Adobe CS5 Pricing in Europe

Why the heck is software more expensive in Europe than in the USA? SOFTware we are talking about. Software you can download or buy on a CD. The cost of copying a CD or software is worldwide the same, i.e. next to nothing. The problem is then either the distribution or unethical pricing by the company in function of target markets … comparable to the pharmaceutic industry. Why should Greeks, earning a fraction of what an average American earns, pay about double the price for CS5?

And what makes Adobe believe that the Greek is stupid enough to actually pay the rip-off price tag? What do we get the Americans don’t have for that additional money?

Microsoft is a similar case with their Windows 7 release which is nothing else that a finally working Vista we had paid good money for a few years ago. Upgrades in the US were 50% cheaper than over here.

In as much as Windows is concerned, I just went for the American versions since 2001. The market is global and so should be prices.

Go Buy where it’s cheaper

There is no point paying for greedy distributors, intermediaries and other “I would like to make money without adding value”-worms. So forget about intermediaries, Adobe should pay them if they need them; I don’t need them nor do the other 6.5 billion people of this globe. There is a thing out there called the Internet which allows for direct delivery online at no cost … worldwide.

There is even a globally accessible thing out there called the Adobe website which provides tutorials, download links, tips and tricks second to none, and definitely better than anything an intermediary would offer.

So, remains the Rip off. Unfortunately I could not find any argument against this one.

Or as someone posted on Twitter: “It’s cheaper to fly to the US to buy Adobe CS5 for $2,599 than buy it in the UK”. The price gap is about 1500 Pounds!

Let’s have a look at one of the CS5 packs:

US: CS5 Design Standard $ 1299,-
Germany: CS5 Design Standard € 1699,-

The 1699 Euros correspond to about 2300 Dollars, almost double!

Oh, by the way: by buying product packages, you save up to 60% Adobe dixit on it’s site, which still boils down to the above.

Back in 2007, when adobe launched CS3, the European prices where at about 190% of the US prices; some people made a petition for the attention of the European Commission. Today, may be such a petition may have more impact. For sure, consumer protection organizations should look into the matter and use their influence to tell European people what Adobe calls them: stupids, for the least I can find in my rich 4-and-more-letter word vocabulary.

The Markets make the Price

I hate to be taken for a ride. And I am in a global market. There is Amazon and there is eBay and there are many global market places which define their prices in a global way. So, let’s look at other market places and forget about Adobe’s local rip-off outlets. We are the customers, that is, we are the market or at least the demand side of it. We say what we are ready to pay and our consumer behavior will ultimately have it’s impact on Adobe as it starts having on pharmaceuticals.

Thanks Adobe for a great product; if you would add a pitch of ethics to your pricing policy before being forced to do so, you will see many more smiling faces out there.