So, Obviously for Blizzard a Dollar is as much as Euro? Total Ripoff!!

[gorcorps]

If you're quibbling over $20 you shouldn't be buying games in the first place.

 

[Craig234]

VAT is 20% in UK and typical throughout Europe - I'd guess Blizzard EU and their servers would be based in Germany and that would be the tax point for a download so the VAT rate would be 19%.

Throughout the EU businesses collect the tax, it's mandatory and consumer prices are always inclusive of VAT.

The info I've seen is that you don't have to pay VAT for download-only products without a box, CD, etc.

 

[gothamhunter]

The VAT.

Ah yes, gotcha.

 

[SMOGZINN]

Its to stop gray market sales most likely. Typical problems with games these days. Buy in one region, sell in another for profit.

That is right, globalization is only suppose to work for large corporations.

 

[Lonyo]

The info I've seen is that you don't have to pay VAT for download-only products without a box, CD, etc.

The info you've seen is incorrect.

4. Prices and payment. Prices include any applicable value-added tax. The costs of delivery will be displayed in addition to the price of the product, depending on the country selected by you. Physical Products are sold to you on a pre-payment basis. Payment is due immediately. Different payment methods indicated during the ordering process, such as credit card, direct debit or Battle.net Balance, will be available to you. For the use of any third party payment and billing provider, such as PayPal, that provider’s additional terms and costs may apply.

http://eu.blizzard.com/en-gb/company/about/termsofsale.html

Are taxes collected for Steam purchases?

If you made an online order for a Valve product and you are an international customer there may be taxes or VAT charges that are mandated by your country added to your purchase.

To determine whether or not taxes will be assessed for your order, please enter your payment information and check the total order price before confirming your order. You will have the opportunity to cancel the transaction after seeing the tax.

Valve Corporation reports VAT declarations on a quarterly basis to HM Revenue & Customs in the UK, who then distributes to the various EU member countries.

Valve Corporation's eleven character "Special Scheme" identification number is:

EU 826 000 671

HM Revenue & Customs can be contacted by telephone in the UK at 0845 010 9000 (+44 208 929 0152 for international callers), or via their website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=8360-WEJC-2625

6. What are your prices in different countries?
Our prices are always the same, worldwide. It doesn't matter whether you live in the sunny Bahamas (lucky you!) or some place where polar bears roam the streets, it's always in USD either $5.99 or $9.99 per game. Our company is based in Europe and VAT/tax is included in the games' prices. This means that GOG.com will always charge you $5.99 or $9.99 per game. However please be advised that we are based in Europe and have no control over your bank's additional international/card transaction fees (where applicable). Most banks don't charge their customers extra, but if you use funds already present on you PayPal account to buy games on GOG.com, you will be able to avoid any such additional costs.

http://www.gog.com/en/support/website_help/payments_pricing_promos


European registered/based companies/subsidiaries have to charge VAT on European purchases.
Some have tax free prices for non EU countries, some don't.

In the US, many states also now require sales taxes to be collected, and Blizzard/Amazon/Newegg do this on digital and physical sales.

 

[lamedude]

Blame those consumer rights you Europeans like to so much. I always hear Europeans talk about how great it is that their stuff has mandortory 2 years warranties. Well that stuff ain't free. Since everyone else is doing $1=€1 to cover those costs Blizz is going with the flow.

 

[Arsinek]

About 2 hours ago i bought the digital version on battle.net which correctly charged me $59.99.

One of the main things i am looking forward with DIII is playing with wife/friends.

So..a little later, wife logged in HER battle.net account and bought the game for her, since she started complaining that i am pre-loading and she is not.

Not sure, her battle.net account is set to "Europe" or something, i didn't keep too much attention, i just saw the "59.99" number and we wanted to get the game for her quickly. (Which we paid via Paypal as i did with my copy).

Low and behold, for THIS purchase they then charged € (EURO) 59.99 which is about $80.

I think i have a reason to be pissed since i consider $80 for a game fricking outrageous - together with their assumption that a dollar seems to be worth the same as an Euro ie. $59.99 = €59.99

How the **** do they charge more to people in EU and less for those in the US..it's the same digital downlod, the same exact game. We both got it from battle.net.

