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Post by shallacatop on Mar 21, 2019 15:07:23 GMT
March 2019 When Big Finish began offering digital download purchases over ten years ago, we implemented a pricing policy for our overseas customers at a 1:1 conversion rate. For example, if a UK customer paid £12.99 for a download, a US customer would pay $12.99 for that download. (Physical CDs remained priced with currency conversion rates applied.) At the time, download sales were a very small part of our business, and the high value of the UK pound in currency exchange rates made it difficult for many overseas customers to afford our products. However, in the intervening years the trend for downloading has dramatically increased. At the same time, the UK’s currency has fallen significantly in value and continues to face an uncertain future. We have also become aware of an increasing minority of UK Big Finish customer accounts using false overseas details to purchase downloads. The issue of pricing products for different markets throughout the world is a difficult and sensitive one, because of the variations in currency values and the assumptions and expectations in local, national markets. Different consumers in different parts of the world have different expectations about different kinds of products across the board. Put simply, what seems cheap, just right or too expensive in one country might not seem so in another, because of a number of complex factors, not least tradition. Therefore, we have decided that a change in policy is necessary because of the significant change in currency exchange rates and also because some customers have expressed to us that the 1:1 conversion rate is unfair. From April 1st 2019, all international pricing for digital downloads will be updated daily in line with UK currency pricing applied at the relevant conversion rate as shown on the exchange website XE.com. Third party payment website rates may show a small variation to our guide price. All orders placed before April 1st 2019 will be honoured under the current pricing scheme. www.bigfinish.com/pages/v/important-information-for-our-customers-overseas
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lidar2
Castellan
You know, now that you mention it, I actually do rather like Attack of the Cybermen ...
Likes: 5,813
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Post by lidar2 on Mar 21, 2019 15:13:38 GMT
Well spotted. How did you ever find it? I can't see the link from the BF home page
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Post by newt5996 on Mar 21, 2019 15:20:01 GMT
Well, there goes a lot of my purchases, but hey sales are still a thing.
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Post by mark687 on Mar 21, 2019 15:22:40 GMT
Well, there goes a lot of my purchases, but hey sales are still a thing. Why? Do you still prefer CD?
Regards
mark687
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Post by newt5996 on Mar 21, 2019 15:28:14 GMT
Well, there goes a lot of my purchases, but hey sales are still a thing. Why? Do you still prefer CD?
Regards
mark687
No but the download increases makes a 6 month main range subscription about $75ish where it's currently $54 so instead of being able to do that I'm pretty limited to essentially buying 3 main range stories at a time for what will now be $52 (and hey a 3 month subscription option wouldn't necessarily be bad) due to being stuck in a minimum wage job.
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Post by Digi on Mar 21, 2019 15:34:52 GMT
Wow.
Currently $1 CAD = £0.57 GBP.
So prices are effectively being doubled for me.
I guess I’m not going to buying much anymore.
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Post by Ela on Mar 21, 2019 15:50:43 GMT
My price increases by 1/3 at the current exchange rate. Guess I'll order some stuff now that I was planning to wait till later to order.
For the future, will just have to see what the exchange rate is at the time the item goes on sale.
Or wait for really good sales.
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Post by mark687 on Mar 21, 2019 16:14:51 GMT
Just how much business could they be losing now through people saying current pricing methods are unfair and UK Customers using oversees payment methods. that they risk the loyal steady stream of oversees DL Customers by letting the exchange rate dictate a near double increase in price?
EDIT
The Date makes me wonder though
Regards
mark687
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Post by muckypup on Mar 21, 2019 16:27:00 GMT
sorry overseas guys....but it really is about time
how ever you dress it up UK buyers have been supporting overseas and that just not fair
it was unfair to begin with and even more so now...…..
I remember some getting very upset about the move in the first place on the old forum and not buying anymore and leaving the forums
in some territory's the difference is almost 50%
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Post by sherlock on Mar 21, 2019 16:28:40 GMT
Kinda surprised Big Finish have stuck with 1:1 as long as they have with the...inconsistent value of the pound in recent years.
