price of the PRS T1 in USA and in Europe

[prsita]

The differences of the price of the new PRS T1 in USA and in Europe are evident, but strangely enogh there are big differences among various European countries.

The facts:

1) in USA the price will be, as announced, of 149 US dollars (corresponding to 104-105 euro);

2) in France, as results from the site of the Sony.fr, it will be of 149 euro (including Taxes of 19,6 %) and mailing costs;

3) in Italy, as results from the site of the Sony.it, it will be of 199 euro (with a difference of 50 euro with France), including taxes of 20% and mailing costs.

While is normal the difference between USA and France (usually, non only Sony but also Apple, consider an exchange of 1 to 1 from dollars to euro) not logical is the difference between France and Italy (50 euro), considering that taxes in the two countries are almost the same (of 19,6% in France and of 20% in Italy).

How to explain this difference?

Moreover, if an Italian resident buy the T1 with the Sony site of France, the guaranty is recognized in Italy?

[bibahbuzemann]

Originally Posted by prsita

The differences of the price of the new PRS T1 in USA and in Europe are evident, but strangely enogh there are big differences among various European countries.

The facts:

1) in USA the price will be, as announced, of 149 US dollars (corresponding to 104-105 euro);

2) in France, as results from the site of the Sony.fr, it will be of 149 euro (including Taxes of 19,6 %) and mailing costs;

3) in Italy, as results from the site of the Sony.it, it will be of 199 euro (with a difference of 50 euro with France), including taxes of 20% and mailing costs.

While is normal the difference between USA and France (usually, non only Sony but also Apple, consider an exchange of 1 to 1 from dollars to euro) not logical is the difference between France and Italy (50 euro), considering that taxes in the two countries are almost the same (of 19,6% in France and of 20% in Italy).

How to explain this difference?

Moreover, if an Italian resident buy the T1 with the Sony site of France, the guaranty is recognized in Italy?

I haven't seen a good explaination of the phenomenon either. But all the tech companies are doing it. It seems like they've formed some kind of cartell just to srew us Europeans over.

But €50 more in Italy than in France(or Germany)? That's just plain MEAN!

I don't think you'll have any luck getting Sony.fr to deliver to Italy though.

[Bilbo1967]

Bizarrely, I just looked up the new Sony Reader on Sony.uk and saw a price of £120 (about 132 euros). When I refreshed the page, by going off to look at something else on the site and then coming back, the price had changed to £159.97 (about 176 euros). Very odd

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Bizarrely, I just looked up the new Sony Reader on Sony.uk and saw a price of £120 (about 132 euros). When I refreshed the page, by going off to look at something else on the site and then coming back, the price had changed to £159.97 (about 176 euros). Very odd

And now it's saying 'Price information not available'.

[carpetmojo]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Bizarrely, I just looked up the new Sony Reader on Sony.uk and saw a price of £120 (about 132 euros). When I refreshed the page, by going off to look at something else on the site and then coming back, the price had changed to £159.97 (about 176 euros). Very odd

It's probably like budget airline seats - you enquired, so that's a theoretical sale, so the price goes up !

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

It's probably like budget airline seats - you enquired, so that's a theoretical sale, so the price goes up !

I promise not to look again!

[Kolenka]

Originally Posted by prsita

How to explain this difference?

I wonder actually. One of the things that never paid attention to, but now know is that money isn't exactly liquid and the cost of business on a global scale is not always the same in every country.

For example, for a company like Sony to sell a device in the EU, there is more than just production and shipping costs. Any international trade comes under tariffs. These tariffs are normally done to encourage local goods over foreign, and I know the EU has been getting into hot water latey over tariffs with electronics they see as 'consumer goods' rather than 'electronics' as defined by a 1990s trade agreement.

So, there may actually be a different set of tariffs on Chinese goods being imported to the US vs the EU. It wouldn't surprise me if the tariffs are higher in Europe. The US is kinda known for allowing Chinese goods at the behest of US companies, and that might include lenient tariffs or even waived tariffs if the goods are being brought in for a company with a US presence. Not sure.

Also, when a company sells in a foreign country, that money isn't exactly easy to convert back into their native one as there are fees to do so. Plus tax codes in some nations make it such that you get taxed once the money enters the nation, rather than on your 'global income'. This creates wierd situations where they are encouraged to leave the money in that nation where it is of limited value, or needs to be invested in local labor/etc which may be more expensive than in a different nation and may cause the price to be adjusted (the per-unit cost of the warranty/customer service and so on).

Now, that all said, I don't know how much would actually be applied in this case... but having worked at large companies not unlike Sony, I find the reality is quite mundane most of the time. They aren't really turning around and saying "Let's screw Italy today! France will be next time around." But what they are doing is counting their pennies carefully when they plan price points with small margins like mass-produced consumer electronics.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Bizarrely, I just looked up the new Sony Reader on Sony.uk and saw a price of £120 (about 132 euros). When I refreshed the page, by going off to look at something else on the site and then coming back, the price had changed to £159.97 (about 176 euros). Very odd

pocket-lint is saying £130, but that might just be their best guess.

[sabredog]

No word on the Sony AU site as yet regarding the new ereader, which I do not find surprising.

I will go out on a limb and say the new model will sell down under for AU$229, which was the RRP of the PRS-350 when it was available.

[melmac]

Originally Posted by sabredog

No word on the Sony AU site as yet regarding the new ereader, which I do not find surprising.

I will go out on a limb and say the new model will sell down under for AU$229, which was the RRP of the PRS-350 when it was available.

Sadly I think this will be the case which is a pity because to be competitive in Aust. I think it really needs to be $199 or less. With the old kindles popping up in everyones local Woolies/DSE and the Kobo touch appearing at Collins, I dont think the general public will consider the T1 if it's more than $200

[sabredog]

My lady wife works for Woolworths. She sold three Kindles yesterday.

[mcrmama]

I'm curious to see what the Canadian price will be. I know with the last models when the prices went down in the US, they did not here. Right now it is $199 to get a 350 at Sonystyle.ca.

[carpetmojo]

Forgive me if I've missed something amongst all the brouhaha - but when will we be able to buy it in the UK ???

And when will we know the [firm] price ?

Have we anything solid accessible at all from Sony, as against PC World etc....


Someone's birthday looms, you see, and this would, I'm sure, be a shoo-in.....

[CommonReader]

Sony Germany lists it for € 149. That's the same price Kobo intends to sell its reader for.

[kartu]

Originally Posted by bibahbuzemann

But all the tech companies are doing it.

Not all, but most. Panasonic normally doesn't.