How many euros does a gallon of milk cost?

 

[borisvodofsky]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... that's we get rest of the world...

 

[StinkyPinky]

You think that's bad...you should see what Australians (and NZ'ers) pay.

90 AUD at the Blizzard store, which is about $90 USD.

The new call of duty is $99.

THey're just doing that to keep the retailers happy.

 

[shortylickens]

It probably has something to do with them not wanting to undercut their own retail sales in the EU. It's the same deal on steam and other services...usually outside of north America people pay more. You should see Australia. I think games are equivalent to around usd $90 there.

Yup.
America leads in games. We get the best prices.

You guys have free health care, what are you crying about?

 

[flexy]

How many euros does a gallon of milk cost?

I don't know, we don't sell milk in weird "gallons"

 

[gsaldivar]

Europe is more cultured so they have to pay more. Fat Americans need as much money as possible for McDonald's and Walmart so they pay less for gamez.

Seems accurate.

 

[JD50]

Sounds more like operator error to me.

 

[Grooveriding]

Europe is more cultured so they have to pay more. Fat Americans need as much money as possible for McDonald's and Walmart so they pay less for gamez.

 

[Farmer]

At least you can play the game you paid for.

 

[Ben90]

Honestly, I'm kinda glad the servers have been having these problems. I haven't laughed this hard with my friends in a very long time.

 

[Lonyo]

Yup.
America leads in games. We get the best prices.

You guys have free health care, what are you crying about?

You don't get the best prices by a long shot, even compared to some other western countries.
The UK is almost always cheaper for games than the US.
Then there are obvious countries like Russia and those in Asia.

 

[Arsinek]

I don't know, we don't sell milk in weird "gallons"

Ok, what would be the equivalent of a gallon and how many euros does it cost?

 

[Mem]

Ok, what would be the equivalent of a gallon and how many euros does it cost?

In UK milk is in pints,

Note: US gallons and UK gallons are not the same, as with pints. For safest conversion we can go via Litres as its a fixed international standard.

US gallon = 3.79 Litres
UK gallon = 4.5 Litres

US pint = 473 mL
UK pint = 568 mL

Therefore there are roughly 8 pints in a gallon if you are using the same country's standards. ...but as the Americans use gallons a lot on the net, and British folk still count liquid in pints a lot.. there are 6.7 UK pints to 1 US Gallon.
1 Gallon = 8 pints
1 pint = 0.12 gallon

6 pints of milk in UK is around £1.74 ($2.77)http://groceries.asda.com/asda-estore/search/searchcontainer.jsp?trailSize=1&searchString=milk&domainName=Products&headerVersion=v1&_requestid=100966

 

[Ausm]

Probably because they have little or no confidence in the stability of the Euro.

 

[epidemis]

Where the Hell do you live that has 20% tax?

Plus, buying it online doesn't require it to be taxed and most people don't claim it.

20% is nuttin'. Here we have 25%

 

[PrayForDeath]

If you're quibbling over $20 you shouldn't be buying games in the first place.

People usually don't like paying 33% extra for no reason.

 

[Arsinek]

In UK milk is in pints,



6 pints of milk in UK is around £1.74 ($2.77)http://groceries.asda.com/asda-esto...e=Products&headerVersion=v1&_requestid=100966

Lol, Im straying away from why I brought this up but now Im just curious. What do brits buy their milk in? Like you dont buy 6 individual 1 pint containers of milk I assume.

 

[thespyder]

I put the entire rant down to tax for the stupid. if you don't pay enough attention to what you are doing, you are going to get jipped. Beyond that, it is whatever the market will bare. So if people are willing to pay $80 for a game, the company is going to charge $80 for that game. Pure and simple. Doesn't make them "EVIL" or corrupt, merely smart business people.

 

[Mem]

Lol, Im straying away from why I brought this up but now Im just curious. What do brits buy their milk in? Like you dont buy 6 individual 1 pint containers of milk I assume.

Milk over here comes in different sizes ie 1 ,2,4,6 pint containers so its down to what you prefer and how much you drink .