AUD$ What is the holdup?

[Enigma//UnboxedTV]

Right now the Australian Dollar is at .70 US cents, it's really not wise for our games to be advertised like this. I just bought SOMA for my lady friend at 29$ US which is 42 AUD!!! I didn't see a single mention of an almost 30% markup. We were suppose to get AU$ last year, whats taking so long?

[rorizle]

I bought Fallout 4 and it ended up being a total of $110.

[Satoru]

Escrito originalmente por {UnboxedTV} Enigma:

So, just so I'm clear, even asking for something like this

http://i.imgur.com/1mNzmRm.png

Just an estimation of the current currency exchange at purchase as a simple courtesy, is too much too ask for.

Is it too much to ask for you to read what you're buying and do the conversion yourself? Its not like AUstralia is the only country that is not supported by Steam. tons of other customers magically do not complain that they are 'over charged'.

[Start_Running]

Escrito originalmente por Satoru:

Escrito originalmente por {UnboxedTV} Enigma:

So, just so I'm clear, even asking for something like this

http://i.imgur.com/1mNzmRm.png

Just an estimation of the current currency exchange at purchase as a simple courtesy, is too much too ask for.

Is it too much to ask for you to read what you're buying and do the conversion yourself? Its not like AUstralia is the only country that is not supported by Steam. tons of other customers magically do not complain that they are 'over charged'.

Dang skippy. I mean my country's currency isn't listed and thank god for that. It fluctuates waaay too much. The US is at least a rather stable price.

[[AU] Tabris:DarkPeace]

You don't want localized pricing, trust me.

Prices will go up and STAY UP even if the AUD$ recovers against the greenback.

Then the Gov will add a host of taxes to the purchases so everything costs nearly $100.

[jum.buck]

yes, its pretty easy to figure out, and if you think its to much, dont buy it !

[wuddih]

Escrito originalmente por {UnboxedTV} Enigma:

Escrito originalmente por wuddih:

i guess you want to pay 29 australian dollars?
that will not happen.

in fact, if they introduce australian dollars and publishers and devs set their prices for australia, you will mostly likely pay 49 australian dollars, instead of the converted 42.

I'm not looking to pay 29 AU, I'm just asking Steam to display the currency exchange, I just wanted to avoid bill shock, that's all!

then they have to put in 1000 disclaimers that your bank might be charge you for the conversion, that there might be additional fees, taxes etc ... and then people come here to complain that the price was not accurate on the store and they got charged more because no one reads it, like many aussies don't realize it is USD. same with wallet codes. there is a message that tells you the conversion rate when you redeem foreign codes and still people pop up here and complain.

[Start_Running]

Escrito originalmente por wuddih:

Escrito originalmente por {UnboxedTV} Enigma:

I'm not looking to pay 29 AU, I'm just asking Steam to display the currency exchange, I just wanted to avoid bill shock, that's all!

then they have to put in 1000 disclaimers that your bank might be charge you for the conversion, that there might be additional fees, taxes etc ... and then people come here to complain that the price was not accurate on the store and they got charged more because no one reads it, like many aussies don't realize it is USD. same with wallet codes. there is a message that tells you the conversion rate when you redeem foreign codes and still people pop up here and complain.

Steam user base has a chronic allergy to text font. :p

Nailed it though. Steam can never predict what exchange rate your bank is using when you use a credit card. Wallet codes are another matter, they can use their own banks rates.. Keep in mind that a bank's rates can change over the course of even a day.

[The Mink]

You all also need to realize that we pay a conversion rate which really does hurt my wallet, so for instance, we buy a game that say is $40, that is $56.12 AUD, on top of that steam also adds there own surcharge which adds approx an extra $5-10. Say you were to buy a bundle of games due to it being the summer sale and such, if we spend say $250 in total on all them nice cheap games, we are actually paying around $350 and steams surcharge also gets higher by being around another $15-20, so yes adding AUD to steam would muchly help us.

[Start_Running]

Escrito originalmente por DankMazula:

You all also need to realize that we pay a conversion rate which really does hurt my wallet, so for instance, we buy a game that say is $40, that is $56.12 AUD, on top of that steam also adds there own surcharge which adds approx an extra $5-10. Say you were to buy a bundle of games due to it being the summer sale and such, if we spend say $250 in total on all them nice cheap games, we are actually paying around $350 and steams surcharge also gets higher by being around another $15-20, so yes adding AUD to steam would muchly help us.

Uhm, surcharge... you know that steams fees are part of the products listed price right?

[The Mink]

Escrito originalmente por Start_Running:

Escrito originalmente por DankMazula:

You all also need to realize that we pay a conversion rate which really does hurt my wallet, so for instance, we buy a game that say is $40, that is $56.12 AUD, on top of that steam also adds there own surcharge which adds approx an extra $5-10. Say you were to buy a bundle of games due to it being the summer sale and such, if we spend say $250 in total on all them nice cheap games, we are actually paying around $350 and steams surcharge also gets higher by being around another $15-20, so yes adding AUD to steam would muchly help us.

