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Why are UK players being fleeced?

markyturnipmarkyturnip Member UncommonPosts: 837
in Guild Wars 2

Just moved from the US to the UK, decided to buy this, and was surprised to see quite how much more NCSoft was charging for prepurchase over here than in the rest of the world. 

GBP50 vs $60 is a massive mark-up. Is it all taxes, or is there an attitude here that UK gamers will pay more for the same thing, so they are fools who deserve to be fleeced?

 

 

Comments

  • MikeJezZMikeJezZ Member UncommonPosts: 1,268
    Originally posted by markyturnip

    Just moved from the US to the UK, decided to buy this, and was surprised to see quite how much more NCSoft was charging for prepurchase over here than in the rest of the world. 

    GBP50 vs $60 is a massive mark-up. Is it all taxes, or is there an attitude here that UK gamers will pay more for the same thing, so they are fools who deserve to be fleeced?

     

     

    Welcome to EU. This is not only the UK.

  • SquishydewSquishydew Member UncommonPosts: 1,107

    The entire EU gets ripped off in gaming on a daily basis.

    Welcome.

  • GorillaGorilla Member UncommonPosts: 2,235
    A bit of both. Usually games are actually cheaper here. You'll be able to get a non per purchase for under 35 quid.
  • RaekonRaekon Member UncommonPosts: 532
    Originally posted by markyturnip

    Just moved from the US to the UK, decided to buy this, and was surprised to see quite how much more NCSoft was charging for prepurchase over here than in the rest of the world. 

    GBP50 vs $60 is a massive mark-up. Is it all taxes, or is there an attitude here that UK gamers will pay more for the same thing, so they are fools who deserve to be fleeced?

     

     

    In Germany the prepurchase edition were going for the same then the preorder and standard edition which was 49€

    After the prepurchase versions however were sold out by most of them, some raised the price on their own to make more money out of it so there were prepurchasing prices up to around 70-80€ (Ridicoulos) so I'm not sure if its the same thing that happened to you.

    However, these prices are not coming from NCSoft itself but rather from the retailer you bought or went to buy from.

    Except if you mean the UK price on the ANet site which would mean that you went for the digital deluxe version, which costs more because of the additional in game stuff you are getting from it.

  • ScalplessScalpless Member UncommonPosts: 1,426
    ANet said the price of the EU versions includes VAT, so it's more expensive. It's the same reason why gems are more expensive in EU.
  • FusionFusion Member UncommonPosts: 1,398
    Originally posted by Agoden

    The entire EU gets ripped off in gaming on a daily basis.

    Welcome.

    This.

    Pretty much everything in comparison to $ prices, we pay more and 1$ = 1€ conversions have been since forever

    Our monthly fees are also more expensive.

    http://neocron-game.com/ - now totally F2P no cash-shops or micro transactions at all.
  • TheDarkrayneTheDarkrayne Member EpicPosts: 5,297

    It's taxes, just about everything in the UK has taxes already on it.

    If you take away the VAT amount (20%) you'll find the actual product(s) are usually cheaper than in the US, or at least about the same.

    Really it's £40 vs $60. £40 converted using XE is $63 at the moment

    I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
  • MangaMaidenMangaMaiden Member Posts: 180

    The VAT is going through the roof at the moment in the UK!

    Best bet is to look for any sales or deals to get it cheaper or to get more for your money. :X

    image

  • ApolyonBSApolyonBS Member UncommonPosts: 23
    You are actually lucky from being in the UK... try to a buy a new game in Spain (or music, or movies, or books...). It is not just the taxes, it is about the people who want to make profit from not working, like copyright agencies, distributors with ridiculous profit margins, publishers with co-payment methods... this list could go on forever...
  • tom_goretom_gore Member UncommonPosts: 2,001

    In EU there is VAT on top of the product price. For example here in Finland the VAT is 23%, so in fact 1 USD VAT0% is pretty close to 1 EUR VAT23%.

    We Europeans like to be taxed so we can give money to lazy bums and immigrants by the truckload.

     

  • NaqajNaqaj Member UncommonPosts: 1,673
    UK pays about 20% more, which is pretty much exactly the VAT. Other European countries may have slightly different rates, but since the European office of NCSoft is based in the UK, those rates apply for all digital purchases directly from them.
  • TardcoreTardcore Member Posts: 2,325
    Originally posted by markyturnip

    Just moved from the US to the UK, decided to buy this, and was surprised to see quite how much more NCSoft was charging for prepurchase over here than in the rest of the world. 

    GBP50 vs $60 is a massive mark-up. Is it all taxes, or is there an attitude here that UK gamers will pay more for the same thing, so they are fools who deserve to be fleeced?

     

     

    Fleeced? Well possibly becuse some in the UK shag sheep. . .

    Kidding!

    Welcome to the wonderful world of Value Added Tax my friend.

    Don't like it? Talk to this guy.

    image

    "Gypsies, tramps, and thieves, we were called by the Admin of the site . . . "

  • Dark_HUmarDark_HUmar Member UncommonPosts: 200
    Originally posted by Gorilla
    A bit of both. Usually games are actually cheaper here. You'll be able to get a non per purchase for under 35 quid.

    LOL? When I was living in the States games where like twice as cheap as over here!

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