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[Withnail]

Yep thats the point i was making, do these numbers cover supermarkets, online shops like amazon,zavvi etc etc. If not theres you answer more and more people are buying online and in there supermarkets as they buy there milk and eggs they pick up a copy of blackops for £20 less than hmv or game.

The Chart Track retail panel is provided on their website, and it includes supermarkets and online retailers. They state that their data covers 90% of the UK software market. They will then extrapolate using statistical methods to estimate the whole market.

 

[StevePharma]

Being a guy from mainland Europe getting cheap ass deals from UK-outlets such as Amazon UK and Zavvi saved me a ton of money, I'm guessing it's the same for a lot of other people. When I can get new 60 euro releases for almost 15 euros cheaper compared to most brick and mortar/online shops around here without paying customs I'm sold.

 

[Throwaway123456789]

Consider that we pay an insane premium for our games and consoles over the US: Does the dropping of our rip-off prices to be more closely alligned to USA selling costs, signify a market crash in progress?

Shut your mouth
We pay ~110USD for our games new, and the 3DS is currently priced at 425USD at the lowest. How's that for premium prices?

 

[Curufinwe]

What country is that?

I know that in my home country of New Zealand, new releases cost up to NZ $130 which is US $102 at the current exchange rate.

http://www.ebgames.co.nz/productSearch.cfm?status=n&platform=xbox

 

[electricshake]

I used to buy lots of games day one, but so far I haven't bought a single game this year. One of the things that puts me off, in addition to the quick prices drops, is the amount of DLC, especially in games like Fallout. I can buy it when it comes out, at £35 or whatever, then pay 8 or 9 quid a go for each DLC pack oooor I can wait maybe a year, and get the 'GOTY' edition with all the DLC included for a fraction of the price. I've been burned too many times before to go down that route again. The only games I buy soon after release are games I plan on playing online, and there aren't many of those.

 

[ymmv]

What country is that?

I know that in my home country of New Zealand, new releases cost up to NZ $130 which is US $102 at the current exchange rate.

http://www.ebgames.co.nz/productSearch.cfm?status=n&platform=xbox

That's about 71 euro, about the same what many new games cost in European retail stores (70 euro).

 

[faridmon]

I am sorry, I am so sorry.

Its all your fault

Spoiler

I love you man

On topic, I think Uk gaming market crashed themself. I mean, back in the days games used to be a healthy place to buy games regulerly and now its about who can raise the price and who can push it in the marketing department.

 

[Firebrand]

With the prices retail is putting out over here, Steam can go die in a fucking fire.

The UK actually has reasonable Steam prices, unlike the rest of Europe (£30 vs €50 for new releases).

But yeah, I'm buying most of my stuff from Play.com and Amazon.co.uk.

 

[corporate cheerleader]

That's about 71 euro, about the same what many new games cost in European retail stores (70 euro).

Make that €60.

 

[McBradders]

I find the rapid drop of the 3DS troubling.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-04-20-cheap-this-week-20-04-11-article?page=2

 

[dc89]

Am I right in saying that the 3DS has no RRP. That Nintendo let retailers set their own price for it?

I'm sure that may make it look a little worse than it is.

 

[McBradders]

Am I right in saying that the 3DS has no RRP. That Nintendo let retailers set their own price for it?

I'm sure that may make it look a little worse than it is.

Possibly, but that's only true of the UK and Europe, right? It's still pretty worrying that not only has the price dropped but that drop also includes a game, too.

 

[Starwolf_UK]

Am I right in saying that the 3DS has no RRP. That Nintendo let retailers set their own price for it?

I'm sure that may make it look a little worse than it is.

It does have an RRP. The wholeseller distributors state it. Its non-enforceable (hence why its recomended) and the wholesale costs may or may not reflect it well.

The idea of the RRPbeing so discontect to the wholesale price is it gives you nice margin and it gives wrigling movement to currency flucuations (after NOE sat idle "losing"* money per Wii UK sold they sold for a while only to suddenly change it in one shot** I think they're linking wholesale price to £:Euro more closely this time).

In other words. If the £ tanks (again) vs. the Euro expect the 3DS to creep up in price. Well once stock bought a lower wholesale cost is sold of course. Except consumers to be confused by all this and cursing Nintendo on the internet and demanding they go back to their price-fixing ways of the 90s to prevent this from happening.

Also RRPs are treated as bullshit these days so stores can always say "L00K R@RE 3DS - 10%s offes".

