Sony USA vs UK rippoff pricing

Money-Saving-King

LilElvis wrote: »

Nope - they have a minimum wage in the USA too.

Which works out at £4.34 and hour, ours is £6.31, thats 45% higher!

LilElvis

Money-Saving-King wrote: »

Which works out at £4.34 and hour, ours is £6.31, thats 45% higher!

And that would be assuming that the workers were paid the minimum wage in both countries, and also doesn't take into account the minimum wage set by individual states over and above the federal minimum.

Money-Saving-King

LilElvis wrote: »

And that would be assuming that the workers were paid the minimum wage in both countries, and also doesn't take into account the minimum wage set by individual states over and above the federal minimum.

They are paid the minimum wage, it was widely on the news a few weeks back of fast food workers striking in the states due to low wages.

photome

icarusi wrote: »

Even when 3.7% duty and 20% VAT are included, the US price of a Sony FDR-AX100 4k camcorder at $1800-2000 should be £1350-1500, *not* £1700!!

I've checked other US/UK prices which equate when duty and VAT are included, but not on this.

I don't expect a direct $/£ translation as US web prices don't often include US sales taxes, but not in the above case.

Sony will probably say it's a different 'euro' model with 25fps rather than 30fps, but I suspect Sony deliberately engineer the 'euro' model to justify a higher price. The similar Panasonic GH4 has US/euro 25/30 fps in the same model so poor showing from Sony.

Until Sony has parity on US/UK prices I won't be buying (at least in Europe) on principle!

I would like to see a MSE general enquiry into current Sony (and any other brands) blatant US/UK price rippoffs.

Dont forget abercrombie and fitch and Hollister and Levis etc etc etc etc

I travel to the US each year and almost everything costs less,

Not sure what you are trying to prove though

AFAIK (i havent been or checked) many items in Australia cost more there than in the UK should we price the same as them?

giantmutantbroccoli

McD's are famous for not paying their workers enough. Check this out:
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/07/mcdonalds-cant-figure-out-how-its-workers-survive-on-minimum-wage/277845/

That's the advice McD's provided to their own workforce to help them manage on their minimum wage - they advised them to get a second job!

InsideInsurance

LilElvis wrote: »

True that I was comparing US companies pricing at home v UK. I admit to being lazy as these are ones that I know the pricing in the 2 countries without googling lots of sites. I can't remember any prices for foreign products I bought in the US - apart from the mental amounts I used to pay for Cadburys choc and Heinz beans!

Swiss watches, UK clothing brands (at least higher end male sartorial wear) and I imagine some others are higher in the US than here but then all of these are low volume high price items and so the shipping will be more painful for them -v- those sending hundreds of containers worth a month. Plus their "european" nature may also add a premium to their value - they value the history of british tailoring but we tend to prefer chinese these days

zaax

It's just rip off Britain

I do most of my electrical shopping in Europe they are a lot cheaper and the warranty is valid.
I hire a van to go across the channel and buy a few white goods. Weren't Customs surprised when they stopped me and only found still in there packing cases a huge America fridge; a washing machine; five toasters and two food processors.

LilElvis

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Swiss watches, UK clothing brands (at least higher end male sartorial wear) and I imagine some others are higher in the US than here but then all of these are low volume high price items and so the shipping will be more painful for them -v- those sending hundreds of containers worth a month. Plus their "european" nature may also add a premium to their value - they value the history of british tailoring but we tend to prefer chinese these days

I lived in Silicon Valley where "dressing up" meant wearing a polo shirt and chinos rather than a tee and shorts! I can't remember buying any British or European items whilst I lived there or when I have visited subsequently, otherwise I would have cited them. Not much call for a Burberry mac in California

LilElvis

Money-Saving-King wrote: »

They are paid the minimum wage, it was widely on the news a few weeks back of fast food workers striking in the states due to low wages.

Didn't hear about it - probably whilst I was on holiday in South Africa. Agricultural workers there have just had their minimum wage increased to an enormous R12.5/hour - they can't afford to buy the fruit, vegetables and wine that they spend all day toiling over.

cardinalbiggles

giantmutantbroccoli wrote: »

not to mention the voltage is completely different, so all the components that would be affected by the voltage would have to be specific to the UK.

They all run internally at the same voltage so its really only the power supply thats different, in most cases the power supplies will run from either 120 or 240v.