Australia & EU Region Subscription Costs

[HumsterMKX]

I don't really understand why can't all be flat USD... Need 3 different currencies

[oleum]

Cant you buy a game time card in your local currency. Or from either US or UK game store?

[ToraFomalhaut]

Cant you buy a game time card in your local currency. Or from either US or UK game store?

Buying in Australia, a 60-day card is AU$39.95, so it's roughly the same as the current EUR rate. (Technically a teensy bit more expensive.)

Thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention. It's a MASSIVE issue.

I hope you don't mind, I cross-posted this onto the Reddit FFXIV subforum (with credit to your username). Let me know if you want to take it down, but I thought it was important that the issue get as much exposure as possible!

I'm more than happy for you to spread the word

[khovel]

Buying in Australia, a 60-day card is AU$39.95, so it's roughly the same as the current EUR rate. (Technically a teensy bit more expensive.)



I'm more than happy for you to spread the word

they make game cards for SE services? huh... learned something new.

[LeroyStromborn]

Can't agree with u anymore. Force people to pay with a more expensive currency is ridiculous.

[Stargazer1]

The prices you pay are in line with the current exchange rate. The AUD to Euro conversion or British pound has never been good. Its the same when you travel overseas. Just be thankful were not paying in Yen.

[ToraFomalhaut]

The prices you pay are in line with the current exchange rate. The AUD to Euro conversion or British pound has never been good. Its the same when you travel overseas. Just be thankful were not paying in Yen.

I just don't quite understand the logic behind forcing players to use the most expensive currency (EUR) to convert to, when there are other currencies (GBP, USD) available to players that don't cost nearly as much. I mean I'll admit I'm no student of economics so maybe I'm missing something here? As long as SE is receiving one of their set subscription costs, why is there any need to lock players without a native currency subscription to choose from into using the one that costs more to convert to?

[djrdo]

I don't really understand why can't all be flat USD... Need 3 different currencies

umm if you knew about politics you would know that the american dollor is tanking and proberly going to lose world currency status soon too..
so just useing the USD could just tank the company ...

[KisaiTenshi]

I don't really understand why can't all be flat USD... Need 3 different currencies

Because of exchange rates. I'll give you an example from another game I played (in which I played as CADUSD crossed parity twice) At one point it was cheaper for me to buy the game cards at the 7-11, up until CAD got to 90 cents USD, then it became cheaper to pay with paypal and take the hit there as the cost for the game time in USD was cheaper. When CADUSD got above 1.10, yes it was a lot cheaper and then they repriced the cards.

Aussies are SOL, because of VAT (and I think the higher EU price is also a EU VAT as well) US and JP prices do not have VAT. Australian prices must include VAT as the advertised price, which is something they can't do if it's a foreign currency subject to fluctuations.

http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs...how_vat_works/

VAT on services is paid at the place where the service has been supplied. This will most often, but not always, be where the service supplier is established. The trader will in those cases account for VAT on his services in the Member State where he is established, applying the VAT rate of that country.

Great example here:
http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs...m/index_en.htm

3. Business or consumer outside the EU
No EU VAT charged.
But if the service is effectively used & enjoyed in an EU country, that country
can decide to levy VAT.