Re: Re: We pay too much whine whine whine

"$600 in the US, HK$3,780 in Hong Kong and £425 here in the UK.

Pull out your currency converters and whine. Finished? Good! Now take a look at the median incomes for these countries

$670/week in the US, HK$2,300/week in Hong Kong and £450/week for the UK."

Where did you get your stats? US has far highest GNI per capita and for a PS3 cost £400 in UK but less than £250 in HK, okay you can argue we got taxed, even you put a 20% VAT on top, HK residents are still £100 better off that equavilent to 3 new PS3 titles.

Come on, we are now living in a globalised world and if Sony isn't ripping the European off with a bigger gross margin, why did Sony tried so hard to stop Lik-sang selling into Europe? Lik-sang was trying to help shifting their products.....

We are months behind the launch, with a machine less compatible with PS2 and higher price.... people are right to whine whine whine and whine....

In response.

John Munyard: "I understand where you're coming from but frankly the international market just doesn't work like that anymore."

I know that, what I talking about was the apparent complaint that a UK citizen buying a PS3 in the UK is paying more then a US citizen buying one in the US. It simply isn't true they're both working roughly the same amount of time to get one (and In the case of Hong Kong more time)

How the market should work is that a UK citizen should examine the prices worldwide and then decide to buy from what ever country they wants. what you mention as "legally captive" can be boiled down to two items. Firstly IP rights which should mean that you can't sell goods in an area before the manufacturer does, but is sadly taking the tack that you can't sell goods in an area without the IP holder's permission even if they're selling the same goods in that area due to 'diminished respect for the brand'. Secondly Health and Safety, imported goods may not meet EU consumer safety standards.

The former is a con-trick and, like region coding, if it were being done by a government would be up before the WTO before you could say "trade restriction", the latter is a joke as the power supply unit on the PS3s are identical regardless of country.

So yes in that respect we're being stitched-up, still doesn't mean that the PS3 is more expensive here then elsewhere. It also doesn't stop you importing one from anywhere else in the EEA.

Costs too much

The PS3 is still far too much. You end up paying £500 for a console with a couple of games. You can buy an Xbox 360 premium and choose 2 free games for £280 at a major high street retailer at the moment. Nearly half the cost of a PS3 with a couple of games.

I did nearly buy one but luckily I have borrowed a mates PS3 while he is working away for a couple of weeks and to be honest its no better than my 360 so I don't think I will be dipping my hand into my pockets. Sorry Sony maybe's if it was £300 with some games bundled I would think about it.