Uhm, surcharge... you know that steams fees are part of the products listed price right?

Not here they arn't :P, we pay what we the conversion to the products listed price plus steam adds a few dollar surcharge. i have proved this many times by not only talking with support on the matter, but by looking at my bank statements

[Satoru]

Escrito originalmente por DankMazula:

Not here they arn't :P, we pay what we the conversion to the products listed price plus steam adds a few dollar surcharge. i have proved this many times by not only talking with support on the matter, but by looking at my bank statements

Steam doesn't add a 'surcharge'

they charge you exactly what is on the receipt. in USD

If your bank charges you fees for dealing in USD that's between you and the bank. Steam doesn't charge any fees for doing foreign transactions. They just charge your issuer in USD, and your issuer then tacks on all the fees they want becuase its a USD transaction not a AUD one. Typical charges for foriegn transaction fees are 2-3%

[The Mink]

Escrito originalmente por Satoru:

Escrito originalmente por DankMazula:

Not here they arn't :P, we pay what we the conversion to the products listed price plus steam adds a few dollar surcharge. i have proved this many times by not only talking with support on the matter, but by looking at my bank statements

Steam doesn't add a 'surcharge'

they charge you exactly what is on the receipt. in USD

If your bank charges you fees for dealing in USD that's between you and the bank. Steam doesn't charge any fees for doing foreign transactions. They just charge your issuer in USD, and your issuer then tacks on all the fees they want becuase its a USD transaction not a AUD one.

Here in Aus they do, you are right on the my bank charging it's own fees, there fee is $2.00 exactly each time, but that is to be expected with all banks, so no biggy there, however on all steam transaction i have, i pay the conversion plus an extra fee from steam it's self, i have inquired about this at my bank once before, however if you are certain that this is indeed the case and they do not add there own fees than i shall speak with my bank real soon.

[Satoru]

Escrito originalmente por DankMazula:

Escrito originalmente por Satoru:

Steam doesn't add a 'surcharge'

they charge you exactly what is on the receipt. in USD

If your bank charges you fees for dealing in USD that's between you and the bank. Steam doesn't charge any fees for doing foreign transactions. They just charge your issuer in USD, and your issuer then tacks on all the fees they want becuase its a USD transaction not a AUD one.

Here in Aus they do, you are right on the my bank charging it's own fees, there fee is $2.00 exactly each time, but that is to be expected with all banks, so no biggy there, however on all steam transaction i have, i pay the conversion plus an extra fee from steam it's self, i have inquired about this at my bank once before, however if you are certain that this is indeed the case and they do not add there own fees than i shall speak with my bank real soon.

I would talk with your bank becuase that sounds wrong. Though it depends on the bank/institution you will get hit with

1) Potentially a flat fee in your case $2.00. Note tbh that's kinda high so ... maybe shop around for a different bank?

2) The conversion rate is never the rate you see on Google. Say you buy something for $40.00 USD. The exchange rate 'says' it should be 56.00 AUD. Now that's fine. Except unless you're NAB and are transferring millions of USD, you're not getting that rate. Thats why its called the 'Inter-Bank Rate'. The rate you get is usually far far worse. For example NAB charges 3%.

3% of Australian dollar transaction amount for cash withdrawals made in currencies other than Australian dollars. Included in the Australian dollar transaction amount shown on your statement3.

So your 56.00 AUD turns into 57.68. That's the fee charged by your bank to do the foreign transaction fee. You'd have to check what your issuer charges to do the foreign transaction fee. But igven that you're already paying $2 just to do it, you're probably getting reamed elsewhere on the fee schedule.

Australia Banks May Charge You A Fee For Paying in AUD!!

Note also that even if Steam was in AUD. You might STILL get reamed. For example Commonwealth Bank charges you 3% for foriegn transactions done even in AUD

https://www.commbank.com.au/support/faqs/410.html

Transactions made overseas but in Australian dollars - 3.00%.

So even if the price was $50 AUD, Commonwealth bank will add 3% because Valve is a foreign company even though you're paying in AUD. So your final cost would be $51.50 AUD.

However Westpac will not charge you 3% for an AUD transaction from an overseas vendor IF you use American Express

http://www.westpac.com.au/personal-banking/credit-cards/manage/fees-interest/minimising-fees/

Use your American Express card to pay for transactions in Australian dollars where the merchant or financial institution accepting the card is located overseas to avoid paying foreign transaction fees.

Aka even if you get AUD, READ YOUR FEES SCHEDULE. Because you may not really be 'saving' that much money.

[Satoru]

Escrito originalmente por Aaron:

You won't get much support here. Most don't have to deal with such issues, so they'll downplay them and say it's your fault something isn't as efficient as it could be.

But I back you, at the very least.

Why would you 'back' someone claiming a normal currency exchange is a 'markup'.

[[AU] Tabris:DarkPeace]

I'm with St George and they charge like under 50 cents for currency conversion to USD, plus I use a DEBIT CARD not a credit card.

The rates on www.xe.com are pretty close to what I get.

Plus I never ever get charged a 'Steam surcharge', that notion is ridiculous.