HUGE price difference between USD and Euro

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by Skyblue

Hi

I have the same problem as the first poster, i'm from Australia and im trying to buy a cybook in US currency. I see that NAEB has closed down, so does anyone know where I can buy a cybook in US currency (that will post to aussie)? I have emailed booken but no response.

Thanks

The only US supplier specified on the Bookeen website is Books On Board (and NAEB, which, as you've no doubt noted, has officially closed). However, while I and many others would have Books On Board on a list of recommended providers of ebooks, they specify that they "are authorized to sell and service the US and Canada only", so that's no help to you.

Bookeen state that "We decided to keep a constant price for all the countries without calculating the price from money currencies. On top of that some countries will pay a 19,6% VAT like all European countries, others won't. At last, we also considered the shipment price in mind, to keep an average cost more or less the same". I've never rightly understood this, but obviously, as the third question under their FAQ, they get it a lot.

In Australia, the price from both local suppliers (DA Direct and Dymocks) is $599.

Chances are, you know all this. I have a strong suspicion that, apart from any desirability in the product itself, this is why some Australians are purchasing the Sony PRS-505 from the US from ebay or reputable places like B&H.

Cheers,
Marc

[tompe]

With the dollar as weak as it is the reasoning is not valid. It was valid when the dollar was stronger.

[HarryT]

It will be interesting to see if next week's introduction of the Sony PRS-505 in the UK at £199 has any long-term impact on the UK pricing of the Gen3. With a Gen3 + cover costing £299 (plus shipping) in the UK, that's a considerable "mark-up". Although I do think the Gen3 is worth more than the Sony, it's debatable whether it's worth that much more.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by tompe

With the dollar as weak as it is the reasoning is not valid. It was valid when the dollar was stronger.

Tommy, what reasoning? What dollar, US or AUS?

If I go to the Bookeen website, I initially get quoted in GBP. If I sign in as an Aussie, I get quoted in Euro. If I sign in as an American, I obviously get quoted in USD.

Converting to Australian dollars, here's the difference with the basic package:

269GBP = AUS$569
350USD = AUS$405
295EUR = AUS$502

Australian-sourced price = AUS$599

(none of the above include delivery costs)

So, for us, the reasoning seems on the surface to be near-$100 difference between the EUR export price and the USD export price on the base package (the deluxe figures are below my signoff). Thus, the questioning desire to purchase in USD.

Cheers,
Marc

Deluxe price:

349GBP = AUS$739
450USD = AUS$521
380EUR = AUS$648

[tompe]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

Tommy, what reasoning? What dollar, US or AUS?

Bookeen's argument motivating the big difference. US dollar.

Have they lowered the price in EURO? Was it not 1 EURO = 1 UDS before?

I get 350 EURO maybe because of the tax. The USD price with tax added is 2680 SEK and the EURO prince is 3286 SEK. And I have not noticed any difference in how they handle US warranty issues compared to how they handle EU warranty issues so this big difference is not motivated.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by tompe

Bookeen's argument motivating the big difference. US dollar.

Have they lowered the price in EURO? Was it not 1 EURO = 1 UDS before?

I get 350 EURO maybe because of the tax. The USD price with tax added is 2680 SEK and the EURO prince is 3286 SEK. And I have not noticed any difference in how they handle US warranty issues compared to how they handle EU warranty issues so this big difference is not motivated.

Ahh, I see. Thanks for elaborating.

Cheers,
Marc

[HarryT]

They've raised the price in pounds, because of the weaker Pound:Euro exchange rate. It used to be £245, now it's £269. We're still "ahead of the game", however, at that price; at today's exchange rate, €350 is actually £282.

[Skyblue]

Hey guys

Thanks for the info, most of it I already knew, was just hopping you had some more info I didn't....I didn't know Dymocks was selling them (thanks montsnmags). I may just wait then and see if I can pick up a second hand one then from somewhere....

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

Tommy, what reasoning? What dollar, US or AUS?

If I go to the Bookeen website, I initially get quoted in GBP. If I sign in as an Aussie, I get quoted in Euro. If I sign in as an American, I obviously get quoted in USD.

Converting to Australian dollars, here's the difference with the basic package:

269GBP = AUS$569
350USD = AUS$405
295EUR = AUS$502

Australian-sourced price = AUS$599

(none of the above include delivery costs)

So, for us, the reasoning seems on the surface to be near-$100 difference between the EUR export price and the USD export price on the base package (the deluxe figures are below my signoff). Thus, the questioning desire to purchase in USD.

