Ok,

I´m trying to buy some Avid software, and there´s something really wrong with the Spanish On-line Store.

Everytime I have a look in the Store (since really long time), most products are sold-out.

Example: Avid Media Composer, sold-out.

I´m not saying It happens from time to time. It is always like that, really.

I don´t know anywhere, but here, in Spain, It´s not easy to buy Avid software, unless you go to a reseller.

And another thing:

Avid Xpress Pro price is 1911 Euros in the Spanish Store.

Now, in the Us/International Store the price is 1695 Dollars, wich is, in Euros, 1243 Euros.

Now, what is going on here?????

There is a difference of 668 Euros between the two Stores.

Really, what is going here??? It´s not fair. Spanish people are paying, proportionally, a lot more for the software. This is a fact.

Why? Can you answer to this, Marianna?

This like the Apple policy about prices in the i-tunes store. A song in the USA costs 99 cents. Same song in Europe costes 99 cents of an Euro, wich is, proportionally, a 30 per cent more expensive than in the USA. European people are paying more, proportionally.

This Apple policy is being questioned by a lot by European Consumer Organizations.

It is an unfair policy, and makes no sense.

As some people know here, I´m about to found a company, based on Avid mainly, after a lot of research about what way to go.

I´ve got to tell you: this really pushes me of. I´m not going to buy anything from Avid if I have to pay, proportionally, more than, let´s say, an american guy.

This is crazy...

Flavio.

Hey Flavio,
I'm in Australia and all my onlne Avid purchases are from the USA store in US dollars and not a problem in sight...

Thanks...

I will check, but I´m not sure I ´m allowed to buy from the Usa store. Otherwise, everybody would do it.

To continue with the Aplle i-tunes Store, a person of Spain is not allowed to buy from the Usa Store.

I´ve checked, and this is being investigated by European institutions to determine if it´s legal or not.

Flavio.

Flavio, you need to be aware that the Euro prices will refelect import duties. Even if you were to go out to the States and buy some software (or hardware) there, and then bring it into your country, you'll have to pay import duties. And it's not just Avid products. A MacBook does 1099 US$ at the US Apple Store, or 1049 EUR at the Dutch Apple Store. That's the way the cookie crumbles.

I'm not saying that the entire price difference is based on the import duties, but there is defintely some difference being caused by it.

Then again, XpressPro does 1579 EUR at the Dutch store (ex VAT), not 1911 like the Spanish store lists.

Either way, if you want to purchase Avid products, I'm pretty sure you're better off going to a reseller. Especially if you need more than one item.

I guess some of the difference may be about import duties, but I´m not sure. The difference is too big.

You mention the Apple Store. As I said, they have the same policy, wich is higly questioned by consumer organizations. Look at the i-tunes Store. What import dutie may be applied to a download?

I have bought software before in on-line stores, and I´ve never seen this outside Avid or Apple.

I can buy anything from Amazon and I´ll pay the equivalent in Euros of the orginal price in US Dollars. Not a single Euro more.

1 Euro has more value than 1 Dollar. That´s how it is. So, for the same product in Dollars, I should pay less Euros. That´s how electronic shopping works. Sometimes you have to add taxes, but here in Spain, that´s only 16 per cent.

If a company charges more Euros, we are paying more, again, proportionally. I doubt is even legal.

I´ve done some research about the i-tunes Store:

The European Union is actually studing legal actions against Apple, they want to force Apple to have a single on-line Store, no matter what country you make the purchase from, and with a single price structure, so everyone pays the same for the product, no matter where they are.

It is a case of discrimination.

Avid is doing the same.

I´ll say it again. Normally, it´s not like this in electronic shopping. Only some companies do this.

Flavio.

Now, look at this:

If I have to pay 1999 Euros for Avid Xpress Pro, do you know how much would that be in Us Dollars?

2700 Us Dollars!!!!!!!!!

Here that? 2700 Us Dollars!!!!!

Come on!!! 1 Euro is 1.36 Dollars and I have to pay that much?????????

The world upside down?????? Have they gone crazy?????

FCS 2 is 1249 Euros. So for the price of Avid Xpress Pro I can buy two copies of FCS 2?????? Not even Media Composer... I mean... Avid Xress Pro?????

Don´t you see this pricing policy is completly wrong?

Marianna, are you in the states aware of this? Do you know that a Spanish guy is paying nearly 700 Euros more for the exact same product?

I mean, how can that happen if, again, Euros have more value than Us Dollars???

This needs clarification.

Flavio.

Job ter Burg:

at the Dutch Apple Store.  That's the way the cookie crumbles.

I wonder can you buy Dutch Apple Pie, from there???  ...  mmmmmm  

Bump...

I´d really like to hear an Avid official word about this issue.

Hi,

Marianna's out until later this week. 

Marianna Out of the Office

If I were in your shoes, I'd send her a PM or email when she gets back and let her know your concerns.

good luck,
Carl

Thanks a lot, Carl...

I forgot about that.

What´s incredible for me, is also the fact that most of the time the Avid Media Composer appears as sold out...

Flavio.

I can buy anything from Amazon and I´ll pay the equivalent in Euros of the orginal price in US Dollars. Not a single Euro more.

That's only true for cheaper items (commercial items under EUR 22 and private sales under EUR 45; numbers according to Dutch customs, but I reckon these are EU rules). As soon as you make larger orders, you will need to pay import duties on your Amazon purchases as well. Actually, you will have to declare them yourself. EU customs do check  up on international purchases (though not all of them of course). Try buying some hardware outside of the EU and have it shipped and imported, you will see that there will be a significant price difference.

There's a difference between buying and selling within and from outside the EU. If I sell you a product from the Netherlands, and you are a Spanish VAT registered business, I can sell you the item with 0% VAT. You will pay VAT in Spain, which you as a VAT registered company will be refunded. If I sell the same item to a US company, by law I will have to charge them (up to 19%) Dutch VAT, there will be higher shipping costs, and they will probably have to pay import duties. All of that makes for quite a difference, I would think.
 
Different pricing in different markets is not a question of discrimination, it is a question of protected markets. Which may be questionable, but also common practice, and not just at Apple and Avid, as you seem to imply. And it's not just a corporate strategy, it's also tax legislation.

What it boils down to is this: if the online store does not carry stock, and/or you do not like their price, don't buy from them. Find a reseller that will give you a good price and the service you think you need.

As I understand, there is no import duties on software. If it was, it would only be the standard 4% as most industrial products has in EU. I do not know if Mojo is a computer part (4%) or a video recorder (14%). But still the price difference is big.

One explanation is the lack of competition in Europe compare to US. It is easier to charge the customer more in Europe.

Another explanation is that companies with large exports buy futures to safe their chash flow in domestic currency. That will let Avid set the price in Euro for a year in advance and give them the USD they budget for.

VAT is not an issue becasuse prices is exclusive VAT.

I think the explanation is a combination of this two.

Sorry to insist, but...

is there any way I can get an Avid word about this issue?


Flavio.

Not here Flavio. This is a User's only forum. Avid does not discuss policies or procedures here.

Email Marianna directly:

customer_advocate@avid.com.

Yes, I know that, but I was told my issue was sent to Marianna by a moderator.

I´ll write directly to her.

Thanks...

Flavio.