Australian prices for new Chaos marine minis OMG O can not afford this.

[Daemonette666]

It might actually be cheaper to buy the same items from either the USA or the UK GW sites and have it shipped to Australia.

The 5 model Havoc squad costs US $45.00, £25.50 or AU $72.00.

4 model traitors of chaos pack US $ 37.00, £35.00 or AU $55.00

3 model Mutilator or the Obliterator pack US $52.00, £31.50, AU $83.00

Forge Fiend/ Mauler Fiend single model US$66.00, £40.00, or AU $90.00

Chaos Codex US $50.00, £30.00 or AU $83.00

The sold out limited edition Chaos Marine codex US $83.00, £50.00, or AU $138.00

Even something that is now more expensive for 12 less models the Battleforce - US $120.00, £70.00 and AU $185.00

I can not believe it would be so expensive for GW to ship all their stuff to Australia, or even to make it here and sell it locally. With a current conversion rate of about 1.5328, which changes by very little lately, but would not be more than 1.6 Australian dollars to the English pound. OMG, I am gong direct to Forge World, and getting stuff from them. or ordering direct form the US or the UK., and only the basics. If I can find 3rd party stuff to convert at a cheaper price, I will.

I want to buy from my local gaming shop, and he sells them a little cheaper than the GW store, but even $5.00 discount for a small box set or $10.00 less for a larger box set it is still too much to ask Australian to pay.

Now I know why I have not been a GW store to buy miniatures for over 2 years now.

I think it was just the shock value of seeing the price difference so blatantly in your face between the the 3 GW sites.

I just checked out the conversion rate for Australian and US dollars. 1 US dollar = 98 Australian cents. Our dollar is worth more than the US dollar, so we should be paying less than the Americans. This means the Battleforce should cost us in Australia AU $118.00, yet we pay $65.00 more than US prices.

GW, enough is enough.

[eldargal]

http://ozhammer.webs.com/

It has been alleged that GW bases its prices on national average salary rather than exchange rate. Still don't think anyone should pay 100% over the store price here.

[Caitsidhe]

You can always make a deal with me where you buy it at American prices, and then we work out a way to ship it if you think that will be cheaper. :) I'm happy to help. If buying it American and then paying shipping works out better for you... do it that way.

[Kyban]

I wonder why the price difference from country to country is so different for different models.

[Daemonette666]

Caitsidhe, That sounds like a good offer. I will have to wait a while though, as I spent all the AU$7,800.00 I got from my tax refund. 1/2 on bills and 1/2 on a FW order which I broke down into 5 separate orders to avoid the import tax (anything worth AU$1000.00 or more including postage incurs a nasty import tax). Every country has a similar thing, so I am sure that is not the reason for the massive price difference.

Eldargal, I think the average weekly wage for an Australian is about 700-800 dollars before tax. Unemployment here pays about 250.00 a week. Not much to live on, and pay all the bills. Unless you earn a huge wage, the average Australian income for the average Aussie is about $35,000 to 50,000 a year depending on your job. That does not leave a lot of money for wargaming (except at tax refund time).

[Psychosplodge]

Unemployment here pays about £60 a weekish, minimum wage for forty hours is about £240? gross. The average wage here is essentially meaningless as geography, and the city skew them all over.

[OrksOrksOrks]

Its like everyone says, Australians seem to pay more for everything because they earn more, its what has been decided is the ideal price, much like in the UK, the GW target demographic don't get paid as much on average in the UK, Also don't forget, US prices will not include sales tax that UK and Australians will have included, the US have to add extra depending on the State they buy from.

Its expensive for everyone, the price differences are set to try and make it just as expensive for everyone worldwide.

[pauljc]

I feel for you Oz folks, but it's expensive for everyone. Hell, it's expensive for me, and I run my own store!
It does seem quite plausible that GW prices are based on income averages. I bet most hobby items are. To be honest though, if the average Austrlian is earning 800 bucks a week, dropping a 100 on some minis per month suddenly doesn't seem to bad to me. So have sympathy anyways. Just.. less.. :)

[inquisitorsog]

I feel for you Oz folks, but it's expensive for everyone. Hell, it's expensive for me, and I run my own store!
It does seem quite plausible that GW prices are based on income averages. I bet most hobby items are. To be honest though, if the average Austrlian is earning 800 bucks a week, dropping a 100 on some minis per month suddenly doesn't seem to bad to me. So have sympathy anyways. Just.. less.. :)

So shouldn't I still be paying 30US$ for a box of TWENTY basic infantry? US averages haven't really budged in 10 years. In fact, for most of what I assume GW's target adult demographic to be (college grads), income's gone DOWN since 1999.

