Poll: Australia Tax Bioshock.

[lunavixen]

ALL games and downloads are more expensive in Australia, this is not new, and it didn't start with bioshock.

Once again, I'm not as emotionally or financially attached to this matter as others, but it still makes absolutely no sense that a company is being immoral by charging a higher price to a market when that market is still willing and able to buy the products.

The problem isn't the initial release price, it's the fact it stays so high for so long, you only have to look at some of the nintendo games out, super paper mario for example, is still (on average) $90AU here, and that game came out years ago! And that is for a physical game, i've not checked the digital price.

It's more often than not cheaper (steam sales exempt) to get a physical copy of a game than to get its digital equivalence, and the season passes are a joke.

 

[llubtoille]

Pretty sure it's the publishers who dictate the prices, or so greenman gaming claimed when they had to bump up the prices for ANZ consumers.
They're free to charge whatever they want, it's up to the consumers / us to decide whether or not to pay the higher price as it's unessential entertainment
Typically I choose to not.

 

[Anthony Corrigan]

BTW, don't forget to calculate GST twice. Retailers pay GST on their stock, then add margin to cover costs and make a small profit, then add GST again. Can't blame the retailers though they make their prices as low as possible with just enough margin to stay in business. Mind you Adobe only pay GST once.

Don't the retailers get a tax refund on the GST once they sell their stock? I know that's how GST works in Canada thus any 'second GST' would be just profit taking by the retailer rather than a real tax.

Not at the time, they need to make it to the EOFY. They don't get a refund either, they get tax credit. Trust me that is not the same as profit when you are struggling to stay afloat.

Sorry thats wrong, the retailer takes the GST they have paid to the supplier OUT of the amount they pay to the ATO, the only bit they pay is the extra on there markup

 

[Nouw]

General rule of thumb I have with buying games online is only when it's on sale. Most of the new games on Steam are priced $90USD for me. Yeah you read that right, USD.

Spoiler: Just look at this shit!

Of course it's not acceptable so what you should do is find alternatives.

Spoiler: You're welcome

The NZ version of the site doesn't have a conversion option but it's pretty much the same deal.

 

[Albino Boo]

Australia has a sales tax and the US price does not.

That would be the sales tax that doesn't apply to 'digital imports' under $1000, yes?

No that would be the general sales tax that applies to most goods and services that are sold in Australia. Its flat rate tax that applies to relevant goods regardless of value. I would suggest that you understand the difference between a sales tax and custom dues which only kick in on imported goods over $1000 before posting in future.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I would suggest that you understand the difference between a sales tax and custom dues which only kick in on imported goods over $1000 before posting in future.

I think you should go read up on the issue before correcting me. *thumbs up*

'Digital imports' over $1000 get the GST added. Because the Australian govt are jerks.

Oh yeah, and the customs due doesn't apply in the same situation either.

The moral of the story being don't digitally import in Australia unless you want the government adding around 15% (tax and dues) to the sticker price.

 

[bug_of_war]

3) Australian national income is much higher than in the US. This is the one I have to concede on. As a student earning minimum wage I make something like $16 an hour - and while we don't accept tips, that's still astronomically higher than US or many other markets. This is a perfectly valid argument, those with more money can pay more for goods.

I really, REALLY hate this way of thinking. Just because I have more than enough to afford something, doesn't mean it's right to charge me more. Especially when a) Our dollar is almost on par with the US and b) We are buying THE EXACT same product! That's like saying that those whom earn $100,000 have to pay 10 dollars for bread because, "They can afford it". Just because my country isn't fucked in the head and forces us to rely on other people's good will and fortune to survive doesn't mean you have the right (morally) to ask for more money. ESPECIALLY when it comes to digital downloads.


This is why I usually prefer to buy from retail than online, recently they've turned out to be the cheaper option (especially stores that sell more than just video games ie: Target, Big W, JB HI FI).