in Spain (europe) with the best currency (euro) we pay so much for each console, it's a crime how the best market talking about rentability is the market where the price is the most expensive here a PS3 cost 599 € with 2 games xbox360 primium 400 € wii 249 € ds 169 € psp 169 € it's a crime! i hate u japanese! lol!
Well the PS3 costs 660 euros in greece +2games it used to cost 660 euros for the console alone until I gave them some legal advice over the phone for breach of Article 81 EC. The funny thing is that they didn't even thank me at the time, and arrogantly told me that "we have lawyers that will take care of it". I m satisfied with the results however, next time they should hire better lawyers maybe (me? )
I don't think that was as a result of your phone call :lol: Does the whole of Europe have the same basic deal now?
Yes, they must have. Actually if I hadn't later called the Competition authority in my country to notify them (in order to give SONY a notice of inspection), I doubt that they would have changed the price. I can name many similar situations that are in breach of competition law yet nothing has changed (mainly because it is the EC citizen's obligation and right to notify the EC authorities of suspected breaches). How else would you explain a sudden change of price 2 weeks following my phone-calls? They had plenty of time after launch to reduce the price and there was no sale or holiday-special occasion triggering the event either. I m not sure if you realize this Jim, but in Greece there are so many breaches of EC articles that the Commission is often kept busy beyond belief. The kink about my country however, is that our Lawyers aren't exactly top-notch in matters of EC Law, let alone something as specialized as Competition Law. Competition and Banking are amongst my top ranking subjects and I ve already been offered a position in Athens - I would have accepted if the pay wasn't so average even in the largest firm in the country.
I didn't think Greece saw a sudden change in price - didn't they just get the inclusion of 2 free games? That was because of the announcement SCEE made after E3, not because you rang somebody. I know enough about Greece to know they do things very slowly and after navigating through enormous amounts of red tape. I think you're telling tall tales! :lol:
Well, who do you trust more in relation to breaches of competition law? yourself or a holder of a relevant degree? In case you want to make sure, get hold of someone specializing in EC Competition Law , mention the facts of a 660Euro price despite 19% tax (whereas Ireland had the same item for 620 despite 21% VAT) and he'll tell you a thing or two about Article 81 and price-fixing. Based on the same company's history, ie the PS2 selling for regular European prices it is an unjustified and potentially illegal practice for them to over-charge without sufficient reasons. Living in the US you seem to have forgotten that in the EU it is mainly the citizens that point things out to the authorities. This would be crystal clear if you had the time to go over any EU law book. Breach of Competition Law attract fines in the 6 digit-area for starters. That's a cost Sony could do without and not risk, considering their losses on the PS3 so far. Finally, I didn't ring just anybody. I rang the EC representatives and discussed the matter as aforementioned, and it's standard procedure for them to call companies such as SONY in order to cross-refer facts and prices. I suspect you also are not aware of a similar Nintendo case that was in breach of Competition Law years ago. PS: the core PSP still sells for 160 Euros, not less as the rest of contintental Europe. Shouldn't the PSP be the first product to be affected by E3 announcements if your argument held water? =) PS2: not a direct analogy, but ask an American lawyer what would happen under the Sherman Act in similar circumstances, ie where a product is officially over-priced in one state and not the rest, despite no tax differences. I m assuming, based on your replies, that you don't realize that their legal department in Greece wasn't experienced on matters of Competition Law perhaps something to consider before drafting yet another reply in vain: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_competition_law http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resale_price_maintenance a pan-Grecien fixed price-point of 660 with no deviation implies price-fixing, not something Sony or any company would risk defending.
My point is Barc0de, you didn't affect the price change. You make some pretty big claims sometimes but this one is ridiculous and I'm pulling you up on it. The price is still higher in Greece than many over European countries and the 2 games packaged with the console are a change SCEE made across the entire Euro-region instead of a price drop. SCEE announced it at E3. It's just another step for them to make the machine seem better value. Now if Greece suddenly saw a price drop that brought it in line with the other European countries (599E) then you might have some claim in playing a part in that, but it's just not the case. I'm not claiming that there isn't price fixing going on, there is in Ireland too, but you haven't changed anything.
but the price is 600 now for the console + 2games. They are also packing in an extra dual shock controller for 660. =) http://www.plaisio.gr/product.aspx?catalog=2&category=832&product=992569 the official price of the SIXAXIS is 50 Euros http://www.plaisio.gr/product.aspx?catalog=2&category=832&product=931055 you were saying? Look, I didn't do magic, it just comes to prove that their legal employees aren't the best around. You underestimate the power of the EU authorities to scare the shit out of Sony by making them a phone call and enquiring about prices? All I did was just tipped both sides. Their inclusion of the stuff in the bundle differs from having the single console priced at 660. This way, they can say it was a special territorial promotion that just didn't exist in Greece, and the "natural" price of the unit is 600 Euros. There's no enforcement when it comes to promotions and pack-ins to be pan-european.
Ok, but the SCEE pack includes the extra controller. Retailers are presumably just clearing old stock to make way for the new SCEE package (which is the only one made for the time being)
Don't get this the wrong way Jim, Greece will always be over-priced in everything imported because of low salaries mainly. Let alone the extra rip-off. What they had done though with the 660 price was just crazy. I had a long discussion with my Competition Law lecturer on the topic before I called both Sony and the Aurhority. I didn't scare them, the Authority did. I just pointed things out, as every EU citizen has the right to do =)
depends on the shop. http://www.videosun.gr/games.asp?PRODUCT_ID=50223&CATEGORY_ID=3 for example has it at 600 Euros. This is a big difference with the previous position. Previously, if you called SONY and asked them the price, they would say that everyone will be selling it at 660 Euros. Starting to understand?
The only thing to understand is that you're claiming credit for something that just isn't true. Anyway, this argument is going no where. I'm going to make a call to God and ask for a little rain, BRB.
yes, because you don't want to accept that you are wrong =p I have provided solid evidence that shops now sell the pack at 599 euros, whereas the previous "suggested" price was 660 euros for just the console. That spells price-fixing. In more detail: When I rang Sony and asked them about their pricing on the PS3 they said 660 Euros. When I asked them whether I could find it cheaper anywhere in Greece, they replied "no". I reported this to the Authority and they contacted Sony with similar questions. Less than two weeks later the price changes. Coincidence you say. Cause and effect I say.
