Be Aware of AFFINITY Pricing

[Lopern]

Hi Guys

 

I Wanted to buy the software before the 22/12 

since the 20% discount ended on this date 

 

i live in Norway

and my curency is NOK todays curency is about 8,8 NOK=1USD

when i whent in to buy the product i got a diferent price this was 439NOK thisis about 50,5USD

 

i contacted AFFINITY thrue Facebook 

and they told me that the price is set to match the MAC users

 

so in other words there is no discount they are misleading the coustommers with wrong price setting

so please be adware if your going to buy this software

check out your current exchance cost thrue your bank website or other trusted site.

dont want any one too get ripped off

 

i am attaching the chat log

 

 

 

 

We set a pricing tier for our apps in the Mac App Store and Apple sets the price for each country including local taxes etc. The pricing for our Windows apps are priced to match our Mac apps to make sure both sets of users are paying the same price. It's not currently possible for us to change the price, sorry.

 

 

Chatsamtalen har startet

 

 

 

Chatsamtalen har starr k

[Mark Ingram]

Hi, this forum is for reporting bugs in the beta version of Affinity Designer on Windows. I'll move it to the Questions & Feedback forum.

 

Also, what you have been told is correct - the prices are based on the macOS App Store prices, so that the prices are fair to everyone, across both platforms.

[Patrick Connor]

Chatsamtalen har startet,
 
Welcome to the Serif Affinity Forums.
 
The price in Norway is expensive we agree, but we are not being misleading or untruthful.
 
We set a singular price as $49.99 USD in the USA Mac App Store. All other prices worldwide follow on automatically. The Mac App Store currently sells that for NOK 549. When on offer at $39.99 USD the Mac App Store sells for NOK 439. So unfortunately when the offer is over the price will be even more expensive in Norway, but the 439 IS the offer price, even though it is more expensive than the US dollar price when not on offer.

 

I understand that the Mac App Store do occasionally adjust their exchange rates, but currently the Norwegian NOK and the Australian AUD are fairing badly.

 

You will understand that we charge our Windows customers the same as our Mac customers, and currently the Mac prices are set by Apple from the one USA price.

 

If that means we have lost your sale then I am sorry, but there isn't much we can do, sorry.

 

Patrick Connor

The Affinity Team

[Lopern]

Chatsamtalen har startet,

 

Welcome to the Serif Affinity Forums.

 

The price in Norway is expensive we agree, but we are not being misleading or untruthful.

 

We set a singular price as $49.99 USD in the USA Mac App Store. All other prices worldwide follow on automatically. The Mac App Store currently sells that for NOK 549. When on offer at $39.99 USD the Mac App Store sells for NOK 439. So unfortunately when the offer is over the price will be even more expensive in Norway, but the 439 IS the offer price, even though it is more expensive than the US dollar price when not on offer.

 

I understand that the Mac App Store do occasionally adjust their exchange rates, but currently the Norwegian NOK and the Australian AUD are fairing badly.

 

You will understand that we don't want to charge our Windows customers more than our Mac customers, and currently the Mac prices are set by Apple from the one USA price.

 

If that means we have lost your sale then I am sorry, but there isn't much we can do, sorry.

 

Patrick Connor

The Affinity Team

 

thank you for your feed back

 

first off all i was buying for Win not MAC

so your saying that that the APP store is controling the price for win users thats a new 1

 

second the price that your selling your product for is 39,99 this is Equal to 341,8 NOK 

 

not 439 NOK for this is Equal 50,5 USD

 

so if your selling me this software for 39,99 USD why do i have too pay 50,5 USD 

 

you can NOT use the curency differense between the USD and the NOK  because 39,99 USD should convert too the correct amout of NOK that in this case is 341,8 NOK not 439

 

your are not giving your costummers any discount this is the retail price 

 

By law in Norway price missleading is not allowed 

[ambiroa]

I tested this to see if it occurs as well in my checkout, and used an online money exchange to check the rates, this is what I got:

 

39.99 EURO = 363 NOK = 41 USD

 

 

If your checkout says 439 NOK,

 

439 NOK = 48 EURO = 50 USD

 

 

So it seems that your discounted price is indeed not calculated within the checkout, which is weird because it should do this automatically, unless the checkout doesn't receive "39.99" but "49.99" as input price instead.

 

 

Hope it get's sorted out for you.

[Patrick Connor]

Please read my reply carefully. Apple have set the exchange rate for each of their app store regions. The price in Norway is 549 NOK (not $49.99 or any other price) the reduced price in Norway is 439 NOK (not $39.99). The reduction is 20% from the normal price.

 

I do understand that NOK 439 is more than 50UD$ but that doesn't mean that it is not on offer, it is. We are giving a discount to NOK 439 on the normal selling price in Norway, which is NOK 549.

