BeeZharr:
It is an expensive book, and we pay 12% shipping in the UK from Forge World, which is more than any other mail order company I’ve come across. I was responding to the Black Orc box example. For the cost of 2 Black Orc boxes in pounds, I can buy more than he was claiming (unless you live in London, in which case it’s probably about right).
Groznit Goregut:
It is an expensive book, and we pay 12% shipping in the UK from Forge World, which is more than any other mail order company I've come across. I was responding to the Black Orc box example. For the cost of 2 Black Orc boxes in pounds, I can buy more than he was claiming (unless you live in London, in which case it's probably about right).My prices would be London prices. My prices here are also not NYC, but more the "fancier" places to go with no discounts, etc. I've lived and worked in Scotland and am familiar with the price of living for day to day items. OK, I didn't usually pay £4 for my drinks, but I've been to pubs that tried to charge me that. I didn't stay long. Compared to the US, I am talking about buying import beer or Samuel Adams. I don't compare US domestic "beer" to decent, domestic beer in UK. I would have a hard time in the US to find a good beer for less than $3 without a special, though.
BeeZharr
snowblizz:
VAT isn't arbitrary - it's only on non-essentials, so you don't pay it on food for example.It is indeed absolutely not arbitrary. It is used to "punish" consumption really. And it varies considerably. The EU (how applicable that is to the "exception nations" I'm not sure) allows 3 "levels" of VAT, but each country is free to set them as they wish. Food generally is taxed lower, though eg we have a 13% VAT on food, 8% on travel, books, newspapers and 23% I think now on everything else.
Thommy H
So that whopper meal we're apparently using as a measure if the cost of living (which is the most depressing thing I've ever read on this forum, btw) isn't even necessarily a useful data point (since GW products would include VAT in the price).It's not as crazy as it sounds. Usually one talks about the "BicMac Index". It's about "purchase price parity" I think as the official term. The point is to pick something that is the same everywhere, hence the BicMac and compare the price which compensates for exchange rates and what not. Supposed to give you an idea about "cost of living". Obviously it's really a lot more complicated, but the idea does work as a rough guide. For many years buying a hamburger in Sweden was several times cheaper then it was in Finland at MacDonalds. Despite Finland and Sweden being very similar in most respects with VAT and everything and Sweden having higher per capita income. Some of the same holds true still, a pizza in Stockholm is incredibly cheap by my local standards.Then again buying an apartment is locally is less expensive than in Stockholm. I can't recall how things like that impact the PPP idea anymore.
Thommy H
Honestly, how else can they do it? Exchange rate is good enough for every other industry. Sorry our higher cost of living means you have to pay comparatively more but, hey, that's international trading for you.Actually companies do price their products "appropriately" for different markets. It's a choice you can make. A Finnish dairy company sold it's butter for a fraction of the price in Estonia. Which of course led to people grumbling and buying butter as well as alcohol on their day trips. Of course that was just a minority so they weren't losing out by doing it. In other words selling "cheap" butter in Estonia netted them more than they lost in sales at home.
Thommy H
Coopervisor:
I’m from the UK and wouldn’t say it’s because I’m just not aware of the cost of it for you in the states. All sorts of things are cheaper in the US (with my travel experience being limited to big cities only), food, clothes, petrol.
It’s a book that has been produced and priced with the UK market in mind. I’m presuming they price it at £45 first, then any other price is taken from the exchange rate. It’s not like GW where they have a different price structure for UK and the US (or AUS)
For example on the book costing £51.
For that price on the UK GW site, you can get two boxes of Iron Hands.
To buy the same items from the US site costs you $90, which at the exchange rate is ~£58.50
The same items from the AUS site would cost $138, which at the current exchange rate is ~£84.60
So while I concede that the cost of buying from GW is more expensive for you in the US than me in the UK (but neither as bad as our Aussie cousins), I don’t see how the same can apply to FW as you get what ever the exchange rate is. After all, you are importing the item. Not buying the same product produced locally.
I’m more annoyed that you only pay 3% more in postage than I do, even though I live an hour away from Nottingham… 
Thommy H:
Okay, well obviously this is a more nuanced issue than I realised. I’m notoriously ignorant about anything to do with economics - probably because I hate boring stuff. Carry on as if I hadn’t interjected!
(I didn’t even know VAT was different on different products.)
Groznit Goregut:
I'm from the UK and wouldn't say it's because I'm just not aware of the cost of it for you in the states.I'm not singling you out with my rant. I just know from experience of talking to others of your countrymen that they are generally ignorant of this idea when it comes to GW (and FW) products.
Coopervisor
For example on the book costing £51.My point isn't that overall I pay more for a GW item after all conversion rates. So, your example is not what I am complaining about. For what you are talking about is a difference of £7.50. I am talking more about the basic price of two boxes of Iron Hands in the Big Mac Index. So, what you pay for the two boxes vs. what I pay for the two boxes in equivalent Big Macs (or beer, or music, or movie tickets, or
For that price on the UK GW site, you can get two boxes of Iron Hands.
