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nordesmic · Oct 24, 2003, 10:31 PM

I was thinking about buying a 10 gig ipod, but the price still seems too high. I live in australia where the 10 gig sells for A$ 529 (which is equivalent to US$ 370 and the price difference of US $70 is growing all the time as the US dollar weakens). I was wondering if anyone knows of any plans, in the near future, that apple may lower their prices on the ipod in te US, flowing down to a price reduction here. Better still does anyone know of any plans by apple to stop charging ridiculous amounts (in comparison to the US) for their products in Europe and Australia. There is no way that apple can explain such price differences worldwide, other than greed and profit. If they stopped being so greedy and reduced the prices slightly (so a massive profit was still to be had) they would find that demand for the ipod, in australia and probably elsewhere, would sky rocket. The current price is above that which most people would class as fair and affordable.

riverfreak · Oct 25, 2003, 01:43 AM

The demand for the iPod already seems to be quite high. Just walk around NYC where every other person has the white earbuds in.

So they sell them cheaper but make less money. Spreading the love is not really the point of being in business.

They are, after all, a company, and it isn't really that "Apple is greedy" - you'd have to blame that on the shareholders.

But to answer your question, I don't know of any plans to drop the price on the iPods. I will tell you this: I bought an original 5GB iPod. Used it and abused it, then gave it to my dad when the 20GB came out. I've been using this one for about a year and a half now. It's still going strong (I don't use a case or anything). It's well worth the money (if you like music).

icruise · Oct 25, 2003, 03:08 AM

Originally posted by nordesmic:
Better still does anyone know of any plans by apple to stop charging ridiculous amounts (in comparison to the US) for their products in Europe and Australia. There is no way that apple can explain such price differences worldwide, other than greed and profit. If they stopped being so greedy and reduced the prices slightly (so a massive profit was still to be had) they would find that demand for the ipod, in australia and probably elsewhere, would sky rocket. The current price is above that which most people would class as fair and affordable.

If Apple can get away with charging such high prices oversea for no reason except their own greed, why do they have cheaper prices in the US? Just because they like Americans?

It couldn't have anything to do with the additional cost involved in selling their products overseas, exchange rates, taxes/duties, etc could it?

But anyway, you sound just like many people did when the iPod first came out. "It's nice, but it's way too expensive!" "It'll never sell" Well, they somehow managed to sell over one million of them, so I think they're doing something right...

nordesmic · Oct 25, 2003, 05:31 AM

"It couldn't have anything to do with the additional cost involved in selling their products overseas, exchange rates, taxes/duties, etc could it?"
Maybe if you stopped to think about it a bit "Icruise" you would realise that a price difference of $70 cannot be explained simply by the factors you have listed. Also it maybe necessary to look up where apple makes it products (malaysia, ireland, taiwan amongst others) , hence any additional export/shipping costs are also paid by customers in the US.
"But anyway, you sound just like many people did when the iPod first came out. "It's nice, but it's way too expensive!" "It'll never sell" Well, they somehow managed to sell over one million of them, so I think they're doing something right..."
Once again you miss the point i am making. I do not dispute the fact that apple is a large company like any other designed to make money, but that if they simply decided to lower the profit on an individual ipod the increased demand would mean that 10000's more units would be sold meaning that the overall profit would be much higher. Apple has to stop trying to be a company that wants to appeal to a large market through ventures like the itunes music store, but also wants to maintain its place as a niche brand only available to those with lots of money, the two can't go side by side.
PS. You sound like one of those people who thinks that they know everything but knows little, are you American?, cos if you are- that explains it.

Mastrap · Oct 25, 2003, 05:47 AM

We have been through this time after time after time.

There is no price difference as far as Apple is concerned. 99% of the difference is made up by local taxes and import duties. In the EU some of the G5s are actually cheaper than in the US. In Oz there are numerous taxes on the import of iPods and similar items.

