dougproctor

Put me down for one..... why should we in the UK be treated any differently from those across the pond? £30 does not equal $30! 23rd May for a free upgrade is the same 23rd May across the water. Well, sort of. My Axim is the same as those sold across the water, except we pay 17.5% tax on ours!!
Need I say more, equality for all................

__________________
Doug

Currently Dell Axim X50V. Back after 2 years away.
Not enough room for what I've been through in the past 12 months!

Damager

Just a guess, but I bet some of those "No's" aren't really a sign that people want others treated differently, but rather a reaction to the fact that you will never get Dell or any other company of that size to change their international presence via a poll with 30 votes in a discussion forum on a website.

Hobbes

It's also unrealistic to think you will be treated the same in a different country by the same company. Perhaps production costs in the UK are higher than in the US. Perhaps it's the shipping costs. Perhaps it costs more to run a business in the UK. Regardless, people in one country can not be held to the same financial standards as people in another. You may not think it's fair, but it's also not realistic. Determine if the price you are being charged for the upgrade is worth it to you, and if it is not, don't buy it.

MyUncle

a Global co. should set a global price....29 bucks worth of euro's, rubbels, dinar's, franc's, pound's whatever! This is disturbing! What are the pitfalls of having a Friend in the US buy a few of these and send them to one person in the UK for Distribution? maybe a couple of bucks for shipping? Let me know what else I can do to help from this side of the water!

uzziah0

Quote:

Originally posted by v2drinkers If we all club together we can change things

Who we clubbing?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anyway, there are two issues:
1) being treated differently - like things not being available when they are in the US, or not getting the upgrade for free starting at the same date. No serious person would say this should be happening, so this is a definite YES vote.

2) things costing more in other countries. This is an international economic issue, and really out of the hands of any one company; even Dell. If you go to McDonalds in the US a burger, fries, and coke costs about $5-6 in the US, and 5-6 pounds in the UK (a pound is about $1.4, so in the UK the same meal is about $7 US. It goes up and down from country to country. This is just the reality of it.
Perhaps there is an economist out there that can explain why, but I've done a little traveling and this is what I've seen.
You can even see this to an extent in different areas of the US. An apartment in the Chicago suburbs runs from $400 to $1200; and something similar out in San Diego runs at leat $200 more (and you probably get less).

I think if we want to "club" together, the first issue is the one to hit Dell with.

MyUncle

I think it's fair to conced on issue 1. no reasonable person could say otherwise.

on issue 2, how does a couple CD's cost more anywhere else? an apartment, a burger...there is local demand that effects a local market for housing, labor costs and the cost of ingredients can effect sales price of a burger...but how exactly is the price of a couple of CD's effected by ANY local concern? I could understand slightly higher shipping costs, a longer lead time due to shipping. I do not understand how a hunk of plastic with some zero's and ones on it can cost more in one place on this planet than it does in any other place on the same planet!

I would NEVER pay 7 bucks for a BIGMAC meal...NEVER!

ThinkerTDM

I don't think the problem is in the fact that prices are different. I think the problem is that people are just too lazy to do anything about it, and would rather complain on a forum than do what is needed.

Let me match this with another issue: the anti war demonstrations. Has anyone EVER heard of a politician looking out his/her window and saying, Gosh, people really hate this, I better change my view!?
No.
In fact, I would bet that when they look out the window, they don't see the people they are supposed to serve AT ALL.
How many of those demonstrators knew the address of their local congressman? How many actually wrote?
How many people actually researched the people they were voting for in the first place?
Its true that we all live in a democracy of one sort or another, yet we have forgotten the lessons taught by our government/social studies classes. The true power lies in the people.
Now, back to the price issue. Here is how I see it:
"Its not fair I have to pay more! Not fair! Waaaahh! Here you go, Mr. Dell! Heres my money!"
There are ways to make them change their minds, if your strong enough.
When I look at this forum alone, I see enough skill, were it properly focused, to bring Dell, and Microsoft, to their knees.

SSTINMAN

Is “CLUB together” the modern slogan for COMMUNISM?

I don’t know about the rest of you guys but I make my own deals when I want to purchase something. I read various forums and keep an eye out for deals on things that I want. Usually, I can snag some good deals if I wait until the time is right. Such as, I bought my Axim back in April. I paid $237 for it. I see today people are paying more that and happy about it? Dell is in business for one thing – TO MAKE MONEY. They will charge people based on how much they are willing to pay. What do you think would the effect of slow sales in the USA. A sale or promotion to raise Axim sales. Why? The USA has many more Axim customers than any other market around the world (probably more the next 10 markets combined). It’s the most important market to Dell for that reason. Do you think Dell pays as much attention to other markets? No. Other markets are like marketing experiments to see how much they can get with as little effort as possible.

A good company excels when costs are as low as possible and prices as high as possible, while providing value to your customers. If it weren’t for US based companies how many different PDAs would there be? Mabye 3 or 4 out Japan and 1 way over priced one out of Germany. Why. The social/market structure is not as cost efficient in other G8 countries as found in the USA.

