Software Price Gap Between the US and Europe

Kensai7 writes "A quick comparison between same versions of mainstream software sold in the USA and the EU markets show a big difference in the respective price tags. If you want to buy online, let's say, Adobe's Dreamweaver CS3, you'll have to pay $399 if you live in the States, but a whopping E570 (almost $900 in current exchange rates!) if you happen to buy it in Germany. Same story for Microsoft's newest products: Expression Web 2 in America costs only $299 new, but try that in Italy and they will probably ask you no less than E366 ($576!). How can such an abyssal difference be explained? I understand there are some added costs for the localized translated versions, but I also thought the Euro was supposed to be outbuying the dollar. Where's the catch?"

Comments

taxes

[Tom]

One thing often forgotten (which doesn't explain the examples, but many others) is that in Europe, prices are always (AFAIK) given with taxes, while in the US they are (AFAIK) without. Since sales tax in Germany is 19%, that explains quite a bit of difference already.

Some of the reasons

[joemod]

1) As far as I know European countries use VAT. US does not 2) Increased cost for operation 3) Regulation of EU which forces products to be sold on same price across EU 4) High profit margin + monopoly

Re:sheesh

[xtracto]

then don't buy it. if the price is too high, then they have priced it out of your range. deal with it.

And deal with it is what people do at the PirateBay. :)

Sorry if that deflates the slashdot readers attempts to justify theft though

Sorry to burst your righteous bubble but I really need to shed your ignorance. What SOME people do AFTER VISITING the PirateBay is copyright infringement which is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from theft.

Everytime someone confuses (willingly) Copyright Infringement with Thief I chuckle, it is like saying that your sister was stolen when she got Anal Raped by the "theft"... yeah, he stole her decency or whatnot.