 

We sell Windows software for the same price as Mac. Our only mistake is to advertise it to you at $39.99 when you can only buy it for 439 NOK. This is because our email system does not know where you are, simply that you are English speaking. 

 

HOWEVER If you set your "country" to USA before you buy you should be able to get it for $39.99, but your bank may charge a little for currency conversion.

[ambiroa]

Please read my reply carefully. Apple have set the exchange rate for each of their app store regions. The price in Norway is 549 NOK (not $49.99 or any other price) the reduced price in Norway is 439 NOK (not $39.99). The reduction is 20% from the normal price.

 

I do understand that NOK 439 is more than 50UD$ but that doesn't mean that it is not on offer, it is. We are giving a discount to NOK 439 on the normal selling price in Norway, which is NOK 549.

 

We sell Windows software for the same price as Mac. Our only mistake is to advertise it to you at $39.99 when you can only buy it for 439 NOK. This is because our email system does not know where you are, simply that you are English speaking. 

 

HOWEVER If you set your "country" to USA before you buy you should be able to get it for $39.99, but your bank may charge a little for currency conversion.

 

Ahhh this explains a lot why I didn't get the price difference, my checkout price is the listed price (which is probably the price set for the EU/Euro currency region).

 

And as you discovered already, when a viewer visits the Affinity website outside the Euro currency region but within the EU region, they (might) apparently see the Euro price listed, and that is indeed considered as advertised price. Maybe add an asterisk with additional info?

[Patrick Connor]

Ahhh this explains a lot why I didn't get the price difference, my checkout price is the listed price (which is probably the price set for the EU/Euro currency region).

 

And as you discovered already, when a viewer visits the Affinity website outside the Euro currency region but within the EU region, they (might) apparently see the Euro price listed, and that is indeed considered as advertised price. Maybe add an asterisk with additional info?

 

Absolutely, if we are going to put prices on our website we should put an asterisk explaining that our prices vary by country.  I agree

[R C-R]

I doubt this is going to make anybody outside the U.S. any happier about the pricing disparity but in the U.S. taxes are not included in the advertised price of products -- they are listed as a separate charge on bills & receipts. For anything bought from the Mac App Store in the U.S., depending on one's state & city & their local tax laws this can mean anything from zero to more than a 10% increase over the advertised price.

 

In some states, no taxes are collected unless the seller has a 'physical presence' in that state (which of course Apple does), but all the states are trying to figure out ways to charge taxes regardless of that, or whether or not the product is a tangible one or a virtual item like a software download.

 

When Affinity products are sold through the Mac App Store, Serif does not have to deal with any of this, but that may not be true for what they sell through their own store.

[mac_heibu]

I think, the main fault was, not to sell each Affinity product for – let's say 400 €. I am quite sure: Nobody would have complained, because these app are doubtlessly worth it!

I always look quite disbelieving on this kind of discussions.

[Patrick Connor]

Also, some countries do sell at a higher price in USD, again exactly matching the Mac App Store price afaik.

[Dooblaque]

I have a (possibly) stupid question

Can anybody tell why Affinity software has to be sold via the Mac App Store ?

 

Why does Affinity not sell direct and use a global ecommerce, payments and marketing service such as "Digital River". (There are many others) This problem then would disappear as they calculate prices at a true exchange rate, if I am not mistaken. And they take care of a lot of other issues as well.

[brunzenstein]

I have a (possibly) stupid question

Can anybody tell why Affinity software has to be sold via the Mac App Store ?

 

Why does Affinity not sell direct and use a global ecommerce, payments and marketing service such as "Digital River". (There are many others) This problem then would disappear as they calculate prices at a true exchange rate, if I am not mistaken. And they take care of a lot of other issues as well.

Honestly - the price for this wonderful software is such a steal that any discussion if the App costs the counter value of a latte more or less is absolutely grotesque and over the top

[R C-R]

Serif does not have to sell Mac Affinity products through the Mac App Store, but there are sound business reasons for doing so.

 

One is the exposure to the millions of Mac users throughout the world -- the store app is built into the OS, offers automatic "no brainer" or one-button upgrading for both apps & the OS, & is a "one stop shop" for tens of thousands of apps, all vetted by Apple as safe to buy & install, malware free, & free of any "bonus" installers that increasingly third party software distributors sneak into their download links to trick users into installing potentially unwanted programs ("PUP's").

 

This has worked very well for Serif -- both Affinity apps have been at or near the top of the MAS revenue ratings, been featured apps, & are editor's choices. Designer won the prestigious Apple app of the year award when it debuted. Currently Photo is #6 in the overall ratings in the U.S. store, the #1 paid app in the Photography category, & Designer is #3 in the paid Graphics & Design category.

