Australia Tax: the price of international routing
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Moving things across an ocean isn’t easy, and the price of goods in Australia generally reflects that.
Believe it or not, the businesses hardest hit by these costs are actually those valiantly trying to direct internet traffic through the hellish toll gates of the Australian network. Not that any such fees exist, of course, but that hasn’t stopped them from adding a hefty bonus to anyone that dares to purchase their software here anyway.
One of the most notable examples of this was when the most reasonable of the two options
- Buy Creative Suite online
- Book a flight across the Pacfic, buy Creative Suite in the USA and maybe spend a few more hundred dollars while you’re at it, then come back home
was not, in fact, the cheapest.
This sort of thing happens all the time, but it’s not usually so egregious.
Which brings us here today. Below is a screenshot of a Steam store page in the USA (courtesy blakey):
Here’s the same page routed through Australian internet:
Meanwhile the mid-market rates at time of writing are 1 USD = 1.29 AUD and 1 AUD = 0.77 USD, so if it weren’t for the dreaded international routing fees, that standard edition would only need to be a bit over $77. Unfortunately, the tariffs on internet traffic necessitate a 15%–30% surcharge. (but at least you’d save 4 cents afterwards!)
Note I’m expecting an Australia Tax looking at any prices like these, but this still took me aback. Poking around SteamDB, the typical price hike seems to be around 10%.
I wonder if I can bankrupt these companies by just hard-refreshing their storefronts over and over.
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I know differential pricing means that things are more expensive in western Europe than in, say, India. But I didn't think the average Australian was significantly richer than the average Washingtonian.
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@kazitor said in Australia Tax: the price of international routing:
I wonder if I can bankrupt these companies by just hard-refreshing their storefronts over and over.
I tried. Did not work.
[realistic]
Steam regional prices confirms Australia is #1 cash-cow.besides: They show Steam has multiple tiers of prices for European countries, which (I assume) is against the law.
[edit]
Does Steam's dashboard/tool displays expected product or monetary value? Maybe some feedback-loop between such tool, selling gamedevelopers, and buying customers, created these big differences.
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@kazitor Do the Australian prices include GST like VAT, or is it levied afterwards? If it’s included, add another 10% to those converted prices to make a fair comparison.
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In America, we have a concept of Medical Tourism: if you need a serious medical procedure, there's a good chance it's cheaper to take an overseas vacation and use the local healthcare.
(Of course with COVID it's harder to travel now.)
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@error
this exist here as well and not only to eastern-Europe, Turkey or Spain but certain procedures are cheaper or with a shorting waiting period in Belgium then the Netherlands so we have Dutch people coming over to our fine health institutions
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@Luhmann said in Australia Tax: the price of international routing:
we have Dutch people coming over to our fine health institutions
There's a good reason to visit B*****m??????
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@HardwareGeek said in Australia Tax: the price of international routing:
There's a good reason to visit B*****m
Beer.
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@loopback0 also it's not Australia.
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@Gribnit
Absolutely no wildlife is trying to kill you
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@Luhmann said in Australia Tax: the price of international routing:
@Gribnit
Absolutely no wildlife is trying to kill youHow unfortunate
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@loopback0
Belgium bitch!
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@Luhmann said in Australia Tax: the price of international routing:
@loopback0
Belgium bitch!LANGUAGE. The next time, you will die where you stand.
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@Gribnit said in Australia Tax: the price of international routing:
die where you stand.
Soo ... in Belgium?
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@Luhmann yup. Next time you die, you'll be standing somewhere in there.
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@Gribnit said in Australia Tax: the price of international routing:
@Luhmann yup. Next time you die, you'll be standing somewhere in there.
Unlike the last time he died.
Don't Believe The Adobe Price Cut Hype, It's Still Gouging You Silly
