[brianmeg]

Has anyone in the UK noticed how much the cost of Apple software is compared to the US prices? The new version of Aperture, for example, costs $299 in the US and 219 pounds sterling in the UK, An obcene increase in price of approximately 60 pounds sterling - approx $112. I suppose the same could be said of all Apple prices but this is true theft. Marketing costs are no higher in the UK than elsewhere because it is all done via the same Apple web site, in effect reducing the costs outside the US. Distribution costs cannot account for the vast increase and the strong pound against a weak dollar emphasises the rip-off. I think that it is about time that Apple reviews its sales prices outside the US. What does anyone else think?

[nbnz]

brianmeg - is that a reference to Family Guy?

You have to remember a lot of that difference is VAT.
£219 less VAT (17.5%) is around £186, which is approx US$350. So, about $50 (£27) more than in the US.
So, yes there is a difference, but it's not as significant as your post indicates. And it's not like the same thing doesn't happen with practically everything else in the UK.

[TETENAL]

$299 = £159 + 17,5% VAT = £187 → 17% more expensive in the UK than in the US
$299 = €235 + 16% VAT = €273 → 9.5% more expensive in Germany than in the US

You have more money in the UK, so Apple apparently thinks you can afford it. Nobody is hindering you to order in another EU country. Try one of the Amazons.

[analogika]

Costs of running a business are significantly higher in Europe than they are in the United States.

[CatOne]

Originally Posted by brianmeg

Has anyone in the UK noticed how much the cost of Apple software is compared to the US prices? The new version of Aperture, for example, costs $299 in the US and 219 pounds sterling in the UK, An obcene increase in price of approximately 60 pounds sterling - approx $112. I suppose the same could be said of all Apple prices but this is true theft. Marketing costs are no higher in the UK than elsewhere because it is all done via the same Apple web site, in effect reducing the costs outside the US. Distribution costs cannot account for the vast increase and the strong pound against a weak dollar emphasises the rip-off. I think that it is about time that Apple reviews its sales prices outside the US. What does anyone else think?

I think it's funny that, even in this day and age, people in the UK and the EU cannot understand that US prices do not have tax (you call it VAT) added to the listed price. So the UK and EU prices list what you pay out the door, while the US prices do not (sales tax is added later, and only in the states that have tax, as not all do). Subtract VAT and you'll see the prices are much closer.

[jasong]

It's because you have to pay the costs of Apple localizing the software. Once we take all of your countries over and impose American on you, Apple won't have to charge you this localization fee and you can have your cheap software.

As a bonus, as Americans you also will get a sense of entitlement, arrogance, and ignorance, a shorter life-span, the worst healthcare in the developed world, and all the iTunes movies and TV you can watch while eating your McDonalds from the comfort on your couch that you will be too big to get off of.

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by jasong

It's because you have to pay the costs of Apple localizing the software. Once we take all of your countries over and impose American on you, Apple won't have to charge you this localization fee and you can have your cheap software.

You should be aware that, as of Mac OS 8, Apple stopped localizing software into British and Australian English, instead foisting American spellings on the rest of the English-speaking world...

[Dr. DDS]

you guys should see the price in brazil... it costs a lot more...