vista us vs uk ripoff prices

drunkenmonkey · 31 Jan 2007 at 05:19

did you see bill gates on the news when asked about the price difference between the us and uk

and he started waving his hands about saying its something to do with the exchange rate! ....what utter bull!

it makes me mad! ....even the yanks are complaining at the sky high prices lol!

TC1 · 31 Jan 2007 at 05:41

Well, there has always been a big difference between the US and the UK prices. Thing is, he knows that people will dig deep and buy his products!

SLiDeR · 31 Jan 2007 at 07:14

One thing is for sure, it is cheaper to buy in the US, even with the customs taxes, the EU/UK prices are so mad that even if you had to pay 50% over the US retail price in taxes, it would still be cheaper. (With the Ultimate Full Retail in mind)

So, no way in hell would I buy a vista in the EU.

skanky · 31 Jan 2007 at 08:15

which is why im buying OEM, im not paying £350 for an OS when i can pay an extra £50 and get a free Dell computer thrown in!

if the yanks had to pay UK prices, they'd instantly declare war on MS but we're okay getting screwed. hell if they paid any of our prices, their lawyers will be working overtime!

TC1 · 31 Jan 2007 at 10:24

You could buy a couple of OEM's for the price of a retail copy!!

dirtydog · 31 Jan 2007 at 10:27

The exchange rate? :confused:

Erm the pound is strong, the dollar is weak, we should be paying LESS than the Yanks, not more ffs!

And the scumbags want another eight quid to send you the 64-bit disc when you buy the retail version of Vista. But the Yanks get it free apparently.

Stonedofmoo · 31 Jan 2007 at 10:31

Can't you buy it from the US then?

TC1 · 31 Jan 2007 at 10:31

The UK prices are a joke.

dirtydog · 31 Jan 2007 at 10:31

Stonedofmoo said:
Can't you buy it from the US then?

In theory, although most US online stores won't ship it to Europe.

Spudgun · 31 Jan 2007 at 10:46

I'm off to Seattle for a few days in August, i plan on picking up a copy out there

Stonedofmoo · 31 Jan 2007 at 10:50

Try a well known auction site, i'm sure you'll find people on there willing to ship it to here.

wesley · 31 Jan 2007 at 11:08

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5932

dirtydog · 31 Jan 2007 at 11:12

wesley said:
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5932

So you don't even need to have XP at all, to install Vista retail upgrade? lol.

Mr.Clark · 31 Jan 2007 at 11:15

dirtydog said:
In theory, although most US online stores won't ship it to Europe.

So there's no issues using a US-bought CD and trying to activate in the UK?

(I'm off to NY at the end of March, so may grab myself a Retail Upgrade Home Premium while I'm there)

I don't see why there would be (plus I'd get the 64-bit DVD straight off), but thought I'd check first...

bikes · 31 Jan 2007 at 11:26

wesley said:
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5932

Link dont work for me, but this does

http://www.dailytech.com/Workaround...stall+With+Vista+Upgrade+DVDs/article5932.htm

dirtydog · 31 Jan 2007 at 11:30

Mr.Clark said:
So there's no issues using a US-bought CD and trying to activate in the UK?

(I'm off to NY at the end of March, so may grab myself a Retail Upgrade Home Premium while I'm there)

I don't see why there would be (plus I'd get the 64-bit DVD straight off), but thought I'd check first...

Apparently it is okay but I'm not an expert so I would ring MS and ask them first, if it was me.

BloodWolf · 31 Jan 2007 at 11:34

TC1 said:
Well, there has always been a big difference between the US and the UK prices. Thing is, he knows that people will dig deep and buy his products!

Either that or pirate it lol

Richdog · 31 Jan 2007 at 11:47

I'm getting a USA buddy to buy Ultimate retail from the USA and ship it over... it's almost half-price.

Mr.Clark · 31 Jan 2007 at 12:16

dirtydog said:
Apparently it is okay but I'm not an expert so I would ring MS and ask them first, if it was me.

A good idea in theory, but I doubt MS will admit that it'll work, since then they'd be out 50% of the price of a UK copy...

NickO · 31 Jan 2007 at 13:41

can anyone confirm that a US edition will be fine in the UK for activation, I am going in a week or two and quite frankly after seeing the price of the full edition ($400) works out to just over 200 quid, compared to £350 here, errr call me silly but I wont pay the UK prices.

Silly MS, very silly, we maybe a small country compared to the US but it doesnt mean they can squeeze us for more money

oh wait, yeah it does as unlike the US we just take it

*btw, not bashing anyone, just is normal for Uk to be done over like this, oh and i married a yank lol