EDIT:(Not sure why this disappeared)
By comparison, movie tickets have gone up about 50% in the same period in the US that prices for GW have nearly doubled.Movie tickets seem to be a good barometer to judge against as it's the same bucket of entertainment money for most of us.

[Gotthammer]

Australia has a higher costs of living than both the UK and US though (for example the Average UK house price is a little over half the average Australian), so it's a pretty dumb idea to base it off income alone.

I heven't bought anythign from GW aside from paints and BL books since the Dark Eldar release, and have no intention of that position changing. When there's not a huge difference between an Imperial Armour book and a codex, we've got a problem.

[imperialpower]

It would be nice If GW did some kind of sale or promo price for it's new models rather than just seeing how much they can get away with charging people, you know it's bad when you add two or three items to the basket online and it turns out to be over a £100.00.

[daboarder]

Unemployment here pays about £60 a weekish, minimum wage for forty hours is about £240? gross. The average wage here is essentially meaningless as geography, and the city skew them all over.

Not to mention that everything else is so expensive that trying to live on minimum wage of benefits is practically impossible (was a student have done both)

as too wage issues, Gothammer had it right. I'm just tired of importers trying to justify obscene pricing with "minimum wage" logic. sigh well if were lucky that inquiry into digital media discrepancies will force the government to do something.

[Gir]

I'm a little confused. The prices are inline with everything else that is similar from GW. There's no change here.

Also, minimum wage in Australia is $15 an hour (A pit higher than the $5-6 odd for the US), and the average wage is $68,000 a year, a bit higher than $30,000-$50,000 you claim.

[daboarder]

I'm a little confused. The prices are inline with everything else that is similar from GW. There's no change here.

Also, minimum wage in Australia is $15 an hour (A pit higher than the $5-6 odd for the US), and the average wage is $68,000 a year, a bit higher than $30,000-$50,000 you claim.

That average is considerably inflated by the mining magnates like the bloated rineheart of the idiotic palmer.

not to mention the fact that someone thought it was appropriate for gillard to get paid more than barrack Obama.

[DF3CT]

That is ludicrous pricing.

[faolan]

I'm an American. I live in Australia, and have for several years now.

Don't give me "Australian's make more so they pay more". It's ludicrous. I had a higher standard of living as a married student in the US living in a major city (Portland, Oregon) than I do in Australia where my wife is currently making $75k a year. Because once you translate the increased prices here, and massively higher tax rates for what's honestly lower levels of services, $75k is closer to $25k. And that's in the "middle class" band as far as getting screwed over by the gov't in paying higher taxes and getting fewer services.

Minimum wage here is ~30-35k AUD a year, and you can imagine, given the translation, what standard of living that equates to in this country.

[helvexis]

It's all well and good saying Australians earn a lot more money than uk and us which is actually true but the cost of living is so much higher I pay 450 a week rent for a 3 bedroom house and that's not anywhere clos to being on the expensive side. You can buy 6 eggs for less than a pound in the uk wile the cheapest I've seen 6 eggs where I live is $2:30

You can't justify doing your pricing on income averages alone its ridiculous. Taking the minimum cost of living into account

[helvexis]

Sorry about a double post but a Krieg guardsman box including shipping is less than $10 more expensive than a box of Cadians
Cataphraacti terminators with the special weapon are in fact cheaper ... A leman Russ is cheaper as well ... This all includes shipping ... So Australia is getting seriously shafted on rices

[Gir]

I'm an American. I live in Australia, and have for several years now.

Don't give me "Australian's make more so they pay more". It's ludicrous. I had a higher standard of living as a married student in the US living in a major city (Portland, Oregon) than I do in Australia where my wife is currently making $75k a year. Because once you translate the increased prices here, and massively higher tax rates for what's honestly lower levels of services, $75k is closer to $25k. And that's in the "middle class" band as far as getting screwed over by the gov't in paying higher taxes and getting fewer services.

