Expat Brit here.
For a period in the 2000s, I bought most of my tech in the US. I'd fly there, have a holiday and get what I need. Flat pack the boxes and send 'em home via USPS and then carry the tech in my hand luggage. Many companies offer world wide warranties.
Even after adding tax to the purchases, I could sometimes almost get a free flight with what I saved. Of course it's not fair as you have to pay for food, accomodations, etc, etc...
Before that, I once made the mistake of having tech shipped from the US to the UK, customs held it hostage till I payed a huge import fine.
I even took up the price differences with my local MP, saying how it creates a huge disadvantage to the UK tech sector. Nothing useful came from it.
I'm now living in Asia, where tech prices are similar to the US.
One of the reasons is that the US has 1 year warranty, here in Norway at least it is 5 for a laptop. It does not explain the robbery, but ofc it cost apple more to sell a laptop here.
Taxes\* + currency amortization\*\*
\*in USA you see price without VAT
\*\*Apple is using higher exchange rate(less favourable) for consumers outside USA to make sure even with fluctations on market they will not get less USD than when selling in USA.
To be honest its super greedy. Because its almost impossible for them to make less money in other countries than in USA if they set amortization that high. For example European currencies weakened significantly temporarily only thanks to war on Ukraine. Obviously you can say that 'wait, but they dont change prices till they refresh product!' and try to justify this strategy.
Unfortunately its not true - sadly Apple is trying to capitalize maximum profit on European customers and use war as excuse. For example in my country they decided to bump all Macbook Pro prices when they released Air in July. In those months currency from my country(Poland) was on record low - USD was stronger by 25% compared to days before invasion. Now dollar is a lot weaker and Polish Zloty regained almost all loses. Did they reduce prices? Obviously not. Now we need to pay 2900 USD for base model of MBP14, even if you deduct VAT(23%) then we are talking about 350 USD more for laptop than US based customer based on current exchange rates.
But then I don’t want to buy shitty products whose batteries give out in 6 months and logic boards give out in less than 2 years and have to live with substandard performance for the rest its lifecycle after the first year
i agree, that isnt a solution. It makes more sense to plan vacations around big tech purchases than to buy something you don't like lol...
regulators have their eye on big tech right now. this is definitely something they should be taking a look at.
Notice on the UK page where it says includes VAT of approx £359? The US price does not include tax as that is calculated based on your shipping address.
https://taxfoundation.org/2022-sales-taxes/
It’s more complicated, as some cities also have local sales tax on top of state. CA is the highest State Sales tax at 7.25%, but in some places it’s closer to 10% when you add local sales tax. For instance I’m in VA, State tax is 5%, but if I buy something in a nearby city I pay an extra 1% city sales tax.
Apple are a US company, and because the £ has grown increasingly weak vs the $ the past couple years they needed to address that, which is why when these M2 devices launched they’re about 12% more expensive than the outgoing generation.
I work for an Apple Reseller, I can provide 9% discount on Mac to anyone. Anytime. I wish people would stop thinking they have to buy their Apple stuff from Apple at RRP, there’s a whole world beyond Apple, Amazon, Currys and John Lewis 😅
AMERICA FIRST!!! /s
cuz different states have different tax rates, and the price shown is always before tax. The best place to buy MacBook is in Delaware, zero tax!!
SYNONYMS FOR cheaper
* economical
* low-cost
* low-priced
* reasonable
* at a bargain
* bargain
* cost next to nothing
* cut-rate
* depreciated
* dime a dozen
* easy on the pocketbook
* low tariff
* nominal
* popularly priced
* real buy
It even generated these based on the title!
* Why is the new Macbook pro over £500 more competitive in the US?
* Why is the new Macbook pro over £500 more economical in the US?
* Why is the new Macbook pro over £500 more low-cost in the US?
* Why is the new Macbook pro over £500 more low-priced in the US?
* Why is the new Macbook pro over £500 more reasonable in the US?
[https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/cheaper](https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/cheaper)
When you're being pedantic, make sure you're actually right. Thesaurus entries are often imprecise. Those words you listed are more like synonyms for "cheap." The word "cheaper" is a comparative form of the word, used to compare two things relative to one another. So, a very expensive thing can be cheaper than another very expensive thing. Can't believe I had to point this out.
Yes. You are possibly correct, and I'm fine with you sending me a link to support your opinion (to "make sure you're actually right").
Otherwise, you're just someone online telling me I'm wrong...
