Hardware too expensive in EU!!

[mutz]

...if you new what Ingram Micro and ilk paid for parts, you would REALLY get pissed...

[Android604]

Nope, you got it wrong, Canada/BC is one of the cheapest places in the world to buy cars and electronics. We have it pretty good here. Most US companies will take the profit hit just to maintain high market share in Canada/North America. On average, cars are 10-15% cheaper in Canada than the exact same model in the US. Why, because we Canadians are taxed so heavily and our dollar is so bloody weak we can't afford the prices Americans pay. Same goes for computer stuff... look up most hardware and we get it cheaper. Ontario might be a bit different since you guys have most of the countries population and wealth, but west coast is the place to be.

Andrew

P.S. for the cheapest computer prices and the worst service www.atic.ca or www.anitec.ca

[Wombat]

Not to mention CDs. You guys seem to be charged ~$15-18 CDN to our $15-18 US.

[ZokesPro]

In Ontario the prices are ok. I tend to compare our dollar to the US dollar cause everything is so similar. Especially at work, since we make the exact same rate as our US counterparts yet the other canadian locations pay is adjusted appropriately. It's all the same copany and it's all the same job yet we make different rates. I guess it's just a hate towards my company in that respect.

15-18$ for cd's? Music cd's? If it's music cd's here in Ontario it's more like 18-26$.

[Novdid]

On average the average european do afford more than the average american. We don't buy more or better, things just costs more, sad but true.

[WyWyWyWy]

Is that because of Euro?

IMO there is not enough capitalism in Europe (good or bad?)

[birdy]

Import tax has nothing to do with the prices of things here in the UK.

It's a sad fact that it is cheaper (by some margin) to go to europe and buy a Jaguar (made in Coventry, UK Right hand drive, full UK spec) and ship it back to the UK than it is to go to the dealer in Coventry and buy the exact same car. The same can be said of Triumph motorcycles too.

It just seems that the manufacturers will charge us whatever we are willing to pay. Out VAT rate of 17.5% doesnt help matters but most countries have a sales tax of some sort. When i was in Florida it was 7% and i can only assume it's roughly the same all over the US too

[mutz]

...Birdy hit a keyword, willing to pay, forced to pay. Having worked on a number of projects IN the business, I've often seen pricing policy in action.

The CEO and/or owner sit in a conference with marketing, engineering, finance and production. To paraphrase the meeting brief:

"Where's the competition positioned, and what can we get away with?"

[Novdid]

The VAT here in Sweden is...hold on to your horses...25%!!!
But that's not what makes things expensive.

Example: Hercules's 9700 Pro suggested retail price is €529, while ATI suggests $399 in US, it's not the VAT(memory pricees are actually roughly the same over here). We know that the euro and the dollar are worth exactly the same at the moment.

[Schorsch]

Originally posted by WyWyWyWy
Is that because of Euro?

IMO there is not enough capitalism in Europe (good or bad?)

I think we've got enough capitalism in Europe - but that's another discussion.

A 2.0 GHz Northwood costs 200 € here in Germany, and that already includes 16 % VAT. That means the Euro isn't responsible for expensive hardware since the prices in the UK are even higher. Maybe you should consider getting your hardware from the continent?