Cheers,
Marc

Deluxe price:

349GBP = AUS$739
450USD = AUS$521
380EUR = AUS$648

Forgive me for pointing it out, Marc, but you're quoting prices inconsistently. You've quoted the UK price for both the "standard" and "Deluxe" packages INCLUDING VAT, but the Euro price EXCLUDING VAT. Buying from Australia, you won't be charged VAT, so you need to knock 19.6% (the French VAT rate) off the UK prices, which will make them somewhat cheaper than the Euro price. With exchange rates the way they are at present, you're better off buying in Pounds than Euros.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Forgive me for pointing it out, Marc, but you're quoting prices inconsistently. You've quoted the UK price for both the "standard" and "Deluxe" packages INCLUDING VAT, but the Euro price EXCLUDING VAT. Buying from Australia, you won't be charged VAT, so you need to knock 19.6% (the French VAT rate) off the UK prices, which will make them somewhat cheaper than the Euro price. With exchange rates the way they are at present, you're better off buying in Pounds than Euros.

Sorry, the UK price was just included as it is the "default" price offered me on the Bookeen website, without having to log in. It seemed to assume I was in the UK to start (this may be a leftover from previous visits and cookies in my laptop?). I thought I should include it, since it was there "upfront", and I didn't want to be seen ignoring it.

Once I logged in, I changed my location between a US and Australian address to get the EUR price (as offered to Australia) and the USD price (as offered to the USA), by way of showing two similar-but-different export prices, which is what gives rise to Australia's question about EUR versus USD. I guess it comes down to "Why is the US charged less?"

EDIT: I should add that I have only considered in the above buying directly from Bookeen, since that was the premise of the price differential query, and not buying from another supplier, such as from the UK or elsewhere.

Cheers,
Marc

[Skyblue]

Sorry people but you have got me confused. When I go to the bookeen site I see 295 eruo for the basic cybook, when I convert that to aussie dollars its around $503. But are you guys saying that prices includes VAT? If it does what price im I looking at? At a guess I would say 250 eruo?

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by Skyblue

Sorry people but you have got me confused. When I go to the bookeen site I see 295 eruo for the basic cybook, when I convert that to aussie dollars its around $503. But are you guys saying that prices includes VAT? If it does what price im I looking at? At a guess I would say 250 eruo?

I will say "No", but not with complete certainty. If you login with an Australian address and add the Cybook into your cart, you are given the following cost at the "Cart" stage and at the start of the "Checkout" stage (up to the point where it prompts you for your credit card number - obviously, I didn't go further than that):

Cybook: 295,00EURO
FedEx: 32,60EURO
TOTAL: 327,60EURO

This is the amount it indicates it is going to charge to your card.

Cheers,
Marc

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Skyblue

Sorry people but you have got me confused. When I go to the bookeen site I see 295 eruo for the basic cybook, when I convert that to aussie dollars its around $503. But are you guys saying that prices includes VAT? If it does what price im I looking at? At a guess I would say 250 eruo?

€295 is the price excluding VAT. Ordering from outside the EU, that's the price that you'll be charged. Only customers in the EU pay VAT.

Note that you will be liable to pay whatever local taxes and import duties apply when it reaches Australia.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by HarryT

€295 is the price excluding VAT. Ordering from outside the EU, that's the price that you'll be charged. Only customers in the EU pay VAT.

Thanks, Harry. On photography lists I'm on, VAT often comes up and I've never really clarified with myself where it's applicable even within your neck of the woods (to be honest, I just though it was a UK thing - shows I should pay more attention).

Note that you will be liable to pay whatever local taxes and import duties apply when it reaches Australia.

Do NOT take the following as gospel (check the Australian Customs Service website) but I believe they will not charge you any GST if the customs declaration shows the cost of the goods as less than AUS$1000. Ahh, buggerit, I'll go have a look at the Customs site myself...

Okay, it says here:

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=5549

in the section "When buying over the internet" that...

"All goods (except for tobacco products and alcoholic beverages) may be imported duty and tax free if their value is $1,000 or less.:

There's obviously some conditional stuff there which you can check the link for, but it looks applicable here.

Cheers,
Marc

[cbell]

Thanks for the different pricing info, montsnmags - its interesting to compare the currencies.

The AUD price from DA Direct and Dymocks ($599.00) includes 10% GST.

DA's postage cost to anywhere in Australia (for credit card purchases) is only $7.95 (overnight courier to most areas.)

DA offers local support and a technical helpdesk (in Melbourne) and a range of spare parts and accessories for Cybooks and iLiads.