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Post by project37 on Mar 21, 2019 23:54:29 GMT
I should have taken a screenshot earlier, as it honestly didn't render with the notice. Here's what I'm seeing now. I guess it was a good run while it lasted.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2019 23:54:56 GMT
Must've happened a couple minutes ago, but the website now has a red banner leading to the notice. So, they're not trying to bury it at least. Still... It's not good news. It turns a single Monthly Release into a $52AUD purchase, not including tariffs and taxes, so any sort of physical media is well out now. That leaves the downloads. I can't jump right in before the price is raised because of how I'm paid, so there are a few orders/preorders which I'll just have to drop entirely. It pretty much curve-stomps plans I had to look into Ravenous.
No, the announcement has been linked on the website in that manner for hours. I commented on it 6 hours ago.*sigh* Does it really matter?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2019 23:59:43 GMT
On top of the shipping rate is also an additional levy enforced by the government, which is non-negotiable. Basically, you pay the price of the product (fair), pay the price of shipping (can hurt, but we manage), then the levy on top of that. Per package and regardless of price. That's a fee, on top of a fee, on top of a fee. So, that aspect isn't Big Finish's fault. Not by any stretch of the imagination. But it does factor into overseas purchases quite substantially. ^ this by Wolfie. Multiple charges. Like i keep saying, the spot weekend $ales don't really work for us Aussies. An extra AUS $11.94 per cd on top of the normal postage and handling charges. Double dipping :-( It's... painful, to say the least. What starts off as $100AUD for two releases rapidly turns into $200AUD for two releases and it's just not worth it. Credit ever to Book Depository, they've addressed this and kept the delivery free.
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Post by Ela on Mar 21, 2019 23:59:49 GMT
I saw the banner earlier today and was preparing to pre-order nearly $100 USD worth of material as one last hurrah. However, the "Important Notice" banner is now gone (7:28pm EST on Thursday March 21st). I remember when the downloads started years ago, it was to encourage US buyers like me to stop pirating because of the skyrocketing cost of the imported CDs. I know they're in a tough position, but I can't see how raising the prices for downloads will help on that front. I love the random weekend sales (and holiday sales) and have made a number of impulse buys when the download prices are kept low. The banner is still there. I double checked on another computer. In Safari you can hardly see it, in Firefox it is a huge red banner with white lettering. They probably updated it and you're seeing a cached version on Safari. I'm now seeing a bright red banner on Safari and Chrome but not on Firefox (which is probably still showing me the cached version from earlier in the day).
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Post by Ela on Mar 22, 2019 0:01:36 GMT
*sigh* Does it really matter? I guess not, but not sure why you seem irritated about me pointing it out. I didn't mean anything personal, just making an observation. Edit: Actually I think it matters insofar as people have been discussing for hours that Big Finish hid the announcement on their website. They actually didn't. They posted it in a way so poorly thought out that it was barely visible unless you looked hard for it. At least until they recently updated it. But I shouldn't have quoted you when pointing that out. It was a general comment, not specifically aimed at you.
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Post by Ela on Mar 22, 2019 0:02:18 GMT
I should have taken a screenshot earlier, as it honestly didn't render with the notice. Here's what I'm seeing now. I guess it was a good run while it lasted.
Yeah, that's what I was seeing, till I looked on a different browser.
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Post by barnabaslives on Mar 22, 2019 0:09:15 GMT
I'm not sure what to make of this news. Depending on further events, it may come at a particularly terrible time. I hope it doesn't prove to be a deciding factor as to whether or not I'm able to continue my lavish download patronage of all things Doctor Who as well as other Big Finish ranges, but it could (and I hope my completionist tendencies don't try to turn it into an all-or-nothing proposition).
If it's fair it's fair, but I'm still not quite sure what is (probably have to see the books, lol). UK customers might have been subsidizing download customers, but the closer download prices creep to the prices of physical product, the more I wonder if download customers haven't been subsidizing physical product buyers. Do people who pay regular prices subsidize sales prices? I'm not sure I know.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2019 0:32:14 GMT
*sigh* Does it really matter? I guess not, but not sure why you seem irritated about me pointing it out. I didn't mean anything personal, just making an observation. Edit: Actually I think it matters insofar as people have been discussing for hours that Big Finish hid the announcement on their website. They actually didn't. They posted it in a way so poorly thought out that it was barely visible unless you looked hard for it. At least until they recently updated it. But I shouldn't have quoted you when pointing that out. It was a general comment, not specifically aimed at you. Not irritated, just depressed by it. The comment looked very "first post". But it wasn't, so let's leave it at that.