You sound like a teen who has no idea about the taxation system of his own country. Go and get informed before being rude to people who are trying to help you out.

icruise · Oct 25, 2003, 04:20 PM

Originally posted by nordesmic:
Once again you miss the point i am making. I do not dispute the fact that apple is a large company like any other designed to make money, but that if they simply decided to lower the profit on an individual ipod the increased demand would mean that 10000's more units would be sold meaning that the overall profit would be much higher. Apple has to stop trying to be a company that wants to appeal to a large market through ventures like the itunes music store, but also wants to maintain its place as a niche brand only available to those with lots of money, the two can't go side by side.
PS. You sound like one of those people who thinks that they know everything but knows little, are you American?, cos if you are- that explains it.

So you know better than Apple, right? It sounds like you're the "know it all" in this scenario. I was just trying to point out that despite hundreds of people who "knew better" Apple has sold many many iPods. Do you think the idea of lowering the price never occurred to them? They have access to all of the information and have decided that the current pricing will make them the most money.

And WTF is this "you must be an American" bullshit? That kind of thing has no place here.

Uday's Carcass · Oct 25, 2003, 05:49 PM

you sound like a juvenile turd, nordesmic.

Apple doesn't fix its prices just to satisfy your adolescent impatience. Get your mommy to buy you one or, better yet, get a job and save for it if it's that important.

nordesmic · Oct 25, 2003, 08:57 PM

I think ive said all i need to say, except that anyone who uses the word 'turd', has some adolescent issues of their own. Ive only got a mummy as well, not a 'mommy'.

"The earth revolves around the sun not the United States"

benb · Oct 25, 2003, 10:30 PM

Want to know whose fault it is? It's your government's fault. This has been discussed many many times, with a thread about it devoted to your island nation. Go search for it and read it. You have no basis for your argument. Apple is not screwing your country. Your country is screwing you.

wallinbl · Oct 27, 2003, 12:24 PM

Dell just released a direct competitor to iPod. Apple should see this as a direct threat - Dell has the power to take a lot of their market share. Of course, I don't expect Apple to actually lower their prices.

Chips G · Oct 27, 2003, 12:38 PM

What's up with everyone who does not live in the United States thinks that everyone IN the United States thinks that the world revolves around them?

I remember reading a post in the lounge where Zimphire was reminding people to set their clocks back an hour, then some other person came up and said :

"And no other country exists except the good ol' USA

that sound you just heard was Zimp's post backfiring on him"

What is this guys problem? All that Zimphire was doing was giving people a friendly reminder for people (where it applies) to set their clocks back to correspond with the change from daylight savings time to standard.

I'm sure that if in a few weeks a country other than the U.S had a time change and someone posted a reminder about it no U.S. citizens would go "And no other country exists expect the good ol' *INSERT COUNTRY NAME HERE*"

Seriously, take it easy.

talisker · Oct 27, 2003, 03:32 PM

Originally posted by Chris Gilpin:
What's up with everyone who does not live in the United States thinks that everyone IN the United States thinks that the world revolves around them?

I remember reading a post in the lounge where Zimphire was reminding people to set their clocks back an hour, then some other person came up and said :

"And no other country exists except the good ol' USA

that sound you just heard was Zimp's post backfiring on him"

What is this guys problem? All that Zimphire was doing was giving people a friendly reminder for people (where it applies) to set their clocks back to correspond with the change from daylight savings time to standard.

I'm sure that if in a few weeks a country other than the U.S had a time change and someone posted a reminder about it no U.S. citizens would go "And no other country exists expect the good ol' *INSERT COUNTRY NAME HERE*"

Seriously, take it easy.

chris.p · Oct 27, 2003, 06:00 PM

To the original poster, a good time to buy is when new hardware is released (not when its leaps and bounds, like G4-G5, obviously). I picked up a 30gb iPod for �330, a few days after they were selling for �400 because of the new models coming out here in the UK- and the 15gb were selling for �300- I got 15gig for 30 quid :/ Thats the best advise I can give- wait till a product launch!

Steve · Oct 27, 2003, 08:30 PM

What's the point of this thread? Just seems like a bash-against-the-US to me. Keep this kind of thing in the Lounge and/or the Political Forum if you so desire to continue the discussion.