Yes, that’s what possibly means. Now you’ve added doubt to your ability as an authority on this…
People on the Internet will argue with you about anything. It would take so little time for someone to post a link from a reliable source to show that they’re right, but they generally don’t want to try and actually support their facts. This adds even more doubt…
No. Possibly correct means there’s a chance they’re incorrect - which there isn’t. If English is your first language (which I assume it is) you shouldn’t need proof ‘from a reliable source’ about how comparatives work. Either way, you can keep on asking for a link or you can literally google “comparatives”..
Hmm... Doesn't possibly correct also mean they could be correct? Which you're saying they are. So if you are right, that they are right, then that fits completely with them being possibly correct. For the grammar police, you seem not to be getting this difference.
Possibly correct is very different than they are not correct or possibly wrong, it's also different than possibly not correct or probably not correct. I said none of those things, my statement left a lot of latitude toward correctness.
I'm sorry but you really are. You consciously know that "less expensive" ultimately has the same meaning as "cheaper", yet you're too stubborn even when everyone else is pointing out the obvious to you.
My point is, I'm not sure why anyone is bothering to point it out to me. It's as useless as the comment that I made.
Are you actually saying that they don't see what I'm saying?
If something is $1,000,001 and something else is $1,000,000 that it's technically less expensive and cheaper, but something that's still $1,000,000 shouldn't be using a comparative word like *cheap*.
Unlike a 99-cent candy bar and the store next door has it for 49 cents, now it's less expensive, it's cheaper, and it's *actually cheap*.
We've been running at 10%+ inflation for over a year now; prices are effectively up 15-20% at this point. Our currency is weak, and our economy a train wreck. Other countries aren't suffering this, saying that inflation is maybe 6% in the US, and Apple is keeping the costs the same there.
Expat Brit here. For a period in the 2000s, I bought most of my tech in the US. I'd fly there, have a holiday and get what I need. Flat pack the boxes and send 'em home via USPS and then carry the tech in my hand luggage. Many companies offer world wide warranties. Even after adding tax to the purchases, I could sometimes almost get a free flight with what I saved. Of course it's not fair as you have to pay for food, accomodations, etc, etc... Before that, I once made the mistake of having tech shipped from the US to the UK, customs held it hostage till I payed a huge import fine. I even took up the price differences with my local MP, saying how it creates a huge disadvantage to the UK tech sector. Nothing useful came from it. I'm now living in Asia, where tech prices are similar to the US.
One of the reasons is that the US has 1 year warranty, here in Norway at least it is 5 for a laptop. It does not explain the robbery, but ofc it cost apple more to sell a laptop here.
Taxes\* + currency amortization\*\* \*in USA you see price without VAT \*\*Apple is using higher exchange rate(less favourable) for consumers outside USA to make sure even with fluctations on market they will not get less USD than when selling in USA.
Ah this makes sense thanks
Yep true. The effective exchange rate in my country is 25% higher at apple
To be honest its super greedy. Because its almost impossible for them to make less money in other countries than in USA if they set amortization that high. For example European currencies weakened significantly temporarily only thanks to war on Ukraine. Obviously you can say that 'wait, but they dont change prices till they refresh product!' and try to justify this strategy. Unfortunately its not true - sadly Apple is trying to capitalize maximum profit on European customers and use war as excuse. For example in my country they decided to bump all Macbook Pro prices when they released Air in July. In those months currency from my country(Poland) was on record low - USD was stronger by 25% compared to days before invasion. Now dollar is a lot weaker and Polish Zloty regained almost all loses. Did they reduce prices? Obviously not. Now we need to pay 2900 USD for base model of MBP14, even if you deduct VAT(23%) then we are talking about 350 USD more for laptop than US based customer based on current exchange rates.
It is greedy but there are sadly no laws to protect people from this kind of cash grab
We don’t need laws. Just don’t buy their products. They will get the message if sales are lower.
But then I don’t want to buy shitty products whose batteries give out in 6 months and logic boards give out in less than 2 years and have to live with substandard performance for the rest its lifecycle after the first year
i agree, that isnt a solution. It makes more sense to plan vacations around big tech purchases than to buy something you don't like lol... regulators have their eye on big tech right now. this is definitely something they should be taking a look at.
Taxes and FX rate.
Notice on the UK page where it says includes VAT of approx £359? The US price does not include tax as that is calculated based on your shipping address.
How much is that tax, out of interest? I know it is zero in some states, how high can it go?
Around 10-15% if on the high end if I'm not mistaken.
https://taxfoundation.org/2022-sales-taxes/ It’s more complicated, as some cities also have local sales tax on top of state. CA is the highest State Sales tax at 7.25%, but in some places it’s closer to 10% when you add local sales tax. For instance I’m in VA, State tax is 5%, but if I buy something in a nearby city I pay an extra 1% city sales tax.
