[yorkshireman2]

I am a ridiculously loyal Blackberry user. For a short while (two weeks) I defected to the iPhone, but quickly realized it was mistake and came straight back.

I did buy an iPad when they came out, but I actually prefer my Playbook so the iPad is gathering dust somewhere in the house.

So, it seriously p****s me off that RIM insist on totally ripping me off when it comes to prices in Blackberry App World.

Many of you reading this won't realize that RIM are charging everyone else exactly the same numerical value for apps, but changing the currency symbol.

So, if an app costs $10 the price in the UK will be �10 and in Europe it will be 10 euros.

This is an amazing rip-off. It is like sticking a finger up at all your loyal customers and figuring out we're all thick and will never know what is going on.

Here's the math. If an app is priced at $10 that is �6.33, which is nowhere near �10. Even if you add in VAT at 20%, it still only adds up to �7.59.

This mean RIM are charging UK customer over THIRTY PER CENT more than US users for exactly the same software. Do the publishers get paid a percentage of this rip-off rate. My guess that RIM are paying out a percent of the $10 price and NOT the �10 they are actually charging.

I was in France last week and wasn't surprised that all the prices were exactly the same, but with just a Euro symbol in front.

Is it any surprise that Apple, who lead the way as far as apps are concerned, ARE charging 69p for a $1 app. That is FAIR and is how it should be.

RIM have a lot to learn if they are going to compete in this market place. A good place for them to start would be to stop ripping of their loyal customers.

I could almost understand it if RIM were an American company, as American companies can be a little bit US-centric (understandable I suppose), but for goodness sake, they're a Canadian company and should know better.

As much as I want to love RIM I am finding it harder and harder to do so, when they behave like this.

[alnamvet68]

This is really in poor form to adjudicate RIM as a rip-off company before having inquired by e-mail or phone call what RIM's policy is in regards to converting currency to an equal value of the country you're from.

First thread/post leaves a lot to be desired, OP.

[robtanz]

Although I am sympathetic to your point RIM is not in the FOREX business. s

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[M.Rizk]

RIM is a heaven for the people outside the US

Here Apple AppStore doesn't offer a single app other than What'sapp! and doesn't offer a single game not even Gameloft UNO!! and When you contact game developers of the same games available on the PlayBook here in Qatar or in Egypt, they tell that they don't have copyrights for distribution in these countries, then how did you do it on RIM AppWorld

[diegonei]

You complain about APP PRICES?!?!!?

Ok friend, here is something for you to complain about. the 32GB PlayBook in Brasil costs R$1.300.

I'll let you do the search and the math.

Apps... Be serious...

[peter_betos]

Doesn't UK have brand taxes?

Prices are cheaper btw (than the US rate) here in the Philippines. :P

I suggest use a proxy.

[emtunc]

I talked about this a while ago - see my signature for more including work arounds

[M.Rizk]

I talked about this a while ago - see my signature for more including work arounds

I am happy no taxes here, when people say that price of an app is 4.99 I usually get it for 4.75$ or less.

[BerryClever]

I know there is a lot of American corporation, people, government, etc stereotypes, and what have you, but in the end a corporation is a corporation. Doesn't matter where it is located or started in, it looks for the bottom dollar and adjusts prices the way they seem fit (and sometimes there maybe reasons for it that we do not know about).

Should they charge more in one country then another, no, but do most corporations do it, yes. It isn't about being "country centric", it is about focusing on saturation and gaining a high market share (aka money).

Just a side question. I am not, but if I were a developer and made an app (in english), would it be placed in just the Canadian/US App World, or also in english speaking Europe? If it goes to Europe's App World, would I then get more profit for each sold?

[VerryBestr]

yorkshireman, I do agree with you. This "band pricing" of RIM is just laziness, I think. But I've seen some independent software houses do the same thing for their direct sales. I would have to pay the Euro prices, except that I usually find some way around that because I find the practice so irritating.

I could justify somewhat higher prices in smaller markets, or where taxes are higher ... But simply replacing dollars by euros or pounds etc just looks lazy. The sellers probably think round number pricing is more appealing.

Of course RIM is in the currency business, it is a worldwide business, so is constantly calculating and hedging its foreign currency exposure.

[Bluemoonjules]

LOL @ 'English-speaking Europe' and 'Europe's App World'.... as if!

[Bluemoonjules]

It's a perennial annoyance here in the UK that we pay more for everything - US dollar prices simply translated into Sterling. You can understand it with physical goods - import duty etc, but on software etc. it does seem a bit of a con. VAT is chargeable on digital books etc., so that will be added....

Peter_betos - I have no idea what a brand tax is, and no.....

[bounce007]

This same topic has been brought up SEVERAL times. I don't think this form of pricing is fair to users outside of the US but I did notice that not everywhere outside the US is treated like this. When I was in the Caribbean, apps were priced in USD.

[ffosse]

I don't pay more for everything... yesterday I bought an ebook which was priced at 10 dollars or �4.59.

Depends what kind of things you're talking about but quite often Americans/Canadians can pay more.

Blackberry playbook apps I don't really care as I've only bought one - Book Reader which was �1.