To buy the same items from the US site costs you $90, which at the exchange rate is ~£58.50
Coopervisor
So while I concede that the cost of buying from GW is more expensive for you in the US than me in the UK (but neither as bad as our Aussie cousins), I don't see how the same can apply to FW as you get what ever the exchange rate is. After all, you are importing the item. Not buying the same product produced locally.Oh, I'm not saying I should pay the same amount in $ as you are in £! I'm only lamenting the situation and releasing my frustration in a "vent", sometimes known as a "rant". I'm an annoying whiner who's just bitching. :P
Coopervisor
Ugly Green Trog:
I know GWs in the Uk tend to stock a very limited supply of IA books these days so perhaps ask your local GW if they are doing the same in the US and if so are they getting Tamurkan
Coopervisor:
I think your problem is spending all your spare cash on Big Macs and Whoppers 
In all seriousness, it’s a tough one to work out. I can see where you’re coming from, but it’s all so subjective that it’s hard to make accurate comparisons. Between the cost of living in different areas even in the same country (eg, London prices compared to most northern towns), to different salaries and local taxes.
Also, I don’t feel normal unless I’m moaning about something, so you’re not alone there.
Anyway, perhaps we should just agree on the fact they need to release this book sooner?
Groznit Goregut:
I know GWs in the Uk tend to stock a very limited supply of IA books these days so perhaps ask your local GW if they are doing the same in the US and if so are they getting TamurkanThat might work....if the "local" GW store wasn't a 7 hour drive. :o
Ugly Green Trog
I think your problem is spending all your spare cash on Big Macs and Whoppers ;)Ha! Or maybe that I spend too much on GW and am crying about not enough Whoppers? OK....I can't admit that I would cry about missing Whoppers.....
Coopervisor
Also, I don't feel normal unless I'm moaning about something, so you're not alone there.I come from a long line of complainers, but I've always tried to twist my ranting into something humorous so that those unfortunates near me might get a laugh out of it. Sometimes, though, I just vent.
Coopervisor
Anyway, perhaps we should just agree on the fact they need to release this book sooner?Definite! I did find my France list and am trying to update it with the various rumors I have found on here until then. My birthday is Friday and my in-laws still actually give cash. So, I hope an influx in funds might allow me to get GW and Whoppers. Actually, Mantic and the book!
Coopervisor
Swissdictator:
While all this is fascinating, I actually am fascinated with how things are perceived across the globe, I’m still hoping I can get the book here in the US soon. I mainly want it to be out in time for a big tournament in January (Waaaghpaca, and I recommend it). Have they given any info as to when?
On a side note on the off topic: cost of living can vary easily across the USA and Canada, even within the same state/province. I’m not sure how easily it varies in the more densly populated (and geographically smaller) British Isles (I still find it funny my home state is bigger than England (Wisconsin)). I’m sure geographic size/population density is a factor in it varying from location to location.
Groznit Goregut:
“Some time in October”.
cornixt:
To summarise:
The book is expensive, even more expensive if you have to import it from Britain.
I live in one of the more expensive parts of the US (gas prices are around $3.70 right now, in some parts it is below $3) so I can sympathise, especially since I really want to get it too.
wallacer:
I can sympathise too, since I live in New Zealand.
Those of us down under are getting it in the neck kind of bad. So much so in fact that I was actually rather pleased FW were doing the new CD stuff. At least with FW I can import directly from the UK using (gasp) actual exchange rates!
As opposed to whatever the hell it is regular GW use…
snowblizz:
On a side note on the off topic: cost of living can vary easily across the USA and Canada, even within the same state/province. I'm not sure how easily it varies in the more densly populated (and geographically smaller) British Isles (I still find it funny my home state is bigger than England (Wisconsin)). I'm sure geographic size/population density is a factor in it varying from location to location.Well, in the main in Europe the income distribution is more equalized in general so that tends toward a more homogeneous population.
Swissdictator
klemanius:
The Stockholm example is very similar to Australia. In Aust, we have Dutch Disease so bad its blown into a full 2 stage economy, the real econ growth comes out of the mining states (quensland, WA), pushing up inflation, while the eastern states are still struggling a bit (mostly NSW), yet oddly the average Sydney house price is 100 grand more than Perth’s.
Most of our pricing structures here are less a result of PPP, transport, tax, etc and much more to do with the economics of a small geographically isolated nation, that is almost every industry is an oligopoly, a duopoly or legal monopoly. Which is why I’m expected to buy a video game at EB for $120, a box of space marines for $60, $16 (after student discount) for a movie ticket or $1.50 a litre for petrol.
As far as I’m concerned picking up Tamurkhan for $75 is a steal, at least when an O&G army book cost $70 as it is.
Spikes:
In Montreal, Canada, GW prices are Price in dollar = 2x price in pounds, so if it’s 25 pounds, it’ll be 50$. Roughly.
We pay our litre of fuel (car “gas”) 1,30-1,40 per litre these days.