do we have to go through this every time a new version comes out?

Oh, yes. Sure you do. As you said: "That's  just the way it is...."

some features required by the French government

Excuse my French but that is plain ********. The prices are way expensive as well in many other countries of the EU. It's not a just a French issue. The difference in prices between, let's say, the UK versions and the USA ones is a sheer rip off.

But don't worry, you don't have to bear this nuisance much: You may ignore these complaints, just as Adobe does. It 'is just that 'we' like to express our opinion about the subject.

Au revoire, Voltaire said

Taxation. Taxes Taxes Taxes.

20 percent is sorta a large tax if

you ask me.

Plus if Ado

be sales converts euros to dollars there is a loss so they have to make it up s

ome where. I am sure the conversion rate

figures in. The dollar is still weak. (or they are digging into your pocket a little deeper)

Don't get me wrong: I do agree with you.

(carriage return compliments of the Jive software)

Don't forget that PS is sold in Europe by Adobe Europe (and the DVDs an

d books are produced either in Europe too or in Asia which gives the same conditions s for those sold in the US). No import, so no import taxes.

Ok, US price: 1000$ (to make it round).

At the current exchange rate, that would be around 600€. Plus 19% sales tax gives us a realistic price of approx. 715€ Don't count translation costs as the same price is asked for the UK version.

NOTHING and NOBODY can explain why it is sold at twice that price, except the fact that they think we Europeans are wealthier and can afford the higher price ... which is a simple rip-off.

Then why do I have to pay twice the US price if I buy the same download online (in English). Is Adobes Internet connection so expensive? Ah, no again, it's the same if I download in the US ...

As I said, a certain additional cost can be explained, but twice the price is simply unexplainable ... Don't tell me that it costs Adobe 600-700€ MORE per copy sold in Europe than in the US (supposing the same absolute benefit for each sale).

Great idea! Though I'd prefer California or Oregon, but that's details

The pricing is probably just a hedge against anticipated lawsuits by the EU. I mean, the EU has made a very lucrative industry out of suing U.S. companies like Microsoft for a wide range of perceived indiscretions. As soon as the EU feels another cash crunch, the EU will probably start looking around for a few new deep pocketed corporation to slap some antitrust or anti-competition lawsuits on. Can't keep milking Microsoft forever, need a few new cash cows in the barn.

Because we're taking over Iraq , just kidding.

All things cost different prices in different places, they just do.

One other reason is that Adobe know that their is no true competitor to PS, so they will do what they damn well like. If someone else were to release something that would pose a real threat to their market dominance, then the price would fall. Its a question of like it or lump it, I'm afraid.

I'd be more interested to know why it is so much cheaper in the UK (644 UK pounds) than if you want to pay in euros (1010 euros)

current conversion of approx 1.14 (which is rather generous and not changing greatly) makes the UK price convert to 734 euros.

So why is mainland europe being ripped off so much Adobe?

And is there any problem with buying a UK copy to use in say Germany, or France? Afterall, technically the UK is in europe.

considering I am looking at buying cs5, I would much rather pay the UK price (equalling approx 734 euros) than the price for Germany where I am currently based. Can anyone say if it is a problem - isn't there just a European license anyway, regardless of wherever it was purchased in Europe? If this is the case, then customers from around Europe should benefit from the UK price, which equates more roughly equal to the US price.

do we have to go through this every time a new version comes out? *sigh* Think! --> taxes, customs fees, other distribution cost, accounting cost, compensation for exchange rate losses and so on... and you should be aware that some features required by the French government alone for education and public authorities compliance alone could ramp up costs, as they require extra implementation, testing and certification. That's just the way it is....

 

 

As a non-European I feel that you just insulted the intelligence of 500 million Europeans. How much is Adobe paying you to claim such nonsense?   *sigh*

Dont accept these European prices.

Do what I do. People who buy a full package (Photoshop upgrade may not save money this way) simply buy it from a reputable retailer in the USA. Ensure the parcel is sent by 1 of the well-known parcel delivery companies. They charge 30 or 40 Euro for sending the parcel amd te bigger retailers add the Eurpoean sales tax for you. This is so high, because this price includes customs handling fees. This is the total price you pay. NO extra charges (Like import duties, etc these are).

I recently bought Nik software this way. Saved a fortune this way

do we have to go through this every time a new version comes out? *sigh* Think! --> taxes, customs fees, other distribution cost, accounting cost, compensation for exchange rate losses and so on... and you should be aware that some features required by the French government alone for education and public authorities compliance alone could ramp up costs, as they require extra implementation, testing and certification. That's just the way it is....

 

Mylenium

If you are supposed to be a "Community Professional" Mylienium - with such a hugely patronizing and inconsiderate response such as this, then someone should seriously consider your status. Its a perfectly viable question, that has a right to be aired.

If this topic gets beaten to death every time a new version comes out, and every time there is the same answer that people don't seem to buy because - as I said - other companies seem to be able to handle the European market without doubling the price, even in France, then my guess is Adobe just doesn't seem to listen to customer feedback and milks the cow as hard as it possibly can. What would investors think if they would lower the price, right? That would be stupid of course.

I mean, the distribution costs are negligible for large quantities (comes down to a few cents per box). Digital download has a few cents of bandwidth costs. For the English version no translation costs apply. With the cheap dollar we had for the past years no exchange rate compensation is in order, on the contrary! The French government? Really? The only real reason is the sales tax. While US prices don't include tax, European prices mostly do. Sales tax ranges from 7.6% - 25%. Yep, fair enough.

Anyway, other companies seem to be able to cope with that. I haven't heard any of them whine about the French government. And mostly, as a customer I am free to buy and download the software from the US if I want to, which Adobe dogmatically prohibits. Yes, all companies charge a premium for the fragmented market and taxes in Europe, which I really can understand, but it's usually in the 10-20% area, and not 120%. Current EU price for CS5 Design Standard is 2021 Euro (= $2838). The US price is $1299! Spot the difference.

How sad to have angry customers who feel unfairly treated and want to live with that. As long as Adobe has the monopoly in the design industry, nothing will change. OK, why do they have the monopoly? Probably because they just create the best design software out there. I totally agree, their products are flat out awesome! Still, no reason to rip off their loyal European fans. We just feel unfairly treated. And we voice it every time - and then pay angrily. What choice do we have.

Distribution Costs? What distribution costs? I download the software at a cost of pennies to you for the bandwidth.

I can imagine that over the lifetime of the product, hundreds of thousands of dollars - maybe even millions - were spent on crafting the EULAs alone.  Have you ever read one of those tomes?  And every bit of it for each country's version has to be specific to and legal in that country.

-Noel

Well, a voice from past threads! Glad to see you are still around. I miss your contributions, Gernot.