Heavensward CE preorders not being released in AUS???

[KirakunAUS]

This. Do they get commission on pre-orders? The guy at my EB made it a point that I should put money down now if I didn't want to miss out on CE if it became available...

Perhaps you should give them a call

[FateDriven]

So the physical CE in North America is what? $130USD? Then they have to pay $40USD for shipping, or is that just Cananda? Let's say that's around $170USD. Our dollar is quite weak at the moment so that amounts to $220AUD. Let's say I'm going to import it via Australia Post's new platform, I'd still have to pay to ship it to their Oregon office then they'd probably charge me around $50-60AUD to get it into Australia (using the latest Kingdom Hearts HD Remaster CE as benchmark).

Australia is in the middle of nowhere, logistics are expensive, our dollar is weak, our government has some crazy import taxes and costs, and of course GST. At this point it doesn't seem too unreasonable, especially when supplied in limited quantities for whatever reason.

They'll be importing from UK or EU though since US CD keys don't work with EU accounts.

[CarmenSandiego]

The physical CE will be available for preorder in extremely limited quantities 30th of March 12pm gmt+9 for $299 from EB games.

[littlelala9876]

it doesn't seem too unreasonable

A typical weaboo argument defending Square Enix products to the last, even though this is so mega obviously overpriced; price gouging at its finest. This argument assumes that SE is buying its own product at retail price in the US(lol), with all the associated taxes of the region you refer of..... and then exporting to Australia.... which of course isn't the case. This also assumes that the product would be exported to the US first (what?) and then to Australia. The reasonable explanation would be that SE, like for any other market, would ship from the production country (likely Japan or China) to the market they are selling from; not this whole 'export from (source country) to australia via finland just cos' argument. So really, total shipping should not be very different for Australia as it is for the US.

[littlelala9876]

Secondly you mention CRAZY INSANE MEGA IMPORT TAXES. This doesnt sit. Gaming isnt a protected industry in Australia, so import charges are minimal, and as SE is the distributor, they wouldn't be effected by parallel import laws either.

So really, people are pretty spot on to just convert via exchange rate, because the differences in import regulations, tax, and the shipping conditions from Japan/China/Source country - to the US and AUS are well, minimal. Converting the US retail price directly like this also keeps SE's margin in AUS pretty much identical to what they achieve in the US. if anything we could add on 10% afterwards to account for GST, but sadly that still doesnt justify the $300 like you claim it does.

So a new calculation: 130 USD = 167 AUD(with an awful exchange rate too). $33 tacked on seems like a reasonable adjustment for GST and slightly higher shipping/ other random jazz. So i guess its right that SE is gouging Australian consumers by ~$100 this time around!

[mbncd]

[Snip] This also assumes that the product would be exported to the US first (what?) and then to Australia. The reasonable explanation would be that SE, like for any other market, would ship from the production country (likely Japan or China) to the market they are selling from; not this whole 'export from (source country) to australia via finland just cos' argument. So really, total shipping should not be very different for Australia as it is for the US.

This is what I was thinking too. It is possible that the EU boxes are being made by their London head office locally but I wouldn't be surprised at all if they were made in Japan or China. We're very close to Asia (Australasia ring a bell, anyone?) so it shouldn't cost much to get here at all.

However, I do believe the stores are probably similarly responsible for the price gouging, that it isn't just SE that wants an immense profit from our tiny country (population wise) that can't really stand up for ourselves. The best we can do is simply not buy locally, and that only reinforces the farce that there aren't enough fans here to support an AU/NZ market share at all.

[SarcasmMisser]

So the physical CE in North America is what? $130USD? Then they have to pay $40USD for shipping, or is that just Cananda? Let's say that's around $170USD. Our dollar is quite weak at the moment so that amounts to $220AUD. Let's say I'm going to import it via Australia Post's new platform, I'd still have to pay to ship it to their Oregon office then they'd probably charge me around $50-60AUD to get it into Australia (using the latest Kingdom Hearts HD Remaster CE as benchmark).

Australia is in the middle of nowhere, logistics are expensive, our dollar is weak, our government has some crazy import taxes and costs, and of course GST. At this point it doesn't seem too unreasonable, especially when supplied in limited quantities for whatever reason.

Yeah every word of this post is made up nonsense.

[Catapult]

Having followed the issue with a certain level of experience in Australian Economic, I do have to say that the "Australia Levy" is simply the principle of supply and demand at work. Retailers will charge what they feel the market will tolerate. Free Market economies 101.

And since I'm a sucker, I'm going to tolerate the $299 price.
See? It works out. Le sigh...

[PetiteMalFleur]

Not to argue the cost is inflated, but shouldn't the conversion be made from the EU edition? Isn't that the edition Oceanic players use?

[littlelala9876]

Not to argue the cost is inflated, but shouldn't the conversion be made from the EU edition? Isn't that the edition Oceanic players use?

Well... if production of all versions are done by the same people( im still guessing in japan/china), it would just make more sense to convert the US price considering the similarity in geograpgic proximity. I doubt european v na versions would effect pricing