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Post by Ela on Mar 22, 2019 0:36:20 GMT
I guess not, but not sure why you seem irritated about me pointing it out. I didn't mean anything personal, just making an observation. Edit: Actually I think it matters insofar as people have been discussing for hours that Big Finish hid the announcement on their website. They actually didn't. They posted it in a way so poorly thought out that it was barely visible unless you looked hard for it. At least until they recently updated it. But I shouldn't have quoted you when pointing that out. It was a general comment, not specifically aimed at you. Not irritated, just depressed by it. The comment looked very "first post". But it wasn't, so let's leave it at that. Yeah, it wasn't meant be be a "first post" thing at all. I'm fine with leaving it at that.
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Post by bohnny on Mar 22, 2019 0:39:00 GMT
I know they are not obliged to, but more than one paycheque’s notice would have been appreciated.
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Post by captainpugwash on Mar 22, 2019 0:40:14 GMT
So.....okay gonna be blunt: What's the big deal with Australian shipping? I hear people talking about it so much (with Australia being a big mention) and I honestly don't get what the issue is. I think the international shipping rates with Big Finish rate from "Standard" to "Better than many other sites, and a heckload better than Amazon ever was." So I've never had an issue, I've always thought the prices were very reasonable. I don't understand why Australian buyers are buying direct? Surely it's cheaper to buy the CDs from book depository?
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Post by Whovitt on Mar 22, 2019 0:56:10 GMT
So.....okay gonna be blunt: What's the big deal with Australian shipping? I hear people talking about it so much (with Australia being a big mention) and I honestly don't get what the issue is. I think the international shipping rates with Big Finish rate from "Standard" to "Better than many other sites, and a heckload better than Amazon ever was." So I've never had an issue, I've always thought the prices were very reasonable. The shipping costs to Australia can be a little bit situational, but the price of shipping subscriptions is shocking. Here's an example: Main Range CD standard shipping = $2.76 + $11.98 (per order charge) Main Range CD standard shipping for 12 releases therefore = $45.10 Main Range 12-story sub shipping ( retrospective) = $33.17 (which is approximately equal to $2.76 x 12, give or take 5 cents) Main Range 12-story sub shipping (pre-order) = $110.57!!! (which is equal to $9.21 per CD!)
There's simply no reason for why there should be such an enormous difference in prices! Where does the additional $77.45 come from for pre-ordering? Box sets are not that different: Ravenous 1 standard shipping = $5.53 + $11.98 (per order charge) Complete Ravenous bough separately = $34.10 Ravenous bundle = $29.49 Sure, there are a small amount of savings in buying the bundle, but because postage is cumulative outside the UK (i.e. there's no cap), we end up paying ridiculous amounts on shipping collectively, such as with the 12-story pre-order sub in the Main Range. So, as in that example, if $9.21 per CD is "Standard" or "Better than many other sites", I'd be amazed.
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Post by Whovitt on Mar 22, 2019 0:58:03 GMT
So.....okay gonna be blunt: What's the big deal with Australian shipping? I hear people talking about it so much (with Australia being a big mention) and I honestly don't get what the issue is. I think the international shipping rates with Big Finish rate from "Standard" to "Better than many other sites, and a heckload better than Amazon ever was." So I've never had an issue, I've always thought the prices were very reasonable. I don't understand why Australian buyers are buying direct? Surely it's cheaper to buy the CDs from book depository? But then we don't get access to the downloads via the website nor the app, and both of those are appreciated as well. Also, you can't get the exclusive extras that come with some releases without buying directly from Big Finish, so there are a couple of very valid reasons for wanting to buy direct.
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Post by theother on Mar 22, 2019 1:00:09 GMT
Question: Does the UK 10% discount on orders over £50 apply only on physical media or to downloads as well?
