Unexplained (thus far) price jump for Australian and New Zealand users?

[Relendis]

Just inquiring as to why there was a large (AU$49 to AU$89/NZ$50 to NZ$90) jump in price for Australian and New Zealand customers. If it was a mistake, then label it as such, mistakes happen...but when there is an overnight jump that large that goes completely unexplained then people start to get ♥♥♥♥ed off. So let's open the channels of communication before the flaming starts...

Edit: Well this has snowballed and been taken up by several gaming websites and still no response. Damn shame that.

[iSnack2.0]

I checked inside a physical store today. Civ: BE was about AU$80 (roughly $60 in USD).

Currently on steam it is about US$90. So that's roughly a US$30 markup for steam compared with Bricks 'n' Mortar.

[Pantha]

Originalmente postado por SamBC:

Yeah, that's the bit that makes no sense - that prices for Australia and NZ on Steam end up being so much higher than local B&M. Not like the Turkey example, where there's one dominant B&M that is so expensive but there are other people to legally buy from, and the Steam price is based on the big, expensive shop - but that it's actually more expensive, noticeably, on Steam than in the dominant B&M stores in the areas.

There IS one dominant retailer that's more expensive than everyone else in Australia: EB Games. But even they had the game for $90AU, which is increasingly lower than $90US..

[Pantha]

Time to check if there's a corresponding thread on the GTA V forums.. Looks like the price jumped from $60 to $75 US.. :P

[Monomaniacal]

SamBC, you're an ego tripper. I'm out.

[donald23]

Originalmente postado por Monomaniacal:

SamBC, you're an ego tripper. I'm out.

Why exactly?

[FunWithTreason]

Originalmente postado por donald23:

Originalmente postado por Monomaniacal:

SamBC, you're an ego tripper. I'm out.

Why exactly?

still waiting on that list by the way.

[Jungle Rhino]

Still costs $89.99 USD in New Zealand WTF

Seriously the regional pricing for this is as utter farce. No idea where the Steam pricing is driven from but ultimately it is Steam selling it and me refusing to pay such a ludicrous amount of money.

Would love to play the game but not going to happen for the forseeable future.

Fix your value proposition if you want any customers in Australasia.

[Sir_Blaze]

trust me you wouldn't want to play the game think yourself lucky that you haven't bought it and wait till they do their 75% off sale

[Swapware]

I just saw this thread, being from rural australia and was about to gift this game to a friend but it being like $124 just for the standard version I have no idea where to buy now as there is no games store within like 800km of where i live. Any suggestions, i made a new discussion without knowing about this discussing , isnt this violating the ACCC fair trading laws in our country and I heard in october last year they were going to start charging australian dollars as of a few weeks (they added canada and a few other countries, but forgot australia), now 5 months have passed and still paying US, why not EURO its more stable currency or even better Australian dollars. This is going to create such a storm when GTA V comes out in april.

GTA V is 74.99US on Australian Steam and $59.99 on US Steam , at aussie price its 104$ !! (not like civs 124$ but still) thats way over the in store price of $89.95 at EB Games JB HiFi $79, though being 800km from a nearby town, im gonna obviously be forced to pay $104.

Im just starting to get upset buying games in USD. Valve please explain why AUD has not been implemented in creating a fair market for australia (didnt it used to be in A$ a while back) until USD and AUD were parity (which is history now, we are even lagging behind New Zealand for the first time ever)/

[.]

Originalmente postado por Swapware:

I just saw this thread, being from rural australia and was about to gift this game to a friend but it being like $124 just for the standard version I have no idea where to buy now as there is no games store within like 800km of where i live. Any suggestions, i made a new discussion without knowing about this discussing , isnt this violating the ACCC fair trading laws in our country and I heard in october last year they were going to start charging australian dollars as of a few weeks (they added canada and a few other countries, but forgot australia), now 5 months have passed and still paying US, why not EURO its more stable currency or even better Australian dollars. This is going to create such a storm when GTA V comes out in april.

GTA V is 74.99US on Australian Steam and $59.99 on US Steam , at aussie price its 104$ !! (not like civs 124$ but still) thats way over the in store price of $89.95 at EB Games JB HiFi $79, though being 800km from a nearby town, im gonna obviously be forced to pay $104.

Im just starting to get upset buying games in USD. Valve please explain why AUD has not been implemented in creating a fair market for australia (didnt it used to be in A$ a while back) until USD and AUD were parity (which is history now, we are even lagging behind New Zealand for the first time ever)/

When it first came out stores were actually selling it at a higher price than steam. I bet if you actually went into an EB games they would have the sticker price just as expensive as the steam price. The entire reason they overprice on steam is because stores will complain about not being able to make money if everyone buys it online.

[Dimebag]

Damn , even at sale price they charge us what everyone else pays .... stick it up your ass 2K .

[Dimebag]

Australian sale price = What everyone else normally pays .

Even on sale this company gouges . Currently on sale for US$45 plus currency conversion ..... fail 2K . Maybe after shafting the Australian/New Zealand customer base for so long you could see your way to offering us what you offer to everyone else ... but we won't hold our breath .

[Pantha]

Originalmente postado por SLz.:

When it first came out stores were actually selling it at a higher price than steam. I bet if you actually went into an EB games they would have the sticker price just as expensive as the steam price. The entire reason they overprice on steam is because stores will complain about not being able to make money if everyone buys it online.

When it first came out it was $49.99, but within 2 days it had jumped up to the ridiculous price of $89.99, which is why this thread exists. That was before it had come out in stores, so by the time it was available at shops like EB/JB, it was cheaper at the stores ($89/$79 AU compared to $89US here).

EB prices are always the most expensive because half of their business is based on encouraging ppl to bring in their used games for half-credit so they can resell them at twice the price. I still remember one time seeing a pre-owned game on sale at EB for more than a brand new one was selling at JB, in the same shopping centre.

And yes, even with it being on sale right now, at 50% off, it's still twice the price of the US store.

[Stallion]

Just checking in to say that I still haven't bought the game...

I'll see you at $5 Fireaxis.

What a PR disaster for you...

[Neme]

Originalmente postado por Stallion♞:

Just checking in to say that I still haven't bought the game...

I'll see you at $5 Fireaxis.

What a PR disaster for you...

Ditto .. still not bought it either..