If you’re tiered of paying high prices or taxes change your system or move to the USA. Where we do not tolerate high taxes or lazy workers (except maybe for the UAW).

Look at Canada, 15% sales tax on almost everything, sin taxes that make nuns smile, and top tax rate of 50% started at $60,000 CND (about $40,000 US). And what do you get for all that. Welfare provinces like New Foundland and social medicine that is on par with vetinary medicine in the USA.

As far as international economies go the USA is the largest and strongest discretionary economy. Meaning after you pay all your taxes, bills, food, clothing, and housing costs the average US resident has much more than anyone else in the world. For that fact international companies are drawn to the US to compete. Making it the cheapest economy to buy in (its good for the consumer). That is why the US wants everyone to open their markets to make it more competitive world wide and allow free market capitalism to grow, world wide. That will help the US economy and simultaneously help other economies. Everybody wins, except for inefficient companies that can’t compete and look for government subsidies to keep going.

Don’t get wrong I’m not Pro-USA, I’m Pro-Competitive Free Market. The USA just happens to be the best large scale and enduring example.

My post is long enough I’ll get off my soapbox now.

janine248

except for maybe the UAW....LOL

v2drinkers

A couple of points here from my side of the pond.

1. Dell's website in the UK has a link to this forum.
2. When you check your invoice in this country you are pointed to the dell USA website for terms and conditions.
3. Most of the dell UK website ends up with you on the American site

So Dell must recognise the global community

If Dell diverts people to there websites then surely they must treat its customers the same.

The price difference due to shipping and local taxes I can understand to certain extents - however If I can creat a CD on my computer for the price of £0.15p (about 22 cents) + 4 minutes of my time then surely Dell must be able to create one a lot cheaper - So how can a price inflation like this be acceptable.

My personal complaint is to do with the fact that Dell UK will not follow microsofts press release (all be it an american release) that states that any company offering upgrades can supply then Free of charge to people who bought after may 23rd.

I hope this clarifies the points.

__________________

v2drinkers

And one last point - what is all this CRAP about communism - Where all your anti-vietnam demonstrators communists.

No I am actually a Tory voter over here - (its used to be to the right but has moved well over to the middle ground over here)

I find calling me names as insulting - but people power does work against large companies - I know for a fact that when my home system is replaced later on this year I WILL NOT BY DELL - purely down to the fact that their customer service (Award winning - now that is rubbish!) is totally inept.

Double-Trinity

Quote:

Global co. should set a global price....29 bucks worth of euro's, rubbels, dinar's, franc's, pound's whatever!

Plus tarrifs, shipping, etc. yes... however, with respect to the upgrade, there shouldn't even BE shippin,g they SHOULD allow people to download the stupid thign from their website, and that way they'd be abel to waive a lot of the taxes etc. with the above!

uzziah0

Hmmmmm.

I guess the difference in prices in different countries comes down to demand. In the UK demand for land is high because the country is small. Land prices push the price of everything else up.
It is probably a LOT more complicated than that, and I (again) say I'm not and economist or anything like that.
I don't think complaining on a message board will help. I don't think talking to your government representatives will help either (and if Dell can get away with it, they'll keep selling according to local economies, like everyone else). I don't think this is the kind of thing they can do much about (perhaps a little, but not too much).

SSTINMAN

I apologize if anyone thought that I was specifically calling them a name or insult. I meant may comments to express a point of view with respect "we shall over come" mentality. My point specifically is that we need not band together to teach these guys a lesson. When it comes time to purchase a product make the appropriate decision. As V2drinkers pointed out he will not purchase another Dell. The service and support is not good enough from Dell. And rightly so. Dell's slogan and ads about how good they treat their customers is just that ADVERTISEMENT.

Again, the reason for different prices in different locations is due to the willingness of the consumer to buy. If the company can not sell a product in a local at a given high price the company has a couple of choices to make.

1) Reduce the price.
2) Advertise more.
3) Leave the local market because they can not compete.
4) Re-Engineer the product to local needs and wants.

Obviously if the market is small options 2 and 4 don't make sense. The company may never recover the investment in either option. To reduce the price may work if there is enough margin to cover local expenses. Or lastly, level things as is and milk it for what its worth. This is most likely what is happening in the UK. Dell doesn’t have serious competition. So why change?

There is absolutely no reason for company to have 1 world wide price. In countries where the competition is weak or non-existent a good capitalist will charge high prices. That’s the way it works. Until another company sees there is opportunity over there and enters the market to compete for that piece of the pie. This is where the fun starts. Now the consumer can benefit when multiple companies compete to win business.

naz

I thought at least that anyone buying a NEW axim from dell after 23rd of June should get MM2003, but apparantly that's not the case in Australia if you buy the basic, only the advanced :( see http://www.ap.dell.com/ap/au/en/dhs/...es_pda_snp.htm

Narelle