 

Another reason is Apple as the seller of record is responsible for all the sometimes complex legal nuances of international sales, like collecting local taxes & maintaining all the records & reporting that involves. For example, I live in Texas. Anything I buy from Apple, Amazon, or any other company that has even an indirect physical presence in the this state is subject to state & local taxes -- including online commercial software purchases. (Apple has both bricks & mortar retail stores throughout Texas & one of its primary customer support complexes in Austin, but until recently Amazon just had distribution warehouses in the state.) Texas is very aggressive about this -- if a company has sufficient sales in the state to justify it, they may argue that even a remote worker for a foreign company who lives here constitutes a legal physical presence & go to court to collect taxes & non-compliance penalties on that basis. Even if they don't win, most companies would prefer to avoid the legal costs & hassles of fighting this kind of legal battle, particularly in another country.

 

I am not sure of how it works elsewhere but I suspect in countries like China or India the legal issues are even more complex & convoluted.

[Dooblaque]

Honestly - the price for this wonderful software is such a steal that any discussion if the App costs the counter value of a latte more or less is absolutely grotesque and over the top

That is not the point !

 

I fully agree, good software, good pricing and I have absolutely no gripe here. But once you set a price for whatever you are selling it should be uniform for all, with exchange rate variations the only difference, not where you happen to live. We in Australia know this all too well as we pay more for pretty well everything with long shipping distances often cited as being the reason. Utter garbage.

[Keith Reeder]

I doubt this is going to make anybody outside the U.S. any happier about the pricing disparity

 

Honestly, we're used to it...

 

Nobody would have complained

 

Only one person has, though...

 

But once you set a price for whatever you are selling it should be uniform for all, with exchange rate variations the only difference

 

I've never seen a single time - and I shudder to think how many pieces of software I've bought over the years - where that has been the case.

 

It simply does not happen

[SrPx]

IMO, too much complaining for it. As mentioned, 40, 50 or 60$ is not just a bargain, is a steal to them, for a professional level package (heck, even for an indy/aficionado level most of those are priced in the 129 - 300 $ range !!) ! .And yes, it is the point, as for being of enormous importance in comparison, and also, as mentioned, since always, each software company has established a different price per region/country. You might not like it or love it (hey, life is so) but they are not forced to do otherwise. Just recently read about an australian person wanting to buy CS 6 Adobe suite, complaining about the HUGE difference (not this beers' money we're somehow talking about, lol) , a difference more in the thousand of dollars, instead of 12 bucks or so, lol. For apps that for most independent and hobby users (and a wide range of professionals) actually do the same things... big LOL.

 

Heck, I still remember the issue of some people crying about the difference of Milkshape price (dunno if anyone here knows this arcane 3D package) being 25 $ and 25 euros, while the coin by then was rather different (euro is becoming more and more like one dollar, now...). I raised my browses just as much as in cases like this one. C'mon, it's a freakin' gift....   :D. yeah, probably am too used to check the 2500$ of 3DS Max, and the pre subscription (or do the maths after putting some months together of the CC suite) price of Adobe'$ suite (2000 and up, depending on each country ! )... And replying to this "it's not the point" IMO, means we're missing here the big picture, and how important it is that sth like Affinity's tools is available...

 

PD: If anything, I'd applaud as important to make a reduction for developing or poor countries, but they aren't forced to do so, and the logistics for it might only be possible by large companies (IMO Adobe doesn't do so, anyways... :s ), Norway, the UK, or even Spain (while quite below the other two), are far from being poor or with a situation that would make us see that whole range of pricing as a problem...

[sfb]

 

Hi Guys

 

I Wanted to buy the software before the 22/12 

since the 20% discount ended on this date 

 

i live in Norway

and my curency is NOK todays curency is about 8,8 NOK=1USD

when i whent in to buy the product i got a diferent price this was 439NOK thisis about 50,5USD

 

i contacted AFFINITY thrue Facebook 

and they told me that the price is set to match the MAC users

 

so in other words there is no discount they are misleading the coustommers with wrong price setting

so please be adware if your going to buy this software

check out your current exchance cost thrue your bank website or other trusted site.

dont want any one too get ripped off

 

i am attaching the chat log

 

 

 

 

We set a pricing tier for our apps in the Mac App Store and Apple sets the price for each country including local taxes etc. The pricing for our Windows apps are priced to match our Mac apps to make sure both sets of users are paying the same price. It's not currently possible for us to change the price, sorry.

 

 

Chatsamtalen har startet

 

 

 

Chatsamtalen har starr k

 

But that is not true SERIF. whither you are a mac or PC user if you buy it in the USA you pay $49.99 which  at today exchange rate serif will get £40.07. or euro £42.71 everything else is the same.  we have to Pay £48.99 it only a few quid more. it the principle of it. 

