Why does Adobe charge more for its software in AU/NZ?

Forums › Desktop computing › Why does Adobe charge more for its software in AU/NZ?

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jonb

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#764133 18-Feb-2013 12:59

Davy: I think that this is indeed one of those areas where the government should pull finger. It's not about compelling companies to adopt different pricing strategies - it's more about ensuring free trade so that you can purchase products legitimately from US or elsewhere. This freedom should be explicitly encouraged in the TPPA negotiations, so keep an eye out for what our politicians are doing, and don't let them get away with laziness.

That would be nice. Except that one of the aims of the TPPA is to specifically make Parallel Importing illegal. https://www.eff.org/issues/tpp

BlueShift

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#764164 18-Feb-2013 14:04

Talkiet:
Think for a moment about the logical endgame of what you think is a great idea... Everything has a single, global price.

That's great for you and me, and the US - but there are places in the world where the economies simply don't support incomes that could pay a global average, so most people living there wouldn't have a chance at buying software.

Now, if you agree that there are some places in the world that should have cheaper software because of local conditions, then surely you'd have to agree that people from richer countries shouldn't be able to buy that specially discounted software - if they did that then the local sellers wouldn't make any money because everyone wanted to pay 80% off from a 3rd world country.

SO I assert that there are good and rational reasons for different pricing around the world - and if there was a law requiring easy and unfettered purchases from other areas, you'll ultimately end up with a huge number of people more disadvantaged than you are by not having the cheapest software pricing in the world.

Cheers - N

So this explains why 3rd world countries like the USA pay half as much for Adobe software as NZ & Australia?

Talkiet

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#764190 18-Feb-2013 14:43

BlueShift:
Talkiet:
Think for a moment about the logical endgame of what you think is a great idea... Everything has a single, global price.

That's great for you and me, and the US - but there are places in the world where the economies simply don't support incomes that could pay a global average, so most people living there wouldn't have a chance at buying software.

Now, if you agree that there are some places in the world that should have cheaper software because of local conditions, then surely you'd have to agree that people from richer countries shouldn't be able to buy that specially discounted software - if they did that then the local sellers wouldn't make any money because everyone wanted to pay 80% off from a 3rd world country.

SO I assert that there are good and rational reasons for different pricing around the world - and if there was a law requiring easy and unfettered purchases from other areas, you'll ultimately end up with a huge number of people more disadvantaged than you are by not having the cheapest software pricing in the world.

Cheers - N

So this explains why 3rd world countries like the USA pay half as much for Adobe software as NZ & Australia?

No it doesn't of course and it's disingenuous to suggest that's what I was saying. I was pointing out that there are different factors. One could be the presence of a local supply (or support) chain with different cost structures and much worse economies of scale. For some products (I don't know if Adobe is one of them) the NZ arm is just a local supplier buying off the Australian distributors, so there may be more markup there.

There are a lot of factors at play, but wanting the government to intervene and tell a local supplier or distributor that they have to match an overseas price is stupid.

I personally don't like it either - to the extent that the last Adobe Software I bought (Lightroom) I bought from the US to save about 50% - and I had to use The NZpost youshop service to give me a US address to accomplish that. I only did that after trying to engage the local sales channel and ask if they could match the US price and they confirmed they couldn't.

So I disagree with what they are doing, but I disagree even more strongly that government regulation is the way to solve it. If you don't like it - you have options, all the way from piracy, to buying overseas through creative means, to sending a message and using an alternate software package.

Running to government cos Photoshop costs too much in NZ? Wayyyy, Wayyyyyyyyyyyyy down there on the good ideas list.

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

NZtechfreak

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#764196 18-Feb-2013 14:46

Davy: I think that this is indeed one of those areas where the government should pull finger. It's not about compelling companies to adopt different pricing strategies - it's more about ensuring free trade so that you can purchase products legitimately from US or elsewhere. This freedom should be explicitly encouraged in the TPPA negotiations, so keep an eye out for what our politicians are doing, and don't let them get away with laziness.

That's very odd, you seem to be under the impression that the TPPA is being negotiated for our benefit?!

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Davy

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#765237 18-Feb-2013 16:10

Well ya know it originally was, and the intent was to free up trade.
Allowing the US into TPPA at has introduced some huge negatives and precious little upside, and when I refer to lazy politicians I mean those who would happily enjoy whatever the US corporates bring to the table rather than thinking strategically about our interests and standing up for them. This will be the test of whether Key in particular has what it takes to be a real PM.

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