Ableton Forum

Angstrom wrote:There's no real milage difference between shipping to the US or to the EU, so why the huge price difference?

Dude all there is an ocean difference. No borders. No show mi ze pepers. Just a big fucking port that is California ready to take that pallet of APCs and sell them to those bloody Yanks.

Haven't you ever bought 10 of something so you could get a cheaper price?

America = BIG. lots of APC pounding consumers

Little tiny European country = little tiny European country that needs less units and more special packaging and price adjustments for less consumers.

I bet it costs more for Altoids, Bass Ale, Swiss Army Knives and plastic Eiffel towers in the U.S.

I just got off the phone with a guy over at Akai...

He said said that Americans don't know how to use them as well so its a student discount.

/thread

l-m-f-a-o

I have a friend in the states who will be purchasing one for me and shipping it over, saving apprx 100 quid with postage on a shop price over here

just went to GC and bought mine.. didn't mind paying the extra $35 for sales tax because i kinda figured that most online retailers have already sold the first shipment of them.. however, they won't let me pick it up until saturday because that's the official release date and akai didn't want any of these going out before then according to the store manager.

So we heard all the theories... Europe has higher VAT, distribution to a lot of countries instead of one, USA has better prices for electrnics etc. etc. so explain this:

AKAI MPK 49 USA price: $399 Europe: Thomann 339 Euro

339 Euro is 472 Euro, but VAT is higher in Europe but the Euro price is slightly lower than the price in US dollars...
This is a brand new AKAI Pro product! Same distribution channel, also came from China so what is the fucking deal????

I'm still getting the APC, but I won't be loving AKAI like I love Ableton and Universal Audio, they're making me feel like they're ripping me off! And if you think so what well, the customer's loyalty is worth something too.

Stop your whinging peeps, try AU$990 for size, that comes in at around US$780....nobody and I mean nobody gets ripped off blind like the ever suffering Aussies

Tone Deft wrote:non-US peeps - you shouldn't let other peoples' good fortune make you angry, that's the sign of a small person.

instead of cutting you lot a break, they could just jack the price on the US shipments and that would make you happy. lame.

thats my thinking on the matter.

I run a business, if I give a customer a discount price for product does that mean the next customer in line is getting ripped off? no.

the fact of the matter is if you buy it then it's worth the asking price, then what are you complaining about? if you paid for it, then it was WORTH the price.

Johnisfaster wrote:the fact of the matter is if you buy it then it's worth the asking price, then what are you complaining about?

BIN-GO!

You either want it or you don't.

errm,

Thats not quite right.

I want it, I don't like the fact that the UK customers are being charged more than other people.

Whether I buy it or not isn't what is being discussed.

It leaves quite a bitter taste in my mouth. . .

Towards Ableton and Akai.

Johnisfaster wrote:

Tone Deft wrote:non-US peeps - you shouldn't let other peoples' good fortune make you angry, that's the sign of a small person.

instead of cutting you lot a break, they could just jack the price on the US shipments and that would make you happy. lame.

thats my thinking on the matter.

I run a business, if I give a customer a discount price for product does that mean the next customer in line is getting ripped off? no.

the fact of the matter is if you buy it then it's worth the asking price, then what are you complaining about? if you paid for it, then it was WORTH the price.

Your analogy is incorrect. You suppose that there is a 'discount', more accurate to say that all customers in your imaginary store are getting the same price ($399), without discount. You are selling hundreds of thousands at that same price, but the store down the street is selling them for $636 for some reason. The customers in there will feel ripped off if they see how much these things are really worth.

You cannot say "it is worth that much, if you paid that much". Because perception of value is relative. Once I know I am being overcharged then the perception changes.

If a purchaser goes into the store selling them for $636 and asks "is this the best price?" and are told "yes it is, this machine costs that much to make , it is THAT much quality, you are buying a quality piece of kit here. $636 worth of tech". So they purchase the product.
Later they find out that what they were told is incorrect, they have not purchased '$636 worth of quality instrument', but instead they have purchased a $399 instrument at an inflated price. They now feel ripped off to the tune of $237.

Perceptions of value are relative. If I know that what I am buying is inflated artificially, will I ever really value it at $636?

If you disagree, I have a dollar note here for sale at $1.70 . I'm sure you will not see any problem with purchasing that.

NOTE: I am buying mine from NYC , no way will I pay $636 for one

Just sent Akai a message see what hey have to say

The only effective petition to Akai is not to buy(in Europe). They will not lower the prices if they have so many preorders anyway.MPD 32 was also 150 cheaper in US when I bought it then they droped by 100 or more.
Pro musicians and DJs should not worry about the import tax that much, it is 5-7%, what makes it so high is that for ordinary consumers it includes VAT which if you are professional paying VAT, you dont pay it for your pro purchases or get it refunded.
We should just exchange info where are the best prices including shipping (Novamusik has good prices but hooked up with UPS since a year so shipping is ridiculous)

djsynchro wrote:Just sent Akai a message see what hey have to say

GREAT!

every one should do this.

i`m allready waiting for response from numark-alesis.

@ all from eu write to: info@alesis.de
+ info@akaipro.de


= the response to their self-initiated negative promotion campaign

Angstrom wrote:You cannot say "it is worth that much, if you paid that much". Because perception of value is relative.

Half the forum has had their cock stiff for this thing for months now. Suddenly they realize that the pricing varies and NOW its like its not worth it. To me it sounds like a chick. You think she's hot, you can't wait to get her in the sack, but then you realize she wants you to wine and dine her before she's gonna give it up.

At that point you have two choices:
A)Go home and stroke it
B)Pick up the tab

By calling/emailing and complaining do you really think they are gonna have a change of heart and say "these guys are right. Let's forfeit hundreds of thousands in profit and give em a break". At best... You'll see price drops before the U.S. does.

Any way you slice it, the fucking thing will see massive price drops within the next 18-24 months. If it costs too much for your blood now... WAIT.

Supply and demand kiddos. Supply and demand.

Eventually, someone will give you the (realistic) price you seek.

I never buy anything when it first comes out. You're getting raped. How many of you just HAD to have the iPhone when it came out? Yeah... 18-24 months and how many hundreds cheaper is it now? AND - the new one is not only cheaper, but better. Stick that in your sampler and autotune. Now if you say "but I was one of the first to have it" those bragging rights are shit. It just means you paid way more than most of the people who own one. Oh and by the way... their shit isn't all scratched up and ready for a trade it. Who's bragging now?