost of global business I guess it's the same economy of scale that means an American can by a car built in the UK cheaper than someone in the UK.

 

[Counterfit]

Except of course European powermacs are assembled in Ireland. Rather scuttles your argument 🙄

and I really can't see that much cost difference between shipping a product from Taiwan to UK and Taiwan to US (they were assembled in Taiwan, am I right??)

Now who said I was talking specifically about PowerMacs? 🙄

 

[cluthz]

If you thought the Aussie store was expensive,
look what the machine would cost in Norway!!!

• 2 x 1,8 GHz PowerPC G5
• 256 MB DDR400 SDRAM (PC3200) - 2 x 128MB
• 160 GB Serial ATA
• DVD-R/CD-RW
• ATI Radeon 9600 XT 128 MB, ADC/DVI
• Internt 56K V.92-modem
• AirPort Extreme-kort
• Bluetooth-modul og Apple Wireless Keyboard og Mouse - Int'l English
• Mac OS X
• Apple Cinema Display (20-tommers LCD)

Pris: NOK 28.289,52 = USD 4342
Mva.: NOK 6.789,48 (+ 24% VAT)
Sum: NOK 35.079,00 = USD 5385

So you americans pays 3626 and from about 0-10% tax..
so lets say aprox 4000.. i'd have to pay approx 35 % more!!

 

[rugonnaeatthat]

Thanks

Thank you for everyone that has posted to this thread - i posted the original and it's a lot easier buying a mac knowing that it's not just us in Australia that are getting screwed over.
Not that I'm advocating complacancy, this is truly an outrage and makes my purchase very hard to justify to my brother (a PC geek) or indeed to myself. What annoys me most is if there was a real reason why the computers were this price (say shipping/taxes) any other company would feel compelled to throw in some extras at cost or for free (ie some RAM) but I guess until their sales languish they wont bother. Still if you build it they will come and Apple's built one hell of a machine in the dual line up - I'd best go back to saving, 1/2 way there 🙂

Thanks again to everyone, quite a thing these forums bringing together so many from so far, cheers for the input 🙂

 

[jalagl]

Here in Costa Rica it is pretty bad as well, even though it is not as bad as it used to be. An iPod Mini is $300,00 , the 20GB iPod is now $369,00 and the 40GB is $492,00.

Where they really blow it is in the computers - the entry level 12" Powerbook is $2.060,00, and the combo 15" is $2.519,00.

The best (worst?) part is that these prices don't have sales tax either, which is a nice 13% in this part of the world.

You can see the prices here: iPod and Powerbook.

 

[caveman_uk]

Now who said I was talking specifically about PowerMacs? 🙄

You didn't specifically but the powermacs are the product where the price differential is greatest - Yet they are shipped from Ireland. The notebooks (which travel furthest) are the most reasonably priced. Consequently I doubt shipping costs have much to do with it.

 

[aafuss1]

I want to buy a dual 1.8 powermac and 20in, I really do, the problem is I live in Australia -

AUSSIE STORE:

Dual 1.8GHz PowerPC G5
• 256MB DDR400 SDRAM (PC3200) - 2x128
• 160GB Serial ATA - 7200rpm
• 8x SuperDrive (CD-RW/DVD-R)
• ATI Radeon 9600 XT
• 56K V.92 internal modem
• AirPort Extreme Card
• Bluetooth Adapter + Apple Wireless Keyboard + Apple Wireless Mouse
• Mac OS X [default]
• Apple Cinema Display (20" flat panel) - AU

Subtotal A$*6,445.00

US STORE

• Dual 1.8GHz PowerPC G5
• 256MB DDR400 SDRAM (PC3200) - 2x128
• 160GB Serial ATA - 7200rpm
• ATI Radeon 9600 XT w/128MB DDR SDRAM
• Apple Cinema Display (20" flat panel)
• AirPort Extreme Card
• 56k V.92 internal modem
• 8x SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW)
• Bluetooth Module + Apple Wireless Keyboard & Mouse - U.S. English
• Mac OS X - U.S. English

Subtotal $3,626.00(US$) currency converted to $4923(AUST $)

$1500 difference! Are all international store like this?

Well I purchased a non-G3 PowerPC based PB1400cs for then in 1998 for AUD$2995 inc sales tax-a current PB is about $300-400 less here. A PM 1.8GHz is $2699 for a uniprocessor config, vs $3599 for a dual 1.8-add $
2200 for the display then it's about $AUD6700. You could opt for a third-party. DVI display should work out much less than the Apple display-eg. $699 for say a LG or Phillips

 

[starwxrwx]

parallel imports

another point is that customs may even not allow those stuff in.. Because there is already an Apple IMC here, and they are allowed to sell the products and you are to pay them only..

acutally in australia we have pretty strong parallel import laws, meaning that you are entitled to buy the same product from a different distributor overseas if you want, so that you arent locked into only one distributor/importer here

so, IANAL, but i assume there would be no problems in that regard buying an apple computer overseas and having it shipped here. provided they will internationally ship it, that is

also, australia is 240V 50Hz and US is (IIRC) 120V 60Hz: i think some apple power supplies do both but that could be a problem as well

 

[starwxrwx]

And don't give me that sad excuse about the currency fluctuating. The Aussie dollar has been in the US$0.68-$0.75 range for over 2 years. Its like Apple set their FX policy 7 years ago when the Aussie dollar was US$0.55 and haven't revisited it since. If Dell can manage it within reason then Apple should be able to.

I thought they (somewhat) adjusted whenever a new model or pricing in the US came out - the ibooks now are about half the price they were 18 months ago, but I'm not sure if they have dropped that much by % in the US