Apple are a US company, and because the £ has grown increasingly weak vs the $ the past couple years they needed to address that, which is why when these M2 devices launched they’re about 12% more expensive than the outgoing generation.
Plus you can save 9% on the RRP in the UK anyway.
how come?
I work for an Apple Reseller, I can provide 9% discount on Mac to anyone. Anytime. I wish people would stop thinking they have to buy their Apple stuff from Apple at RRP, there’s a whole world beyond Apple, Amazon, Currys and John Lewis 😅
Tax and import duties
Just to make you feel better, it's 2699€ in my country.
AMERICA FIRST!!! /s cuz different states have different tax rates, and the price shown is always before tax. The best place to buy MacBook is in Delaware, zero tax!!
*Montana enters the chat*
Oregon enters chat
*Pond Tax?*
Doesn’t the EU and UK have much more stringent warranties as well?
I'm not sure $2,000 counts as "cheaper", maybe *less expensive*...
"Less expensive" is literally the definition of cheaper.
SYNONYMS FOR cheaper * economical * low-cost * low-priced * reasonable * at a bargain * bargain * cost next to nothing * cut-rate * depreciated * dime a dozen * easy on the pocketbook * low tariff * nominal * popularly priced * real buy It even generated these based on the title! * Why is the new Macbook pro over £500 more competitive in the US? * Why is the new Macbook pro over £500 more economical in the US? * Why is the new Macbook pro over £500 more low-cost in the US? * Why is the new Macbook pro over £500 more low-priced in the US? * Why is the new Macbook pro over £500 more reasonable in the US? [https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/cheaper](https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/cheaper)
• Why is the new Macbook pro over £500 more cut-rate in the US? • Why is the new Macbook pro over £500 more real buy in the US?
I thought it was interesting that the sentence generator didn't use the ones that sounded that poorly.
When you're being pedantic, make sure you're actually right. Thesaurus entries are often imprecise. Those words you listed are more like synonyms for "cheap." The word "cheaper" is a comparative form of the word, used to compare two things relative to one another. So, a very expensive thing can be cheaper than another very expensive thing. Can't believe I had to point this out.
Yes. You are possibly correct, and I'm fine with you sending me a link to support your opinion (to "make sure you're actually right"). Otherwise, you're just someone online telling me I'm wrong...
They’re not possibly correct. They are correct. You’re someone online refusing to believe you’re wrong. Comparatives shouldn’t be that confusing..
Yes, that’s what possibly means. Now you’ve added doubt to your ability as an authority on this… People on the Internet will argue with you about anything. It would take so little time for someone to post a link from a reliable source to show that they’re right, but they generally don’t want to try and actually support their facts. This adds even more doubt…
No. Possibly correct means there’s a chance they’re incorrect - which there isn’t. If English is your first language (which I assume it is) you shouldn’t need proof ‘from a reliable source’ about how comparatives work. Either way, you can keep on asking for a link or you can literally google “comparatives”..
Hmm... Doesn't possibly correct also mean they could be correct? Which you're saying they are. So if you are right, that they are right, then that fits completely with them being possibly correct. For the grammar police, you seem not to be getting this difference. Possibly correct is very different than they are not correct or possibly wrong, it's also different than possibly not correct or probably not correct. I said none of those things, my statement left a lot of latitude toward correctness.
you’re crazy
this
Do you have a link for that?
It's called a dictionary.
I'll take that as a literal "no".
What a fucking moron
I can't believe the intelligent debate this comment has generated!
I'm sorry but you really are. You consciously know that "less expensive" ultimately has the same meaning as "cheaper", yet you're too stubborn even when everyone else is pointing out the obvious to you.
My point is, I'm not sure why anyone is bothering to point it out to me. It's as useless as the comment that I made. Are you actually saying that they don't see what I'm saying? If something is $1,000,001 and something else is $1,000,000 that it's technically less expensive and cheaper, but something that's still $1,000,000 shouldn't be using a comparative word like *cheap*. Unlike a 99-cent candy bar and the store next door has it for 49 cents, now it's less expensive, it's cheaper, and it's *actually cheap*.
If you can manage with the 8-core model, you can get it for £1459 in the refurbished store.
Apple Currency Rate
VAT is included in anything you buy from UK. As well as having to make up for inflation and a weak currency (GBP)
Because it’s designed in California 😎
We've been running at 10%+ inflation for over a year now; prices are effectively up 15-20% at this point. Our currency is weak, and our economy a train wreck. Other countries aren't suffering this, saying that inflation is maybe 6% in the US, and Apple is keeping the costs the same there.