By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Sales Discussion - UK Console Costs?

outlawauron on 19 July 2007
davygee said:

Right, I want to put this to bed eventually.  Apart from VAT, what other taxes are involved in the importing of consoles to the UK before they reach the store and then the comsumers' hands?

US costs:

Wii - $249
DS - $129
360 Core - $299
360 Premium - $399
360 Elite - $479
PS3 - $499
PSP - $169

UK costs:

Wii - £179 (£152 Ex VAT, $296)
DS - £95 (£80 Ex VAT, $156)
360 Core - £189 (£160 Ex VAT, $312)
360 Premium - £279 (£237 Ex VAT, $462)
360 Elite - £329 (£280 Ex VAT, $546)
PS3 - £425 (£360 Ex VAT, $702)
PSP - £129 (£109 Ex VAT, $212)

As you can see, I've taken off the 17.5% VAT off the UK price and converted it into dollars ($1.95 = £1).  If the UK console prices only have to incur a VAT charge, then you can see how much of a ridiculous gap there is in the general price comparisons.

I hope I can clear this up as there is a very large possibility that there are extra taxes that need to occur before a console can appear on the shelves in the UK.

If there isn't, then we are paying the following difference.

Wii - 19% more
DS - 21% more
360 Core - 5% more
360 Premium - 16% more
360 Elite - 14% more
PS3 - 41% more
PSP - 25% more

There is a huge difference with the cost of the PS3!!  A 41% increase on the cost of the US model. 


But you need to factor the additional controller and the two free games included.



"We'll toss the dice however they fall,
And snuggle the girls be they short or tall,
Then follow young Mat whenever he calls,
To dance with Jak o' the Shadows."

Check out MyAnimeList and my Game Collection. Owner of the 5 millionth post.

Around the Network
Celb on 19 July 2007

Nice fud, PS3 cost 600 in Us, 702 in Uk.

Wii - 19% more
DS - 21% more
PS3 - 17% more, now what ?

PlayStation 3 console, extra controller, HDMI cable and two games for £399.97.

£400 = $816

2 games = 60
controller = 28
hdmi cable = 17

= £105

so 400 - 105 = £295

295 - 17.5% vat = £251 = $515 (PS3s cost if you get the bundle)



Scruff7 on 19 July 2007
Celb said:

Nice fud, PS3 cost 600 in Us, 702 in Uk.

Wii - 19% more
DS - 21% more
PS3 - 17% more, now what ?

PlayStation 3 console, extra controller, HDMI cable and two games for £399.97.

£400 = $816

2 games = 60
controller = 28
hdmi cable = 17

= £105

so 400 - 105 = £295

295 - 17.5% vat = £251 = $515 (PS3s cost if you get the bundle)


 Whoa! hold your horses! it's 3 games! Virtua Fighter and two of your choice from the 30 quid range. is that a better deal than in the US at the moment?



Atari 2600, Sega Mega Drive, Game Boy, Game Boy Advanced, N64, Playstation, Xbox, PSP Phat, PSP 3000, and PS3 60gb (upgraded to 320gb), NDS

Linux Ubuntu user

Favourite game: Killzone 3

Vengi on 19 July 2007

it's 424.99 for the 3 game deal scruff



"..just keep on trying 'till you run out of cake"

Celb on 19 July 2007
Scruff7 said:
Celb said:

Nice fud, PS3 cost 600 in Us, 702 in Uk.

Wii - 19% more
DS - 21% more
PS3 - 17% more, now what ?

PlayStation 3 console, extra controller, HDMI cable and two games for £399.97.

£400 = $816

2 games = 60
controller = 28
hdmi cable = 17

= £105

so 400 - 105 = £295

295 - 17.5% vat = £251 = $515 (PS3s cost if you get the bundle)


Whoa! hold your horses! it's 3 games! Virtua Fighter and two of your choice from the 30 quid range. is that a better deal than in the US at the moment?

  I missed that, so.

£260 - vat =  £222 = $455 (PS3s cost if you get the bundle)

So yahh its a better deal then the USA at the moment. 



Around the Network
Christopher_G2 on 19 July 2007

Well the US dollar is weak in value as compared to the Euro and the Pound. That just means it's more costly for an American to vacation in Europe than Vice Versa. Europeans come to the US and buy things cheaper than they could in their home country.



Celb on 19 July 2007

ehh

295 - 17.5% vat = £251 = $515 (PS3s cost if you get the bundle) is close enough, only 5 pound to high..



ceres on 19 July 2007

Why is everyone comparing the sytems to US costs? Sony & Nintendo are japanese companies, not american.



To cash in my CC rewards points for $300 in Circuit City gift cards to purchase a 360 or not: That is the question.

Shambolic on 19 July 2007

World economy is worked in US dollars, for example, barrels of oil are always priced in $ whatever the country of origin.

So DVD players are charged duty and consoles played through tv sets aren't. However won't that mean that a console playing DVD's is liable to pay duty? If so then I'm sure many UK Wii owners are glad they have 13% less to pay than if they could play DVDs on it.



ceres on 19 July 2007
Shambolic said:
World economy is worked in US dollars, for example, barrels of oil are always priced in $ whatever the country of origin.

So DVD players are charged duty and consoles played through tv sets aren't. However won't that mean that a console playing DVD's is liable to pay duty? If so then I'm sure many UK Wii owners are glad they have 13% less to pay than if they could play DVDs on it.
 That's not my real issue. Converting everything to US dollars is fine. But it's not like the systems in the UK are being imported from the US. They're being manufactured elsewhere. And the price everyone keeps mentioning is the US price. Wouldn't it make more sense to compare the PS3 & Wii to their Japanese prices?

To cash in my CC rewards points for $300 in Circuit City gift cards to purchase a 360 or not: That is the question.