Really? You used to be an American, and your a student, and you believe this? I guess you don't need that free health care or sustainable student loan than.

The only real problem with Australia is the housing marked, especially in Melbourne, which is extremely ****ed. This is why at 24 I'm still living with my parents, as I'm saving for a good deposit on building a house.

[Daemonette666]

It's all well and good saying Australians earn a lot more money than uk and us which is actually true but the cost of living is so much higher I pay 450 a week rent for a 3 bedroom house and that's not anywhere clos to being on the expensive side. You can buy 6 eggs for less than a pound in the uk wile the cheapest I've seen 6 eggs where I live is $2:30

You can't justify doing your pricing on income averages alone its ridiculous. Taking the minimum cost of living into account


I completely agree. I know this is a niche market, and a luxury good, luxury hobby. Radio controlled planes and cars are also, but compared to that, GW has made it so you can not even purchase from distributors based in the UK, Europe, etc and have it shipped over here. Atleast with other gaming systems, or hobbies, you have the choice option to source out a cheaper price (including postage) from another seller/stockist based in another country for the same goods.

I know people who still work or used to work for GW (no names), but the Australian and NZ markets are the worst performing markets in the world for GW.

I have been buying parts from Chapterhouse, Anvil industries, Kromlech, Maelstrom Games, Puppet Wars, Meow-meow, and Hasslefree miniatures to get parts and complete minis to represent 40K Chaos Marines, sisters of battle, etc.

Except for my recent purchase to Forge World, I have not spent as much as I normally do towards 40K, and most of what I bought has been on 3rd party products. I have even expanded into 2 new gaming systems (Dystopian Wars & DZC) instead of building up my 40K armies.

When the average weekly grocery bill for 2 people (let alone a family with kids) is about $250 - 300 dollars and I am not buying expensive brands or luxury goods, just the basics, you have to wonder how much is left each week for your hobby. Rents are high, petrol ranges between AU$1.50 to AU$1.80 per litre depending upon the day of the week you fill the petrol tank up.

The council rates for the 2 bedroom unit I and my partner are living in, are $2500 a year. Strata fees are about $500 a year, add to this the the home loan, cost of electricity, gas (not petrol for USA members), basic private health insurance ($780/ year in order to avoid the medicare tax levy) water, etc, and I and my partner have about $200.00 a fortnight if we are lucky to put away for emergencies like medical bills, pet bills, spend on my hobby, and anything that we have not budgeted for.

Gir, not everyone in Australia earns $60,000 - $70,000 a year. Maybe if you worked in an industry where you lived remotely, had specialist skills, or worked in a dangerous environment. A hairdresser, a sales clerk, a call center worker, a factory worker, even a office manager would earn anything between the 35,000 and 50,000 a year I mentioned. Plumbers, engineers, mines workers, oil platform riggers, electrician, etc earn the money $60,000 and more a year. Even they have to pay way more taxes, and the cost of living for them is just as expensive.

I would be willing to pay AU$60.00 for the new Helldrake, AU$40.00 for 5 Havocs, AU$50.00 for 3 Mutilators or Obliterators, but not the prices they have listed on the Australian website.

I do not even think you can order anything from the US or UK website and have it delivered to Australia. I am sure GW has thought of that already. You can still order from FW though, but their prices are starting to get a lot higher now.

[Gir]

I guess that's the difference in target markets. I make over $80k a year (as an office worker) and I have no problem with the prices, they are well within my means, as they are with a lot of my friends. Of course I would like to pay less, but it's not a deal breaker.

There's also more profit to be made from one person buying at rrp, than 2 people buying at half rrp, so I guess we cancel each other out for the better to GW.

[daboarder]

Really? You used to be an American, and your a student, and you believe this? I guess you don't need that free health care or sustainable student loan than.
.

Gotta agree with gir here, if you don't think your taxes in Australia get you anything then your stir crazy, our healthcare, education and other services are miles better than the american equivalents, only thing that really lacks is infrastructure, but thats more a product of a small population and MMFA.

[faolan]

Daboarder, a decade or two ago you'd be right. But now anyone earning much above poverty is asked to co-pay money here, just like in the US.