[Peritaxis]

If you want to talk this kind of 'rip off', let's start with Body Shop.

At the Body Shop in FRA, I spent 18€ on a tube of mascara. Imagine how furious I was when I got back to Canada and saw the SAME tube of mascara was $18. At that time, the € to CAD was $1.70. Even with Canadian taxes on the $18, I paid nearly $10 MORE, just from buying at a European Body Shop.

There are MANY companies that do this, and calling RIM names aren't going to change the fact that it's pretty commonplace.

[ffosse]

But I will tell you it annoys and agrieves me no end that Blackberry just gave away Asphalt 6 and Modern Combat for nothing...

Why couldn't they have charged me?

[BerryClever]

LOL @ 'English-speaking Europe' and 'Europe's App World'.... as if!

Well if you write an app for a specific language, then wouldn't it be better suited for those who speak that language? And in Europe, isn't there countries that speak English predominately, while other countries speak, say German predominately? So I am asking about those countries that predominately speak English in Europe (ie, England for example).

And RIM doesn't App World location specific? Maybe it sounded to broad saying Europe rather than each country...

If I am wrong or off, then please tell me why. Especially now because I feel like I said something absurd, but I don't know why.

Will a developer get more if their app is sold in Europe, or do RIM just change the currency symbols back?

[Bluemoonjules]

Have no idea what you are talking about, Fosse....

I think we are talking about stuff that originates 'over the Pond' and it does happen with pretty much everything I've bought that is imported....I buy a lot of craft materials, most of which come from the US and they just switch the currency symbol. I'm personally not having a go at RIM, it's a common issue, but there it is. The tax/import duty/cost in dollars and pounds come up all the time on craft forums too.

OP, you might want to change the title as it is a little unfair to single out RIM.

New folks wouldn't know there had been a lot of posts on this subject.....

[lonedog]

RIM is NOT purposely ripping off people! Grrrr, it makes me mad when people go jumping to conclusions without knowing the circumstances. What you've found is a known bug within App World. Rest assured RIMs programmers are working on fixing this bug so that people won't be able to change regions or use a proxy with App World.

[[email protected]]

Rest assured RIMs programmers are working on fixing this bug so that people won't be able to change regions or use a proxy with App World.

And you know this how?

[Bluemoonjules]

Well if you write an app for a specific language, then wouldn't it be better suited for those who speak that language? And in Europe, isn't there countries that speak English predominately, while other countries speak, say German predominately? So I am asking about those countries that predominately speak English in Europe (ie, England for example).

And RIM doesn't App World location specific? Maybe it sounded to broad saying Europe rather than each country...

If I am wrong or off, then please tell me why. Especially now because I feel like I said something absurd, but I don't know why. Though from the way you wrote that, I have a feeling it isn't about saying something really absurd, but rather the location you think I might be from.

I have no idea where you are from, so.... Just sounded like a funny phrase/phrases to me.

Sorry if I offended, it just made me giggle to think of the French (for example) reading that Europe is English speaking.

There isn't an App World for the whole of Europe - hmm - wonder how many different European App Worlds there are......

[emtunc]

RIM is NOT purposely ripping off people! Grrrr, it makes me mad when people go jumping to conclusions without knowing the circumstances. What you've found is a known bug within App World. Rest assured RIMs programmers are working on fixing this bug so that people won't be able to change regions or use a proxy with App World.

A 'bug' that has been around since the PlayBook was launched which involves money?
You think RIM will refund the difference since launch date?

[BuzzStarField]

Just a side question. I am not, but if I were a developer and made an app (in english), would it be placed in just the Canadian/US App World, or also in english speaking Europe? If it goes to Europe's App World, would I then get more profit for each sold?

The vendor sets a price tier (not a specific price) and also can optionally restrict availability to certain countries. Availability for some countries may be mandated by governmental regulation - a vendor cannot override these restrictions.

The vendor's share of the proceeds is defined as 70% of the price defined for the tier. For example, my app (English only) is available everywhere. It sells in tiier1-.99USD. This tier defines a price in Canada as .99 CAD, in Columbia as .75 USD and in Romania as .75 Euros.

Vendors have nothing to do with the actual prices charged in App World - RIM has some sort of mysterious formula determining prices - we only select a tier. My share is always 70% of the prices defined for a tier, whatever it is, converted to USD at the current exchange rate.

[BuzzStarField]

RIM is NOT purposely ripping off people! Grrrr, it makes me mad when people go jumping to conclusions without knowing the circumstances. What you've found is a known bug within App World. Rest assured RIMs programmers are working on fixing this bug so that people won't be able to change regions or use a proxy with App World.

No - its not a bug. See my previous post. This discussion comes up from tiim-to-time in this forum and in my humble opinion, it is pointless. If there is not a concerted , consumer-led (and successful) protest against various companies who engage in this practice (not just RIM) then nothing will come of these complaints.

[klingon]

I live in the Virgin Islands so I don't have a problem with price, but what irks me is no Music Store, no Video Store, no Podcast app, no slacker radio, plus others how ever my playbook cost $599.00 same as someone living in the US (Shame on RIm)