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Post by Digi on Mar 21, 2019 16:34:54 GMT
Out of curiosity, and for totally anecdotal purposes, what do you UK-based folks pay for common items? Let's say, as an example:
A can of Coke from a vending machine? An album on iTunes? An Egg McMuffin?
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Post by Ela on Mar 21, 2019 16:35:20 GMT
Just how much business could they be losing now through people saying current pricing methods are unfair and UK Customers using oversees payment methods. that they risk the loyal steady stream of oversees DL Customers by letting the exchange rate dictate a near double increase in price?
EDIT
The Date makes me wonder though
Regards
mark687
It's a ploy to get people to order a bunch of stuff before April 1.
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Post by muckypup on Mar 21, 2019 16:40:41 GMT
Out of curiosity, and for totally anecdotal purposes, what do you UK-based folks pay for common items? Let's say, as an example: A can of Coke from a vending machine? An album on iTunes? An Egg McMuffin? coke is about 75p - £1....in general albums are about £10 mc donalds stuff is about £3 - £6 for main menu items
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Post by masterdoctor on Mar 21, 2019 16:41:02 GMT
For Canada, that means that every pound is worth 1.75 Cad. That’s almost double the price. The updated prices would look somewhat like this, rounded to the nearest dollar when prices are currently x.99
8.00 = 14.00 13.00 = 22.75 20.00 = 35.00 25.00 = 43.75
This will also make downloads almost the same price, if not the same, as physical copies? So I have to ask what the point of buying downloads is anymore? There is almost no price difference, excluding postage... This is really going to make me reconsider buying at all, as I have no interest in many ranges being owned on CD, and I may cut down to only a few essential ranges.
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Post by mark687 on Mar 21, 2019 16:46:23 GMT
Out of curiosity, and for totally anecdotal purposes, what do you UK-based folks pay for common items? Let's say, as an example: A can of Coke from a vending machine? An album on iTunes? An Egg McMuffin? Egg Mcmuffin £2.79 on its own £4.19 as a meal deal
I-Tunes Album £8-£10
Can of Coke about £1 I think
Regards
mark687
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Post by shallacatop on Mar 21, 2019 16:49:11 GMT
Kinda surprised Big Finish have stuck with 1:1 as long as they have with the...inconsistent value of the pound in recent years. Yeah, it’s less of an increase in price and more the end of a very long sale.
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Post by masterdoctor on Mar 21, 2019 16:51:10 GMT
Also, what about the fact that jobs in varying countries make the same-ish numerically, yet not value. An example, An accountant in Canada make average of 50k in Cad a year, and in Britain 62k in GBP, so even then, pricing changes seriously screw over international customers, likely meaning less direct purchases/third parties like Amazon. I have to say that I’m really disappointed in this decision and the effect it has, yet I understand why, even if I think that it’s overwrought and blown out of proportion.
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Post by relativetime on Mar 21, 2019 16:55:40 GMT
Well, good things can't last forever, but it seems a shame it had to happen all the same. Like some other people here, there's a few things I'm going to have to preorder ahead of when I originally planned to and some ranges I'm probably going to have to stop following in the future to save money. I reckon I've been spoiling myself with purchases lately anyways - might do my wallet some good to get a bit of a reprieve.
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Post by masterdoctor on Mar 21, 2019 16:59:44 GMT
Finally, I have to ask, did the 1:1 policy really effect UK customers? I see some felt it was unfair, but the fact that many jobs pay more or equally(numerically) in th uk than other countries caused me to question this. I also am disappointed that people gamed the system and kindness Big Finish showed to international countries.
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Post by mark687 on Mar 21, 2019 17:00:32 GMT
And as usual (and I do say this with all respect) another significant change in policy snuck in under the Radar.
Regards
mark687
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