[pat++]

I'm a bit tired of Apple policy concerning prices in Europe :

The new 12" iBook is $999 in the US (same price as the old model).
In France it's now 1049€ instead of 999€, which means it's 50€ MORE expensive than the old model. More over $999 = 832€ so Apple was selling the iBook in France 67$ more than in the US and now they add again 50€

I AM TIRED OF THIS ****ING POLICY. And they wonder why they are gaining market shares in the US, but they are LOSING market shares in Europe??????

[Luca Rescigno]

Apple is only charging 45€ more for the iBook than they charge in the US, then, if $999 = 832€. They're charging 877€ before tax. You can thank your government for tacking such a huge tax on imported items.

[polendo]

I believe, the 1049 Euros are before VAT.

Then again, ceteris paribus, without different taxes or VAT pending upon different states, Apple France just increased by 49 Euros the price of the iBook.

To fix a price of 832 Euros for an iBook which in the states cost 999 USD isn't valid, since computers aren't a commodity. Exchange rates change daily, and this last days the USD is recovering on the Euro, hence 1 USD gives you less Euros (whatever the on going rate is) than before , so Apple has to make up for it by increasing the price. Be it good or bad marketing wise, that is a different story.

regards

[Rumor Addict]

1049 is with VAT. 877 is without VAT. So the US and French models are fairly close in actual price. I wonder if there is some added expense in creating documentation , localized language software, the proper powerplugs etc? All of those things have to be created for the French market which is much much smaller than the US market so it seems like they would have a higher per unit cost, hence the difference in price. What about import taxes as opposed to VAT? Does Apple pay import duty when they bring their computers into the US or France? Perhaps those rates are different? Distribution costs could differ also.

The main difference is the insane tax imposed by the French government. Its really up the French, large government projects, huge healthcare system, some nice government pork.... or cheaper iBooks . In the US prices are before tax. If you ship across state lines you can often avoid paying sales tax at all.

[mgl]

Canadian prices went down by $50. Apple adjusts their local pricing when they bump the models so that the prices better reflect the exchange rate climate.

Because the applecare product never actually changes, its pricing has gotten very out of synch between Canada and the US over time. They really need to adjust that one.

[ben.mcguire]

i would love the uk store prices to reflect the us store. a stock 12" ibook would be about £570.00 !! bargain

[Mr Heliums]

Originally Posted by ben.mcguire

i would love the uk store prices to reflect the us store. a stock 12" ibook would be about £570.00 !! bargain

It's only £594 exc VAT. Hardly much more.

[OogaBooga]

Here in Texas a 12" iBook would cost around $1071 including tax.