The Australian dollar and how we're getting ripped off. - General

We have better living standards in Australia, and because of that, we have a higher cost of living. A higher cost of living results in higher prices all round, which includes games. Even though I'd love to pay no more for games, an extra $20 for games is excusable, but $119 retail is not. The other problem is that Australians buy too much technology. If a new product comes out, we normally have one of the highest penetration rate in the world, so companies believe they can get away with charging more, and they do.

which is another reason why i love steam

It only just tipped even like a week ago, you can't expect prices on everything to change so damn quickly. The prices on retail games in Australia have been those prices for years, because retailers can do it. But we have a higher minimum wage so it kind of evens itself out. Plus the prices for the US steam and the same as Australia, so for Australians its a really good time to stock up on games while the exchange rate is high. OP stop complaining.

[QUOTE=hehe;25481958]It only just tipped even like a week ago, you can't expect prices on everything to change so damn quickly. The prices on retail games in Australia have been those prices for years, because retailers can do it. But we have a higher minimum wage so it kind of evens itself out. Plus the prices for the US steam and the same as Australia, so for Australians its a really good time to stock up on games while the exchange rate is high. OP stop complaining.[/QUOTE] It doesn't really even itself out, I used games as an example, the cost of living is very fucking high right now, my mum has her job and her BF has 2 jobs and they're hardly paying the bills each week.

We also get paid more. [QUOTE=abcpea2;25474808]its because people voted labour AGAIN[/QUOTE] Yeah, before labor it was like $5 for 12 new games.

It's the "Having the nicest beaches tax"

[QUOTE=mr apple;25482012]It doesn't really even itself out, I used games as an example, the cost of living is very fucking high right now, my mum has her job and her BF has 2 jobs and they're hardly paying the bills each week.[/QUOTE] That's because they probably have shitty paying jobs. [editline]18th October 2010[/editline] and in that cause you should be saving your money, not wasting it on games.

[QUOTE=Tukimoshi;25476729]Know how you feel mate. Amazon/Newegg.COM Sennheiser HD555 $74.99 Amazon/Newegg.CA (Canada) Sennheiser HD555 $199.99 etc etc.[/QUOTE] Not how it works, the Canadian dollar and the us dollar have different values, you need to find the difference in the amount of each dollar. We can compare things to Australia because currently they have the same value.

[QUOTE=Maximo13;25474247]Send me all your 1 dollar coins. Now.[/QUOTE] They have less than $1 worth of gold on them.

It's basically cause they can. Arcade machines are $2 a go over here because there's no real competition so why would they put the prices lower than they have to?

The rates are out of proportion because of the currency war right now.

50 euros is more than 50 dollars, but steam sill sells them at such price. It doesn't matter how cheap or expensive your money is, if your retailers sell new games at 140 aud, they will be same or similar on steam. Sucks, but that's how it is.

Probably a combination of importation, higher taxes and being able to get away with it.

Smaller piece of the market means they have to make less which means higher costs per game which means higher cost for us. It's simple finance.

Me n my bro are casual gamers so we only buy games at <$40, we do make some exceptions on great games eg Red Dead, Gta 4, orange box etc.

[QUOTE=HiddenMyst;25482328]They have less than $1 worth of gold on them.[/QUOTE] They don't contain any gold

I'm an American, and that's especially odd considering the current exchange rate is: 1 USD = 1.0136 AUD. Your dollar is (technically) worth more than ours.

I feel you man. I'm going to start shopping online from the US, it seems a lot cheaper.

[QUOTE=mr apple;25471449]No idea atm, houses are always really high priced here. (You guys have moderate prices for 2 story houses where a 2 storyhouse in Aus usually goes for $1,000,000+[/QUOTE] Don't talk out your ass. To give you guys an idea. A year ago I purchased a single story, 3 bedroom brick house on ~680,000 sq ft block for $320,000. (obviously will change depending on location)

[QUOTE=speedy3020;25483110]A year ago I purchased a single story, 3 bedroom brick house on ~680,000 sq ft block for $320,000.[/QUOTE] In Perth housing is pretty expensive, one of the most expensive cities in the world apparently to purchase land.

[QUOTE=3viLoc1Ty;25482742]I'm an American, and that's especially odd considering the current exchange rate is: 1 USD = 1.0136 AUD. Your dollar is (technically) worth more than ours.[/QUOTE] No, it (technically) isn't.

[QUOTE=speedy3020;25483110]Don't talk out your ass. To give you guys an idea. A year ago I purchased a single story, 3 bedroom brick house on ~680,000 sq ft block for $320,000. (obviously will change depending on location)[/QUOTE] Where do you live?

You only pay $100+ for a brand new game at a store because of the companies. The companies know that in Australia, parents are willing to pay that sort of money for their nagging kids. But the price for other things in general is a bit higher than American prices, it will never change because there is no way to tell everyone to lower their fucking prices.

[QUOTE=GunsNRoses;25482034]We also get paid more. Yeah, before labor it was like $5 for 12 new games.[/QUOTE] i got ut2004 for $70 in 2004, almost $50 less than call of duty rehash #10 or w/e its called

it's not the publishers the govt. taxes games I think if folk from here bought anything more than that they'd know the difference

[QUOTE=phill977;25483282]You only pay $100+ for a brand new game at a store because of the companies. The companies know that in Australia, parents are willing to pay that sort of money for their nagging kids. But the price for other things in general is a bit higher than American prices, it will never change because there is no way to tell everyone to lower their fucking prices.[/QUOTE] Why are you talking out of your arse? Did you even read the thread? We get payed more on average.

payed

lol just noticed that. Just did my English HSC today, I can spell however I want now :)

It's your own damn fault for living on the wrong side of the equator, fool.

Apparently the WoW game cards have gone up $10 where I live in Queensland so I'm going to be pissed off if it's true. And I think Black Ops is being released at $120.