Prices in Switzerland are unacceptable! (More than +40%)

[Freebird]

Just one example, prices for "Baldur's Gate 3" in Jan. 2024:

Germany: EUR 60.- (Vat 19%)
Switzerland: CHF 70.- (Vat 8.1%)
Conversion rate EUR/CHF: 0.94

This means that this "digital good" costs, without taxes, 41% more in Zurich than let's say in Stuttgart, a german town just 150 km to the north. This is just unfair.

And it's it more or less the same with all games. Do you really think we Swiss are stupid?

[Chompman]

Have you tried messaging the game devs for game prices like that as they are the ones that set the prices if you feel it's unfair?

[feytharn]

Average income in Germany is a little below €50.000
Average income in the European Union is ~€26.000
Average income in Switzerland is ~CHF78.000
Minimal wage in Germany is ~€12,4/h
Minimal wage in Switzerland is (depending on canton) ~CHF20,00

Do the math.

[Bibo1]

Originally posted by Freebird:

Just one example, prices for "Baldur's Gate 3" in Jan. 2024:

Germany: EUR 60.- (Vat 19%)
Switzerland: CHF 70.- (Vat 8.1%)
Conversion rate EUR/CHF: 0.94

This means that this "digital good" costs, without taxes, 41% more in Zurich than let's say in Stuttgart, a german town just 150 km to the north. This is just unfair.

Where did you get 41% from?
My calculations at current conversion rate is 25% more expensive.
1.00 CHF = 1.06939 EUR
Without taxes:
DE 50,42
CH 64,75
28%
Apart from the income differences, no-ones forcing you to buy it now if you feel the pricing is unfair.

[Omen3608]

Maybe you should also compare the average income between the two while you're at it. It's about 70% higher in Switzerland compared to Germany. Unfair indeed! :P

[metamec]

Everything is more expensive in Switzerland because residents have more disposable income than those in most other European countries and optimal pricing[marketbusinessnews.com] is a thing.

[Bibo1]

Just saw they made a similar thread complaining about the Devil May Cry pricing, but this time the difference was 28%.
So, that must be a better deal for them

[Nx Machina]

Originally posted by Freebird:

Just one example, prices for "Baldur's Gate 3" in Jan. 2024:

Germany: EUR 60.- (Vat 19%)
Switzerland: CHF 70.- (Vat 8.1%)
Conversion rate EUR/CHF: 0.94

This means that this "digital good" costs, without taxes, 41% more in Zurich than let's say in Stuttgart, a german town just 150 km to the north. This is just unfair.

And it's it more or less the same with all games. Do you really think we Swiss are stupid?

Your vat is 8.1% Germany is 19%. Why are you not complaining that Germany pays more vat?

[Chika Ogiue]

Your choices are simple if you don't like the pricing:
1 - Buy outside Steam
2 - Buy on console if you have a viable physical market which offers competitive pricing and second hand option.
3 - Move to another country.

Personally, I go for 1 and 2, as Steam prices are often 40% (and as much as 80%) higher than what the same game can be purchased for brand new on console in my region.

[VaLiuM]

4 - Buy on sale, if you can wait for lower pricing

[Chika Ogiue]

Originally posted by VaLiuM:

4 - Buy on sale, if you can wait for lower pricing

Typically not a good option as a higher base price means that even when it's on sale, you're still effectively paying what would be considered normal retail price, especially when option 2 is prevalent and can offer better deals long before a Steam sale.

An example for my region would be Soul Hackers 2 (just one example of hundreds, mind).
Steam base price: 9878 JPY for base game. The same base game could be purchased on console a month after release for approx. 3100 JPY (tax included) and at release for 7600 odd depending on store (Steam didn't see an equivalent price until 4 months after release with a 25% off price of 7408 JPY). The lowest price it's had on Steam is 3358 JPY which first happened in November last year. However, at that time, and even now, it can be purchased brand new on console for 2640 JPY -- and for less than 1500 JPY if you don't mind second hand.

And this is typical for the vast majority of releases that see both console and Steam releases.

[Slugterra-3000]

lol

[VaLiuM]

Originally posted by Chika Ogiue:

And this is typical for the vast majority of releases that see both console and Steam releases.

Well, i didn't take into account console releases or sales, just Steam releases and Steam sales, the pricing probably also depends on the dev / publisher and different regions. I don't buy console releases but either wait for sales or look at third-party sites for a deal, if the price is still high for my taste.

[Muppet among Puppets]

Originally posted by Freebird:

This means that this "digital good" costs, without taxes, 41% more in Zurich than let's say in Stuttgart, a german town just 150 km to the north. This is just unfair.

You do not exclude taxes to discuss the price. Because no one pays that "other" price.

[Kus]

Come here, live in Germany with an average german paycheck.

I guarentee that you are back in switzerland within the first month gladly playing those prices.

[SPG]

Originally posted by feytharn:

Average income in Germany is a little below €50.000
Average income in the European Union is ~€26.000
Average income in Switzerland is ~CHF78.000
Minimal wage in Germany is ~€12,4/h
Minimal wage in Switzerland is (depending on canton) ~CHF20,00

Do the math.

This is not the right argument. The right question is ...

What will 1 euro purchase in Switzerland compared to what one euro will purchase in Germany. IOW, purchasing power.

That will answer whether prices are equivalent/fair according to the cost of living in the respective countries.