Unfair UK Pricing on US Website

Equaliser123

Zippy123 wrote: »

If the company was in the EU then prices would have to be the same all round the EU save for VAT differences if they supply at country level but actually serve the software from one location.

If you buy software intended for the US market then you might find that you don't have a licence to use it in the EU. Amongst other reasons, this may be because another company has EU distribution rights.

The cost of providing help desk services to the EU may also increase costs.

Why does it have to be the same price across the EU?

Mark_Hewitt

Equaliser123 wrote: »

Why does it have to be the same price across the EU?

Because that's EU law! Every EU citizen has a right to buy products / services from any company without the price being changed just because they are a resident of a different member state. Apart from obvious considerations such as delivery etc.

withabix

Mark_Hewitt wrote: »

Because that's EU law! Every EU citizen has a right to buy products / services from any company without the price being changed just because they are a resident of a different member state. Apart from obvious considerations such as delivery etc.

No, things don't have to be the same price across the EU.

Name something that IS.

Fiddlestick

benstaton wrote: »

Am I justified in doing this, or am I missing something

Yes.

In the UK we are used to all inclusive prices that include the sales tax (VAT).

This is uniform across the UK and someone in London will pay the same rate of VAT as someone in Aberdeen.

In the US, the rate of sales tax is determined by the individual states so most retailers advertise the price without tax and then add on the sales tax at the end based on the shipping address.

Fiddlestick

Mark_Hewitt wrote: »

Because that's EU law! Every EU citizen has a right to buy products / services from any company without the price being changed just because they are a resident of a different member state. Apart from obvious considerations such as delivery etc.

Our company has to charge a different price to customers in Portugal due to the tax regime over there.

wealdroam

Mark_Hewitt wrote: »

Equaliser123 wrote: »

Why does it have to be the same price across the EU?

Because that's EU law! Every EU citizen has a right to buy products / services from any company without the price being changed just because they are a resident of a different member state. Apart from obvious considerations such as delivery etc.

That's clearly wrong.

Tesco is quite free to charge different prices for the same product in two neighbouring towns. So same prices across the whole of Europe? I don't think so.

Mark_Hewitt

wealdroam wrote: »

Tesco is quite free to charge different prices for the same product in two neighbouring towns. So same prices across the whole of Europe? I don't think so.

But if someone from the UK came into tesco and bought a packet of biscuits for £1, then followed by someone from Spain, they can't then charge the Spanish person a different price!

Equaliser123

Mark_Hewitt wrote: »

But if someone from the UK came into tesco and bought a packet of biscuits for £1, then followed by someone from Spain, they can't then charge the Spanish person a different price!

But that's not the same is it?

The point is that prices cannot be fixed across Europe (Article 81 of the Treaty) but that prices can be set at whatever a trader considers fit.

DCFC79

Price of a pack of beer in the UK is going to be different in spain or any other european country, theres various costs involved which mean prices over europe will be different

Zippy123

withabix wrote: »

No, things don't have to be the same price across the EU.

Name something that IS.

If a French person buys a Ford Focus in France an English person can buy it for the same price from the same dealer even if the person is based in the UK. The only difference could be delivery.