Adobe To Australians: Fly To US For Cheaper Software

angry tapir writes "It's been a long-running joke that it's cheaper for Australians to get a plane ticket to the U.S. if they want to buy Adobe's Creative Suite instead of paying local prices. But appearing before a parliamentary inquiry into the disparity between IT prices in Australia and elsewhere, Adobe's local chief appeared to suggest just that." Other companies gave their responses to the inquiry as well. Microsoft said they'll simply charge what the market will bear. Apple tossed out a host of reasons for the price difference; its retail partners, digital content owners, exchange rates, taxes, import duties, and an apparent inability to alter the price set by its U.S. parent company.

Comments

Regional licensing agreements?

[Looker_Device]

I don't know if this applies to software, but I know that music and movies have been seriously hindered by archaic regional licensing agreements going back to the days when physical media was the only means of distribution. It's why a certain DVD may be available in a certain region at price x, while completely unavailable or at a different price in region y (with a different distributor or even with a completely different edition of the movie/song). This old system has become a HUGE annoyance in the modern streaming era, particularly if you're trying to watch Netflix outside the U.S. (since those movie licensing agreements are still such a goddamned mess, even in an era when streaming crosses every old national and regional border). It's also why I have to import my blu-ray of "More American Graffiti" from the UK instead of being able to buy it here in the U.S.

This may also explain why these weird prices apply specifically to the standard physical boxed sets of Adobe products, and not the newer cloud versions or student editions (as per the article). It may also explain why Adobe is so reticent to talk about it. If they have some long-standing regional licensing/distribution agreement in Australia, they may be reluctant to bad-mouth their local licensees/distributors (who have jacked up the retail prices for whatever reasons).

Re:Regional licensing agreements?

[L4t3r4lu5]

All versions of products from all regions, often stripped of any artificial lock-down, are available on a host of file sharing networks.

Saying that, I'm pretty certain that stating "Buy from the US" can be viewed as a blessing on the Grey Import business. Thanks, Adobe!

Re:Regional licensing agreements?

[ozmanjusri]

I'm pretty certain that stating "Buy from the US" can be viewed as a blessing on the Grey Import business.

Actually no. Adobe's Paul Robson made that clear. "If you purchase your Adobe product in the US, we’re not obligated to provide you a warranty. We want you to buy from us."

This is not new to us, it's been going on for years. The gougers have variously blamed retailers, market size, freight costs, warranty differences, rents, taxes, wages, penalty rates and importation and transport costs for their extortionate prices. None of it comes close to explaining their huge markups.

There are no valid excuses.

They're overcharging because they can. Because they're being allowed to use geo-blocking to stop Australians from buying from their websites. Because local retail channels are heavily controlled to block competition. Because their customers are no longer being given the options of competing products.

The market has clearly failed to self-regulate and as a result, deserves government intervention.

Re:Regional licensing agreements?

[green1]

I have no problem with you charging $50 for that loaf of bread. I do however have a problem if you get laws passed that stop me from going to your store in the next town to buy the same loaf of bread for $1.
And that's what this boils down to. Large multi-national companies get the best of both worlds. they shop around for the cheapest source of parts, labour, and raw materials from any country in the world. meanwhile they lobby for laws and restrictions that prevent their customers from doing the same. (DVD Region coding combined with DMCA style laws, import tariffs, bogus safety laws that are really industry protectionism in disguise, etc)

If you want to make your device in China instead of locally to save on money, don't get upset with me when I buy it from the USA instead of locally for the same reason.

Re:enjoy your socialist wonderland, suckers

[Looker_Device]

If my knowledge of Australia is any indication, they're not socialist. They're either a vast wasteland where people in dune buggies fight over gasoline, or the place where young Einstein learned to party. One of those. Either way, I know they all carry VERY large knives.

No warranty? Not an issue

[kimvette]

FTFA: "Adobe’s US software can be used in Australia but not covered by warranty, he said."

Really? Since when do they have a real warranty on software anyhow?

Bit** please

[dafradu]

Australia Adobe store - Creative Suite 6 Master Collection - US$ 4,530.00
Brazil Adobe store - Creative Suite 6 Master Collection - US$ 5,055.00

Brazil, where a car made here is sold for R$ 56.210, and the same car, but with more optionals, is exported to Mexico (over 7000 Km away) and is sold there for R$ 25.800. Take that Australia!

Re:You dirty rotten criminal!

[Looker_Device]

Fortunately, this particularly blu-ray was region 0, so there was no need for me to become an evil criminal to view it. I have, however, ripped many a tag off a mattress and jaywalked more than once in my life. So I do have a bad-boy side.

Re:time to go Free/Open Source

[Overzeetop]

Actually, I've heard that nearly all open source sells in Australia for double what I pay for it in the US. It's everywhere, it tell you.