We have FTA’s with the US……it hasn’t worked…..

Unfortunately, as long as publishers can tell distributors how much to charge and where they can sell Australians will continue to be ripped off.

One solution may be a government law allowing purchase from anywhere in the world, and if the product is (also) sold here then the imported item must be supported. That would leave companies supporting products that were tweaked for dozens of markets – maybe it’d wake them up. The other alternative is, of course, wide-spread concealing of your location via IP – but we again need laws confirming our right to use the purchased product.

one that really grinds my gears is Cars and carparts how about adding them to the enquiries while thier at it the ex factory pricing to australia is even more obscene even taking into account the various tax’s

oh and add clothing to list aswell. Australia is a fantastic country to live but we do pay for the privillage

Anyways, I’ve just ordered a touchpad from Ergonomic (http://www.ergonomictouchpad.com/xl_touchpad.php), US$59.95 plus US$8.00 shipping, AU$66.73 total.

Of course, we have to wait for it to arrive, but I’m not seriously expecting trouble as it went through PayPal.

In the meantime, it’s nice to see that not all US manufacturers are out to rob us.

Gordon.

The Cat Shop may very well be a grey importer and they are simply buying it retail from the US and doing exactly that- shipping it direct.

Many companies do this and manage to make a few dollars off every purchase through shipping discounts etc. It’s a response to customers wanting overseas products that aren’t even offered in the country, let alone at a decent price.

This is a different kettle of fish to what we see with most technology- it IS offered in Australia, but at a 30-80% premium even including shipping and transport and tax.

That postage is a bit rough from where I stand. BUT, from The Cat Shop (http://www.thecatshop.com.au/): Smart Cat Touchpad (Serial & PS2) AU$145.00 but postage is free… this converts to ~ US$153.265.

Ummmm. Er… Aaaahhhh! I bet The Cat Shop is ordering one at a time and having it posted direct to my door?

Is this a rip-off?

Gordon.

I’m a little surprised that Olympus wouldn’t honour the warranty locally – I’ve had a lot to do with Olympus products in advanced optics and microscopes and they will usually bend over backwards to help, but then that division is a completely separate business entirely from consumer products.

Actually, in my experience it often pays to deliberately contact the wrong division of a company with warranty difficulties like this – go above the people you’re supposed to deal with and contact professional product support or head office and explain how disappointed you are with their brand generally and how damaging you consider it could be to their company, and you may get them to intervene on your behalf. I’ve had any number of products repaired outside technical warranty terms (for clients and personally) by (calmly and politely) following through with national support managers and head office executives. It’s amazing what you can get when you ask ;-)

Besides, I was talking more old school games like Starcraft- didn’t even know what online Serials WERE then :D

I’ll stick with my physical media anyday- they’re not likely to stop me buying from a physical retailer if I give it to someone else because I’m done with it…..

Enough said.

Fair enough.

ASUS is one of the few then. Olympus’ “International” warranty meant my best friend had to send her camera she’d bought from Greece back to Greece to be repaired….she didn’t bother and bought a new one even though it was less than 9 months old….

“…this Warranty entitles You during the Warranty Period to international ASUS warranty service in Europe, North America (USA, Canada and Mexico), Asia, Africa and Australia/Oceania, subject to the following additional restrictions: ..
Service procedures may vary by country,
Some service and/or spare parts may not be available in all countries
Localized spare parts (e.g. keyboard/ keymats) may be replaced with the version customary in the country where the repair is requested.
Some countries may have fees and restrictions that apply at the time of service.
Certain countries may require additional documentation, such as proof of purchase or proof of proper importation, prior to performing International Warranty and Support
To enjoy the comprehensive international warranty service, visit ASUS Service Center website at http://support.asus.com/contact for detailed locations”

Yeah and everywhere else, game STUDIO owns you…..