[SrPx]

EVEN if it were so... The reasonable price of the license of an equally capable software would be no less than 300$, (or like other suites do, they force you to buy the suite in a pack, which is much more money) not to remember the ~600 to 800 $ which was the latest "non-renting" version of the most direct and evident competitor...  (which growed to a lot more depending on the country... I believe I read recently in a thread that certain version of PS costed certain guy 2k $....  :s  )

 

Is like when certain people receive a gift from a family member and start to moan about the color....  :/ 

[SrPx]

Plus... different pricing depending on the country is a policy a company can conduct, that is an old use, and perfectly fine ! There are tons of reasons to do so: Cheaper shipping , so cutting the costs in logistics in US, all sort of flavors of issues when trying to sell in certain countries, etc, etc.  This is done by everyone and their dog.  Lol, even in my country, a supermarket of the same company/brand will have different prices of the same product in each city. Or even among different neighborhoods inside same city. Reason why: They put higher prices were they notice the  people is in better financial situation, and/or lower it in depressed regions. This simply maximizes benefit and sells ! Which is the number one SURVIVAL rule for a company...And you want companies to survive, otherwise unemployment and poverty grow crazily in that local area.

[krzykowal]

Hi, I also feel cheated by Affinity in the same matter. I just received an e-mail stating "We hope you’ve enjoyed exploring the powerful tools Affinity Designer has to offer. Although your free trial has now come to an end, you can pick up straight where you left off and continue to produce high quality artwork for only US$39.99 " which is just a cheating to get you to the checkout where you see completely different price. The price for me is 239.99 PLN which is 64.57 USD (!) or even in EUR this is still 56.62 UER (not 39.99 EUR).

 

In my opinion this is not even legally binding cause I received an official offer and it should be honoured and apparently it is not. However I see I'm not the only one treated this way hoping that the customer will just "click" and "live with the little lie".

[Patrick Connor]

krzykowal,

 

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums

 

Sorry, I think that we just found out about this problem in emails sent out to trial users since last Thursday. We have seen it in US emails forwarded in the last hour to us. I'm sorry if that is what has happened to you. The tech support department have notified those who send emails that this is happening. Please can you confirm that this incorrect price was in a trial upgrade email sent after last Thursday when the reduction in price ended.

 

Thanks Patrick

[Prizm]

The pricing differences suck, but it's not simply an exchange rate issue. Different countries have different economies, wages, etc. The minimum wage in Australia converts to $14.30 USD per hour. The minimum wage in the USA is $7.25 USD per hour. To earn $50 USD, someone on the minimum wage in the US would have to work 6.9 hours, whereas someone in Australia would only have to work 3.5 hours -- half the amount of time.

 

We might technically earn more per hour in Australia, but our stuff costs more as a result (and sometimes we get royally screwed no matter how you look at the figures).   I'm not trying to defend Apple, just trying to explain it. Our best bet here in Aus is to get iTunes cards at 15% off (or the rare 20%). That brings the price down close to exchange rate level.

[- S -]

10 hours ago, Prizm said:

The pricing differences suck, but it's not simply an exchange rate issue. Different countries have different economies, wages, etc. The minimum wage in Australia converts to $14.30 USD per hour. The minimum wage in the USA is $7.25 USD per hour. To earn $50 USD, someone on the minimum wage in the US would have to work 6.9 hours, whereas someone in Australia would only have to work 3.5 hours -- half the amount of time.

Um, no.  Apple are deliberately ripping off consumers in countries outside the US (I.E. UK, Norway, Australia, etc.) by using a pricing model that they have pretty much just plucked out of thin air to generate more profits for themselves.  I compared Apple's pricing to other companies (like Amazon) who also sell digital goods online in the below post.

Affinity Photo UK Price Increase

Also bear in mind Serif is a UK company and even though I live in the UK and pay Serif directly in British Pounds through their UK store, I too am subjected to Apple's US exchange rates.  No amount of defending Apple's pricing model will make it right, only Apple can make it right by revising their pricing.

[R C-R]

10 minutes ago, Sima said:

Apple are deliberately ripping off consumers in countries outside the US (I.E. UK, Norway, Australia, etc.) by using a pricing model that they have pretty much just plucked out of thin air to generate more profits for themselves

It isn't exactly "plucked out of thin air." Among other things, it includes adjustments for Apple's cost of doing business around the world which, because of its physical presence in so many countries, is considerably different from most other companies. Physical presence is a significant factor because it means Apple must comply with local laws concerning employment & benefits, rental & code compliance, taxes & reporting, etc.

 

It also includes costs associated with economies of scale -- in markets where sales volumes are high, the per sale costs are lower & conversely where volumes are low the per sale costs are higher.

 

That said, I don't know if Serif's policy of pricing Windows app prices, which of course are sold from its own store, the same as the Mac apps is the best way to go.