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Can somebody explain me why Europeans should pay 679 Euro which are around 740 Dollar? I assume something around 540 Dollar in the US with sales tax? And why w

Can somebody explain me why Europeans should pay 679 Euro which are around 740 Dollar? I assume something around 540 Dollar in the US with sales tax? And why we should also pay for the needless dock? Last time I bought a ThinkPad the offered good docking-stations but this was optional. Things which are not need for normal use should sold separately. Waste of resources. Note: Rate Euro to US is 1,09.

radiospiel 3y ago
european prices typically include VAT, US prices don’t
- 76SlashDolphin 3y ago
  But even with US sales tax there's a big mark-up in the EU. Meanwhile, the Pixel 7a is the same price as the tablet in the US but significantly cheaper in the EU. Really odd pricing.
- ho_schi 3y ago
  As said I already tried to accounted for that a reasonable estimate. Without sales tax the US price is 499 Dollar.
davidy123 3y ago
The dock is a main feature of this device. You can even buy additional docks to place around the house for charging/speakers. If you don't need the dock, I guess it's not for you (though maybe they will release a dockless version later… and reduce the price). And unless you are really into the Google ecosystem (which can be compelling, but also annoying when they abandon products or gut them) it's not well priced in any market if you're just looking for a tablet.
- ho_schi 3y ago
  I’m afraid you’re right. I don’t need a dock. And I don’t want locked into an eco-system. The removal of Miracast was already a nightmare. The Chromecast image quality is worse, latency is worse and you need to the online. Thanks to Google „eco-system“. Actually the „tablet” itself looks like a good device. At least more money left for ThinkPads and Linux ^^
  - davidy123 3y ago
    Yeah, I've stuck with Google for a somewhat more open version of the best of tech without trying to do everything myself, but I also run Linux everywhere, my own mail server, node-red, etc and would love to one day either free myself from the Google, or see them fully accept and work with the open world.
culopatin 3y ago
Probably because labor laws, taxes, and fuel being 2x more expensive in Europe than in the US make logistics more expensive? Operation cost vary by region. Also 740 is with tax, which for example in France is 20%, so the comparison price would be 592. So about $100 difference.
- jeroenhd 3y ago
  A 20% price increase before VAT is still expensive, especially because American wages are much higher (and often come with a higher cost of living, yes, but that still makes it easier to save up for a tablet). Another advantage is that most of Europe is more densely populated. Google sells their 500 dollar tablets for the same price everywhere within the states, whether you live in the center of New York or the middle of the Nevada desert. They already need to cover the costs for this, so I don't think transportation costs cover the price difference. Perhaps EU labour laws protect warehouse workers better, that's a possible reason for such a steep price hike, but I don't think warehouse workers earn that much more here.
  - culopatin 3y ago
    Is it? We’re both speculating here. I’m sure they evaluated the market and found that’s the price they need to sell at. My best friend works doing supply planning and has worked for multinational companies in a variety of fields from pharmaceuticals to electronic components, to clothing. Through talking to him I learned that costs vary by region greatly, and it’s never because of what you think. It’s less “just taxes”, and more related to localized political situations, union, small supply chain variables or just simply marketing.
jeroenhd 3y ago
The iPad has the same price hike, so I assume European tablet prices are just higher for some reason. When the competition raises their prices, you can raise your prices and still be competitive. A 10th gen iPad starts at €589 here while the USA price is listed as $449. Including VAT after currency conversion that price should be around €500, but Apple skims off an extra €89. Luckily, Google devices don't keep their high prices after the market develops so in a year or so I expect the tablets to be priced much more reasonably. For some reason people are willing to pay near purchase price for a second hand iPad, keeping the cost of older models in stores high, but Android tablets go for much less.

radiospiel 3y ago

european prices typically include VAT, US prices don’t

76SlashDolphin 3y ago
But even with US sales tax there's a big mark-up in the EU. Meanwhile, the Pixel 7a is the same price as the tablet in the US but significantly cheaper in the EU. Really odd pricing.
ho_schi 3y ago
As said I already tried to accounted for that a reasonable estimate. Without sales tax the US price is 499 Dollar.

davidy123 3y ago

The dock is a main feature of this device. You can even buy additional docks to place around the house for charging/speakers. If you don't need the dock, I guess it's not for you (though maybe they will release a dockless version later… and reduce the price). And unless you are really into the Google ecosystem (which can be compelling, but also annoying when they abandon products or gut them) it's not well priced in any market if you're just looking for a tablet.

ho_schi 3y ago
I’m afraid you’re right. I don’t need a dock. And I don’t want locked into an eco-system. The removal of Miracast was already a nightmare. The Chromecast image quality is worse, latency is worse and you need to the online. Thanks to Google „eco-system“. Actually the „tablet” itself looks like a good device. At least more money left for ThinkPads and Linux ^^
- davidy123 3y ago
  Yeah, I've stuck with Google for a somewhat more open version of the best of tech without trying to do everything myself, but I also run Linux everywhere, my own mail server, node-red, etc and would love to one day either free myself from the Google, or see them fully accept and work with the open world.

culopatin 3y ago

Probably because labor laws, taxes, and fuel being 2x more expensive in Europe than in the US make logistics more expensive? Operation cost vary by region. Also 740 is with tax, which for example in France is 20%, so the comparison price would be 592. So about $100 difference.

jeroenhd 3y ago
A 20% price increase before VAT is still expensive, especially because American wages are much higher (and often come with a higher cost of living, yes, but that still makes it easier to save up for a tablet). Another advantage is that most of Europe is more densely populated. Google sells their 500 dollar tablets for the same price everywhere within the states, whether you live in the center of New York or the middle of the Nevada desert. They already need to cover the costs for this, so I don't think transportation costs cover the price difference. Perhaps EU labour laws protect warehouse workers better, that's a possible reason for such a steep price hike, but I don't think warehouse workers earn that much more here.
- culopatin 3y ago
  Is it? We’re both speculating here. I’m sure they evaluated the market and found that’s the price they need to sell at. My best friend works doing supply planning and has worked for multinational companies in a variety of fields from pharmaceuticals to electronic components, to clothing. Through talking to him I learned that costs vary by region greatly, and it’s never because of what you think. It’s less “just taxes”, and more related to localized political situations, union, small supply chain variables or just simply marketing.

jeroenhd 3y ago

The iPad has the same price hike, so I assume European tablet prices are just higher for some reason. When the competition raises their prices, you can raise your prices and still be competitive. A 10th gen iPad starts at €589 here while the USA price is listed as $449. Including VAT after currency conversion that price should be around €500, but Apple skims off an extra €89. Luckily, Google devices don't keep their high prices after the market develops so in a year or so I expect the tablets to be priced much more reasonably. For some reason people are willing to pay near purchase price for a second hand iPad, keeping the cost of older models in stores high, but Android tablets go for much less.