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It is cheaper to fly to US than buy Adobe software in Australia

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Re: It is cheaper to fly to US than buy Adobe software in Australia

#51

Post by dorian-graph »

nwh wrote: post #23
lunchladydoris wrote: post #4

I wonder how the piracy rate in Australia (for CS and more generally) compares with that in the US. Anyone have any figures?

I work in the design industry in Australia, and it's very rare for anyone to have a legitimate copy. By no means quantitative data, but the piracy rate is probably quite high. Adobe doesn't exactly make it easy by dropping backwards compatibility for a version behind.

Alternatively, I also work in the design industry and have friends who do and aside from students, most have a legitimate license from my experience and also speaking for myself.

Re: It is cheaper to fly to US than buy Adobe software in Australia

#52

Post by chiurox »

I'm surprised no one mentioned the exorbitant prices of electronics in Brazil compared to the US. For example, the top of the line Macbook 15" retina in the Brazilian Apple store costs R$12599 which is around $6395USD, while the same in the US is $2799. A Brazil/Miami return flight is also around $1000 depending on the time of year. So theoretically it's cheaper for Brazilians to go to Miami, have a nice weeklong vacation, buy a Macbook Retina, iPhone, iPod, iPad, clothes, and much more, than buy a single Macbook here and still wait for shipping. The problem is the government/customs knows that and thus catches and taxes a lot of people who try to bring over $500USD worth of products. And for whoever mentions that the cost of living is cheaper in Brazil, the big cities like Sao Paulo is the same or worse than NYC if you factor in salary.

Re: It is cheaper to fly to US than buy Adobe software in Australia

#53

Post by cturner »

caf wrote: post #46
jacques_chester wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Two main reasons. 1. Australia is a small market, so for a lot of things there are poor economies of scale and/or cozy oligopolies. 2. Exchange rates. Then along came: 3. Artificial market segmentation. Region encoding, per-country versions and so on. There's no technical reason for this, it's done simply because (thanks AUSFTA) it can be done. The artificial segmentation didn't used to be a big problem until the AUD…

You've got to wonder why they haven't tried artificial market segmentation between US States yet.

Could there be something in the constitution to prevent it? The Australian constitution is derived from UK and US, and section 92 mandates free trade between states.

Update: it seems there is. http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=2010032513551...

Re: It is cheaper to fly to US than buy Adobe software in Australia

#54

Post by Wingman4l7 »

icebraining wrote: post #37
Wingman4l7 wrote: post #5

There is no excuse why downloadable content should cost more -- economies of scale, shipping costs, and differences in taxes and exchange rates are all irrelevant. Even in the case of physical goods, the disparity is often drastically more than can be accounted for by the above reasons. This comment sums it up quite well: http://news.cnet.com/8618-1001_3-57568633.html?assetTypeId=1... There is a parliamentary committ…

Why would they need an "excuse"? Pricing is only indirectly related to costs; doubly so with software, where gross profit margins are often higher than 90%. Why is this particular arbitrary price bad, while other arbitrary prices aren't? Sure they'd still make money if they charged the same, but so what?

Maybe because it's particularly insulting to the intelligence, especially when your customers are computer savvy people who know just how arbitrary region-based pricing of digital goods is?

Re: It is cheaper to fly to US than buy Adobe software in Australia

#55

Post by rmc »

Nursie wrote: post #41
relix wrote: post #6

These articles take the wrong perspective - it's not that Australia is much more expensive in tech matters, it's that the US is much more cheap. I don't know where the recent Australia-specific articles are coming from, but it's been like this since as long as I can remember - that the US is much more cheap than any other country I'm familiar with for tech stuff, including Australia, but also almost every other count…

Australia is extremely expensive for a lot of stuff. Europe is too, but less so (having lived in both). Part of this is that the AUD has appreciated in value so much over the last few years, and retailers are just not willing to drop their prices in line with the new purchasing power of the dollar. They also haven't caught up with the modern world in a lot of ways, considering that they still have a captive audience…

Part of this is that the AUD has appreciated in value so much over the last few years

Yep, many other countries have had economic downturns lately, a lot of australian economy is based off mining, which is going OK. Ergo, currency appreciates.

Part of the problem is retail rental rates are so high

DANGER WILL ROBINSON! That's partially a sign that the property market is in a bubble or inflated. Many other countries have been wrecked when the property bubble pops. It might happen in Australia.

Re: It is cheaper to fly to US than buy Adobe software in Australia

#56

Post by rmc »

relix wrote: post #6

These articles take the wrong perspective - it's not that Australia is much more expensive in tech matters, it's that the US is much more cheap. I don't know where the recent Australia-specific articles are coming from, but it's been like this since as long as I can remember - that the US is much more cheap than any other country I'm familiar with for tech stuff, including Australia, but also almost every other count…

I travelled around Australia for a few weeks and have been to many European countries (EU & non EU). Australia is expensive (in general). It's in the same price league as Switzerland. Which is bad.

Re: It is cheaper to fly to US than buy Adobe software in Australia

#57

Post by lukeholder »

adrr wrote: post #30
mattvot wrote: post #2

Can someone explain why tech stuff in general is quite a bit more expensive in Australia comparatively?

Maybe be taxes. I assume Adobe is pumping Australian revenue to its Ireland unit while the US revenue goes through the main company. Maximize revenue overseas since the profit is taxed at a lower rate effective rate. Just a guess. "The revenues generated by Adobe’s Irish unit represent 55 per cent of Adobe’s worldwide revenues of $4.2 billion in the year to the end of December 2nd 2011" http://www.irishtimes.com/news…

Yeah i'm in Australia and subscribe to adobe creative cloud. My credit card is being charged by Ireland adobe.

Re: It is cheaper to fly to US than buy Adobe software in Australia

#58

Post by davedx »

chiurox wrote: post #52

I'm surprised no one mentioned the exorbitant prices of electronics in Brazil compared to the US. For example, the top of the line Macbook 15" retina in the Brazilian Apple store costs R$12599 which is around $6395USD, while the same in the US is $2799. A Brazil/Miami return flight is also around $1000 depending on the time of year. So theoretically it's cheaper for Brazilians to go to Miami, have a nice weeklong vac…

I actually just checked that because I didn't believe it. Absolutely insane!

Re: It is cheaper to fly to US than buy Adobe software in Australia

#59

Post by jacques_chester »

cturner wrote: post #53
caf wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You've got to wonder why they haven't tried artificial market segmentation between US States yet.

Could there be something in the constitution to prevent it? The Australian constitution is derived from UK and US, and section 92 mandates free trade between states. Update: it seems there is. http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=2010032513551...

This isn't relevant; it only governs the actions of the US Congress. Australia has similar language to prevent the Commonwealth Parliament from discriminating between the states.

Re: It is cheaper to fly to US than buy Adobe software in Australia

#60

Post by jacques_chester »

caf wrote: post #46
jacques_chester wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Two main reasons. 1. Australia is a small market, so for a lot of things there are poor economies of scale and/or cozy oligopolies. 2. Exchange rates. Then along came: 3. Artificial market segmentation. Region encoding, per-country versions and so on. There's no technical reason for this, it's done simply because (thanks AUSFTA) it can be done. The artificial segmentation didn't used to be a big problem until the AUD…

You've got to wonder why they haven't tried artificial market segmentation between US States yet.

Too noticeable, the publicity would be terrible. And too easily subverted by people importing across state lines.
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