Being from the USA, I have never paid much attention to this and did not readily see the answer on the BF website.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2019 1:13:49 GMT
I don't understand why Australian buyers are buying direct? Surely it's cheaper to buy the CDs from book depository? But then we don't get access to the downloads via the website nor the app, and both of those are appreciated as well. Also, you can't get the exclusive extras that come with some releases without buying directly from Big Finish, so there are a couple of very valid reasons for wanting to by direct. For a while there, before the web special prices came into effect, that blanket of exclusives also included what became CD-only releases like Real Time or the Benny Summerfield stories. What hasn't changed is that on top of that, Book Depository can paradoxically have the listing, but no stock. It's on the site, but it isn't purchasable.
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Post by redsharkJason on Mar 22, 2019 1:28:34 GMT
The thing we are forgetting is has this 1:1 policy grown its overseas base as was intended or just maintained it with less funds coming in........as it’s ending I suspect the answer is not really. But I suspect that by closing this policy down, be it to close a loophole, stop a perceived injustice or to sleathly raise prices.....in long term it will push up piracy certainly for overseas listeners and probally reduce income..........leading to less ranges and less releases......... And to try and put a positive spin this might be better for us all, as some times you can have too much of a good thing......hehe Big Finish's 1:1 policy on download pricing has always surprised me and I can sympathize with UK residents who feel robbed. That said, a £10 download will now cost $18 CAD. (The UK pound has actually been increasing in value against the Commonwealth Countries' dollars over the last year.) Should overseas customers be paying more than the 1:1 - yes, probably. However, is there a price point on audio downloads where a market like America won't on average be willing to pay? Could this be one of the factors why Big Finish previously went with the 1:1? Should international pricing be set at an increased fixed price instead of relying on a daily and sometimes harsh exchange rate? I mention this because I have always noticed that the download for an episode of Star Trek: Prometheus is fixed at $12.99 CAD instead of the £9.99 cost that would be displayed for a UK resident...and usually an international customer in their 1:1 dollars.
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Post by Audio Watchdog on Mar 22, 2019 1:34:31 GMT
I should have taken a screenshot earlier, as it honestly didn't render with the notice. Here's what I'm seeing now. I guess it was a good run while it lasted.
That is exactly the way it looks on my PC via Firefox and my iPad.
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Post by Ela on Mar 22, 2019 2:09:41 GMT
Should overseas customers be paying more than the 1:1 - yes, probably. However, is there a price point on audio downloads where a market like America won't on average be willing to pay? Could this be one of the factors why Big Finish previously went with the 1:1? Should international pricing be set at an increased fixed price instead of relying on a daily and sometimes harsh exchange rate? Big Finish previously used the explanation of "what the market would bear" or what Americans (to use your example) would be willing to pay as the reason for the 1:1 pricing. I don't know if the price people would be willing to pay is still an issue, but it seems to be less important than the issue of people who cheat by pretending to be buying from outside the UK to get a lower price.
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Post by Digi on Mar 22, 2019 2:19:48 GMT
Sent my email to enquiries a little while ago.... I deliberately specified that I didn't require a reply, just that I was expressing my dismay and unhappiness with the changes and here's why. But I'll share here, if I hear anything back.
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Post by barnabaslives on Mar 22, 2019 3:00:14 GMT
The shipping costs to Australia can be a little bit situational, but the price of shipping subscriptions is shocking. Here's an example: Main Range CD standard shipping = $2.76 + $11.98 (per order charge) Main Range CD standard shipping for 12 releases therefore = $45.10 Main Range 12-story sub shipping ( retrospective) = $33.17 (which is approximately equal to $2.76 x 12, give or take 5 cents) Main Range 12-story sub shipping (pre-order) = $110.57!!! (which is equal to $9.21 per CD!)
There's simply no reason for why there should be such an enormous difference in prices! Where does the additional $77.45 come from for pre-ordering? Wait, I'm a little confused - did they actually ever implement an option of having a sub dispatched as one shipment only when all of the titles in it have been released? I thought I kept hearing that was an unfavorable option because it involved CDs taking up valuable warehouse space or something. I'm assuming if a sub goes out as 12 dispatches (instead of as one like a retro-sub), that each individual CD might accrue a per-order charge. Could that be where the $9.21 per CD charge comes from here? Maybe there's a lot of money to be saved by being six months behind on non-boxset items? Dunno - like I said, I'm a little confused.
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