The education system here is garbage, you pay tax dollars to finance private schools, uni's are constantly cutting classes and then retargetting what they teach to cater to asian cash-in-hand students, they'll bump Australian students from classes for foreign students (because they're cash in hand), and your "sustainable student loans" here take longer to pay off than my US student loans did. With the government saying "you pay us a ton in taxes, but since you make more than 35k you have to also by private insurance or pay us a fine" like the US govt is going to, you cannot plead a better health care system, especially when ER waiting periods are some of the longest in the civilised world.

Nice try, but your system has fallen way too far to even try to pull that crap with someone who's seen both systems up close and personal.

[Gir]

You really need to stop watch ACA and reading the Herald Sun.

[eldargal]

The UN HDI Education Index has Australia in equal first place (with New Zealand, Finland and Denmark) for quality of education with the US in 13th spot. Britain is 31st which is an obscenity. Health system is more difficult to track, but going by life expectency Australia 7th, Britain 14th and America 38th.

[daboarder]

The UN HDI Education Index has Australia in equal first place (with New Zealand, Finland and Denmark) for quality of education with the US in 13th spot. Britain is 31st which is an obscenity. Health system is more difficult to track, but going by life expectency Australia 7th, Britain 14th and America 38th.

Thank you for that vindication eldaral.

Life expectancy in Australia is a little skewed though as there is a roughly 20year gap between urban and rural Australia.

Faolan I have seen both systems up and close and believe me the American one is sickening. All your spouting I'd pretty stereotypical American tax greed. I know of no the country (baring NZ) where someone really is what they make themselves where the government will ensure you get the same schooling standard regardless of social birth right up till the end of your university degree. Hell our government even goes so far as to male substantial contributions to pos. Graduate research degrees. I'm a chiral scientist and even though my family is reasonably well off I can safely say I would not be the man I am now or have had the opportunities I babe now if I grew up in another country. Australia really ianthe country where life is what YOU make it.

[daboarder]

Chemical* damn phone key pads

[Montpup]

Australian prices are not based on wage. The Australian prices where set back when the Australian dollar was worth 60 US cents, GW has never adjusted the prices on what the aussie dollar is doing, because it would mean lowering prices and that's something they never do, also its very hard to shift prices in reaction to the dollar moving up or down for an international company and how pissed would people be if the Australian dollar dropped suddenly and and prices jumped massively. While we may be getting shafted Australian can at least look at the silver lining of when the Aussie dollar drops back down to 75 us cents the prices won't change and our retail prices are higher than forgeworld so you may as well get the better stuff

Also GW in the uk sets the prices for Australia, I know GW Australia would like to set there own prices and they would be cheaper as they believe they could sell more

As for being an Aussie I know some Aussie places that do a 20-25% off retail and I know a couple of US places that ship to Australia, though the dream is to pay uk street prices with no shipping

*****ing about it doesn't help, either deal with it or find something else, but could people stop saying this strange notion that it is based on our wages, it's not never has and never will, foreign cars didn't go down in price because of the Aussie dollar, neither did computer games,

And yes the Aussie dollar will soon start dropping as the high Aussie dollar is killing Aussie industry mainly retail, the reserve bank announced this week it is going to try and devalue the Aussie dollar, also the mining boom in Queensland is over which was helping push the Aussie dollar up.

[Bedroom General]

I made a New Year's resolution that I wouldn't pay GW prices anymore, and I've stuck to it. Recently I have picked up a good deal of Necron stuff* (enough to have a lovely finished 3500pts) on the E-bay. Using the then stronger AUD I got what would have cost $445.00 in my local GW delivered to my door new in Box for $285.00 from the US. $80.00 of that was postage! It helps to buy a lot at once, and from one vendor.

Once I have decided what I need to add to my glorious Chaos Marine Forces I will no doubt do the same bulk buy once the mighty AUD rises forth again.

I refuse to pay our retail prices for most luxury items, but feel particularly annoyed, even insulted, I guess, by the GW pricing policy.
This is because it is my main hobby, and I've been collecting for long enough to have seen the gradual "pay more for less" strategy unfold over the years. I don't know how they can survive here. I really can't imagine much impulse buying in GW Aus at these prices.

*I got 3xDoom/Night Scythes, 1 Ghost Ark, 1 CCB, 1 Tomb Stalker
I'm very happy, these models are excellent, some of the best I've assembled. So I'm still addicted, but not profligate with my hard earned, and heavily taxed, dollars.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

At the request of the OP I am closing this thread.
This is not a thread about the Australian economy.