Comments on: How much does a macbook really cost ? http://www.void.gr/kargig/blog/2008/06/05/how-much-does-a-macbook-really-cost/ Into The Void Sun, 25 Jul 2010 17:35:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: graffic http://www.void.gr/kargig/blog/2008/06/05/how-much-does-a-macbook-really-cost/comment-page-1/#comment-164702 graffic Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:08:03 +0000 http://www.void.gr/kargig/blog/?p=314#comment-164702 Is mainly because apple doesn't care about customers. If you analize carefuly, you'll see that even in gas for the transportation, the price is inferior (Macs come from china). Apple never took care about dolar - euro conversion. And now they're paying the price when europeans go to USA and buy iphones and ipods as candies. It's true that in USA the most you'll pay in taxes will be 9% over the price you see in the webpage. But even if you do that, the difference in price is big... and more big if you go to more expensive products. (Do not try to compare a mac pro or you'll cry loud). So when you buy a Mac, you have to suffer that "supperiority" behavior that apple has. For example, when apple introduced Leopard, it broke Photoshop... well, I believe that a huge amount of mac users are graphic designers and use photoshop. Well, almost one year later... they haven't fixed anything. They just don't care. (or don't care much) Is mainly because apple doesn’t care about customers.

If you analize carefuly, you’ll see that even in gas for the transportation, the price is inferior (Macs come from china).

Apple never took care about dolar – euro conversion. And now they’re paying the price when europeans go to USA and buy iphones and ipods as candies.

It’s true that in USA the most you’ll pay in taxes will be 9% over the price you see in the webpage. But even if you do that, the difference in price is big… and more big if you go to more expensive products. (Do not try to compare a mac pro or you’ll cry loud).

So when you buy a Mac, you have to suffer that “supperiority” behavior that apple has. For example, when apple introduced Leopard, it broke Photoshop… well, I believe that a huge amount of mac users are graphic designers and use photoshop. Well, almost one year later… they haven’t fixed anything. They just don’t care. (or don’t care much)

]]> By: site admin http://www.void.gr/kargig/blog/2008/06/05/how-much-does-a-macbook-really-cost/comment-page-1/#comment-164682 site admin Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:42:36 +0000 http://www.void.gr/kargig/blog/?p=314#comment-164682 OK, at least I am not the only one not liking it...that's encouraging... OK, at least I am not the only one not liking it…that’s encouraging…

]]> By: betabug http://www.void.gr/kargig/blog/2008/06/05/how-much-does-a-macbook-really-cost/comment-page-1/#comment-164622 betabug Fri, 06 Jun 2008 07:00:03 +0000 http://www.void.gr/kargig/blog/?p=314#comment-164622 When wewantapplegreece.com started out, I thought it a Good Thing and was in favour of it. After some while though it has just turned into yet another Mac news site, with the main interest being selling ads. It's just not acceptable to run something like a "We Want Apple Greece" campaign with ads. As for the topic: The price difference is indeed due to the importer not being really Apple itself, but a third party. According to an Apple PR person I spoke to some years ago, prices in Europe are derived from - starting price in $ - official conversion rate to Euro (which right now is probably totally out of whack with bank exchange rates) - a (claimed to be small) increase in price to pay for translation, localization etc. - VAT depending on country Since most EU countries have almost the same VAT rate now (around 18-20%), this explains the similar prices you see. Maybe the UK has a special deal. Switzerland (which by Apple is handled similar to EU countries) has much less VAT (7.6% IIRC) and thus has lower end prices. I think Apple is just putting the exchange difference which is currently in their favour in their own pockets. Since they sell good right now with these prices, they don't see a reason to lower prices. As for Rainbow: They probably don't think at all about that old price/demand thing. When wewantapplegreece.com started out, I thought it a Good Thing and was in favour of it. After some while though it has just turned into yet another Mac news site, with the main interest being selling ads. It’s just not acceptable to run something like a “We Want Apple Greece” campaign with ads.

As for the topic: The price difference is indeed due to the importer not being really Apple itself, but a third party.

According to an Apple PR person I spoke to some years ago, prices in Europe are derived from

- starting price in $
- official conversion rate to Euro (which right now is probably totally out of whack with bank exchange rates)
- a (claimed to be small) increase in price to pay for translation, localization etc.
- VAT depending on country

Since most EU countries have almost the same VAT rate now (around 18-20%), this explains the similar prices you see. Maybe the UK has a special deal. Switzerland (which by Apple is handled similar to EU countries) has much less VAT (7.6% IIRC) and thus has lower end prices.

I think Apple is just putting the exchange difference which is currently in their favour in their own pockets. Since they sell good right now with these prices, they don’t see a reason to lower prices. As for Rainbow: They probably don’t think at all about that old price/demand thing.

]]> By: site admin http://www.void.gr/kargig/blog/2008/06/05/how-much-does-a-macbook-really-cost/comment-page-1/#comment-164549 site admin Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:46:39 +0000 http://www.void.gr/kargig/blog/?p=314#comment-164549 I always thought that http://wewantapplegreece.com/ was against Rainbow's (Apple's main distributor in Greece) tactics, but when I go to their site I see a Rainbow ad banner. Am I the only one who finds that a bit weird ? If you take a look at the Questions section it's almost clear, at least to me, that they are bashing Applestore.gr, which is of course managed by Rainbow. I am pretty confused about this :S I always thought that http://wewantapplegreece.com/ was against Rainbow’s (Apple’s main distributor in Greece) tactics, but when I go to their site I see a Rainbow ad banner. Am I the only one who finds that a bit weird ? If you take a look at the Questions section it’s almost clear, at least to me, that they are bashing Applestore.gr, which is of course managed by Rainbow.

I am pretty confused about this :S

]]> By: Διαλεκτή http://www.void.gr/kargig/blog/2008/06/05/how-much-does-a-macbook-really-cost/comment-page-1/#comment-164457 Διαλεκτή Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:43:06 +0000 http://www.void.gr/kargig/blog/?p=314#comment-164457 The sad thing being even the 'applestore' we have in Greece, is not actually an apple store, but a _hack_, but http://wewantapplegreece.com/ has this covered, too. The "market" price for the macbook you're describing in Greece right now is 1.254E by the way. Check http://www.skroutz.gr/c/25/laptop.html?keyphrase=macbook+2.4 The sad thing being even the ‘applestore’ we have in Greece, is not actually an apple store, but a _hack_, but http://wewantapplegreece.com/ has this covered, too.

The “market” price for the macbook you’re describing in Greece right now is 1.254E by the way. Check http://www.skroutz.gr/c/25/laptop.html?keyphrase=macbook+2.4

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