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Forums - Sales Discussion - How different would the US market be if they had to pay these prices?

BKK2 on 19 March 2008
viewtiful_jon said:
What is the minimum wage in Australia i know in the UK its greater than the USA Minimum wage when you take into account Exchange rates so im happy with the pricing, If yours is higher than the USA's by around the same amount as prices are different then there is no need to feel bad about paying more for your games when your getting payed more.

Minimum Wages:

AU: $12.79 (A$13.74)
UK: $11.08 (£5.52)
CA: $8.06 (C$8)
US: $5.85 (Federal)

So in Australia games are nearly twice as expensive, but minimum wage is more than twice as much. Would you prefer cheaper games if it meant your wages were cut in half?



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Kasz216 on 19 March 2008
BKK2 said:
viewtiful_jon said:
What is the minimum wage in Australia i know in the UK its greater than the USA Minimum wage when you take into account Exchange rates so im happy with the pricing, If yours is higher than the USA's by around the same amount as prices are different then there is no need to feel bad about paying more for your games when your getting payed more.

Minimum Wages:

AU: $12.79 (A$13.74)
UK: $11.08 (£5.85)
CA: $8.06 (C$8)
US: $5.85 (Federal)

So in Australia games are nearly twice as expensive, but minimum wage is more than twice as much. Would you prefer cheaper games if it meant your wages were cut in half?


To be fair... the Federal rate is the bare minimium.  Many states have a higher minimium wage.

Then again America also has a lot of loopholes to that.  Like low level jobs that are basically all commision. 



BKK2 on 19 March 2008

Also, Wow! A$ is almost at parity with US$. US$1=A$1.07.

US$ is becoming worthless, which isn't great for me as I get paid in that currency. :(



tastyshovelware on 19 March 2008

i almost never buy new anyway.



ArtofAngels on 19 March 2008

It's USD and AUD to the original poster, and when did our Dollar value reach .95 USD?

Highest I've seen it at was .93 USD and that alone is incredible, and good for us Aussies who want to import our games.

But that's the price we pay for a better Country I guess.



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BKK2 on 19 March 2008
Kasz216 said:
BKK2 said:
viewtiful_jon said:
What is the minimum wage in Australia i know in the UK its greater than the USA Minimum wage when you take into account Exchange rates so im happy with the pricing, If yours is higher than the USA's by around the same amount as prices are different then there is no need to feel bad about paying more for your games when your getting payed more.

Minimum Wages:

AU: $12.79 (A$13.74)
UK: $11.08 (£5.85)
CA: $8.06 (C$8)
US: $5.85 (Federal)

So in Australia games are nearly twice as expensive, but minimum wage is more than twice as much. Would you prefer cheaper games if it meant your wages were cut in half?


To be fair... the Federal rate is the bare minimium. Many states have a higher minimium wage.

Then again America also has a lot of loopholes to that. Like low level jobs that are basically all commision.


True, but some also have lower rates, so I thought the fairest amount to put was the Federal rate. Quite a few States just use the Federal rate anyway (I count 18).

I'm just going off Wikipedia. I'm not from the US so no expert, but according to that source they have anything from $2.65 in Kansas to $8.07 in Washington. So even the highest is still significantly lower than Australia. Your point about tips/commision is a fair one, but it's not really easy to compare that. Many waitresses on minimum wage in Oz & UK also also get tips, for example.



Kasz216 on 19 March 2008
BKK2 said:
Kasz216 said:
BKK2 said:
viewtiful_jon said:
What is the minimum wage in Australia i know in the UK its greater than the USA Minimum wage when you take into account Exchange rates so im happy with the pricing, If yours is higher than the USA's by around the same amount as prices are different then there is no need to feel bad about paying more for your games when your getting payed more.

Minimum Wages:

AU: $12.79 (A$13.74)
UK: $11.08 (£5.85)
CA: $8.06 (C$8)
US: $5.85 (Federal)

So in Australia games are nearly twice as expensive, but minimum wage is more than twice as much. Would you prefer cheaper games if it meant your wages were cut in half?


To be fair... the Federal rate is the bare minimium. Many states have a higher minimium wage.

Then again America also has a lot of loopholes to that. Like low level jobs that are basically all commision.


True, but some also have lower rates, so I thought the fairest amount to put was the Federal rate. Quite a few States just use the Federal rate anyway (I count 18).

I'm just going off Wikipedia. I'm not from the US so no expert, but according to that source they have anything from $2.65 in Kansas to $8.07 in Washington. So even the highest is still significantly lower than Australia. Your point about tips/commision is a fair one, but it's not really easy to compare that. Many waitresses on minimum wage in Oz & UK also also get tips, for example.


Well I believe the lower rates don't matter.  I think if the states rate is lower then the Fed minium wage they have to pay the Fed Minmium wage.

Except for People who get tips and People on commission. 

Waitresses actually get paid less then minmium wage because employers are alowed to to assume that they will get tips that will cover part of their minimium wage. 



Final-Fan on 19 March 2008

Sounds to me like importing the system and the games from the US would be cheaper for Australians. It's not like there's much of a language barrier.

Some people have make excellent points about relative purchasing power and VATs.



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plzdontbanme on 19 March 2008
Rab said:

Thanks to everyone for your comments

It appears that other factors need to be taken into account such as income, tax , etc

Kasz your comment that we should be comparing to Japan is a good one, as prices for Japanese goods would be effected by their exchange rate not the US (exception being Microsoft)

One thing that bothers me though, for Australia in particular is that our prices have increased slightly over time even while the exchange rates have been in our favour over time for both Japan and the US. This tells me companies are making more off the consumer by taking advantage of the better exhange rate, and I feel this in the long run is counter productive to our local gaming industry

Any way thanks again for all your comments, I actually learned something

 

 


 And here I was all ready to flame you for your ignorance....

 



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rocketpig on 20 March 2008
ArtofAngels said:
It's USD and AUD to the original poster, and when did our Dollar value reach .95 USD?

Highest I've seen it at was .93 USD and that alone is incredible, and good for us Aussies who want to import our games.

But that's the price we pay for a better Country I guess.

If by "better", you mean "a government that taxes us up the ass and then tells us that it's for our own good", then I completely agree.




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