*-Disclaimer. Losing as in getting less for it than what they sell it to a European retailer.
**-Remember that brief spell when Wiis were £199? It was brief but some retailers took NOE up on their idea of "we've increased the wholesale by £20 in one shot, don't like your profit margin dying, pass it to customers". Probably out of spite.

 

[supermackem]

I find the rapid drop of the 3DS troubling.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-04-20-cheap-this-week-20-04-11-article?page=2

Theres no suprise tbh, i went into game today for a copy of ghost recon shadow wars and it was £39,99 or a massive saving of £37.99 for used.

 

[dc89]

Yeah Game are a joke with new titles like that.

But like I said, they can be good for certain stuff. I picked up Golden Sun Dark Dawn for £9 yesterday. It was something like £11.00 and I had some credit on my points card. Rarely go anymore though.

They were selling FF14 for around £20. I bought it online for £6 with free delivery from Zaavi.

 

[Saiyar]

I find the rapid drop of the 3DS troubling.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-04-20-cheap-this-week-20-04-11-article?page=2

3DS is down to £179.99 at Amazon. That is the cheapest price I have seen.

 

[dak1dsk1]

You'd have to be an idiot to buy games at 'full price'.

 

[Shiggy]

It does have an RRP.

There's no RRP for the 3DS set by Nintendo in Europe.

 

[milanbaros]

3DS is down to £179.99 at Amazon. That is the cheapest price I have seen.

Yep. Excluding VAT (£30) that is just below the US price. Finally after years of being ripped off I feel we are at least being equally ripped off . That is a great price.

 

[Starwolf_UK]

There's no RRP for the 3DS set by Nintendo in Europe.

Explain what this is then?

Bubut its not by Nintendo just the distributor they use for UK stock...I doubt GEM would have free regin to call the shots on something like this. But its so Nintendo can wipe their hands when they need to adjust RRP due tof violent currency shifts. If they say on their website it costs this much it can of binds a contract in consumer eyes at least. See also DS Lite £100, DSi £150 (+50% compared to everywhere else which was ~+20%).

Also its interesting to see all the 3DS they distribute have an RRP of £40 except for Puzzle Bobble (~£32) and Sudoku (~£40.71). Wonder if Puzzle Bobble is down to lack of Square-Enix confidence or its just Puzzle Bobble (which has traditionally been budget).

 

[Napoleonthechimp]

So there is a big drop in videogame sales... during a time when we are in the middle of severe economic cutbacks? Colour me surprised.

 

[TheExodu5]

I keep saying it: the market can't support this many big budget games.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Explain what this is then?

Bubut its not by Nintendo just the distributor they use for UK stock...I doubt GEM would have free regin to call the shots on something like this. But its so Nintendo can wipe their hands when they need to adjust RRP due tof violent currency shifts. If they say on their website it costs this much it can of binds a contract in consumer eyes at least. See also DS Lite £100, DSi £150 (+50% compared to everywhere else which was ~+20%).

Also its interesting to see all the 3DS they distribute have an RRP of £40 except for Puzzle Bobble (~£32) and Sudoku (~£40.71). Wonder if Puzzle Bobble is down to lack of Square-Enix confidence or its just Puzzle Bobble (which has traditionally been budget).

Those prices are GEMs RRP not Nintendos. Nintendo only set a trade price in the UK. And of course GEM can do what they want with their own site. Those figures will just be calcuted by them taking the cost price adding an average margin, then adding an average retailer margin and then VAT on top.

 

[Shiggy]

Explain what this is then?

Bubut its not by Nintendo just the distributor they use for UK stock...I doubt GEM would have free regin to call the shots on something like this. But its so Nintendo can wipe their hands when they need to adjust RRP due tof violent currency shifts.

Retailers often put up their own RRP when there's no official one.
Take a look here here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004ISLDUG/
Just because they've put up a RRP, it does not mean it was set by Nintendo.

If there was a RRP, Nintendo would've had announced it, otherwise it would not make much sense. It's still possible/likely that Nintendo gave some indication of what they think is appropriate, but that's not a RRP.


And that your website there doesn't really show the official RRPs can be seen here:
http://www.gem.co.uk/product/?id=2126366
The RRP of Wii Fit Plus is £89.99.

Or Kirby Epic Yarn; your site says RRP is £40.85, official RRP £39.99.
Distributors (in Germany for example Metro Group) often have their own (higher) RRPs so that shops which buy there think that they've made a great deal.