SONY quoted Americans are 'cheap people'

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=23722

Why is the PlayStation 3 more expensive in the UK than it is in the rest of Europe?

Well the first thing that is important is that I want the price to be as low as possible, because the lower the price the more we sell - we're a software model.

If you take the product at the factory gates there are slight variations to price if you're putting out a single sku product, but it's very, very small. But then the differences start to accumulate. If you've got different shipping costs and import duties that makes variation in price. And that's just getting it into a country. Then you have a look at the economic and financial situation in each and every territory. That's where the differences start to vary massively.

If you take what's considered to be the most expensive and the least expensive - consider the US with its massive land and cheap people. Then you look at the UK - a little island where rent and rates are at an absolute premium, and the cost of people is a lot more. The cost of retail is vastly more in the UK than it is in the US and that's before you even stop to consider the US doesn't have VAT at RRP, they put a small amount on afterwards. Whereas, we get stung by 17.5 per cent. And pity the poor Irish and places like Sweden.

it's all true.UndyingVayne

 In a time when wages are low and taxes are high, do you expect us Middle Class Americans to have enough disposible income to just buy a PS3? I would rather buy groceries than save up for the PS3 (although it's shaping up to be more and more of a tempting purchase with Home and MGS4)

Koalakommander, you better shut up! Americans basically run the world's interlocked economy, and you insult them when they don't buy a PS3? FOr what? A game? One game? If Europeans think the PS3 is superior for those trivial reasons, then they are retarded! Heck, thats not saying much, considering how many times they killed each other in history..................peter1191

well the language in the response seems quite poor...people are more expensive in the UK??? but they're cheap in the USA???

Now if we all just think about it I'm sure we can make sense of it...the GBP is a stronger currency than the USD...plus all the mad trading taxes in the UK, you get higher relative price points for EVERYTHING here not just Ps3's...

The average wealth of people in the UK relative to the US is probably higher as well. I mean I earn $800+/month working part-time in a convenience store!

[QUOTE="UndyingVayne"]it's all true.Toaster_Cell

In a time when wages are low and taxes are high, do you expect us Middle Class Americans to have enough disposible income to just buy a PS3? I would rather buy groceries than save up for the PS3 (although it's shaping up to be more and more of a tempting purchase with Home and MGS4)

The middle class has been slowly weaned out the last couple of years.

But yeah, Sony really does want to teach us some discipline. 

isnt the US one of the wealthiest nations in the world ? according to GDP/capita ? what happened now they cant afford a ps3 ? there is something wrong!

They're just making excuses for the PS3s poor sales. I mean look at February - 127k consoles sold. I'd be making excuses too.Number_1_Gamer

dude, us Americans are cheap as hell.  

I saw some numbers some months ago that showed that Americans now have a NEGATIVE savings rate. That means they spend more than they make.

That is the exact opposite of cheap. Cheap suggests fiscal prudency and high rates of savings.

Teh f*ck ? They arent cheap, hell if there cheap, then EU must be atleast just as cheap, maybe cheaper, since gaming is less big at here... also we dont spend that much at gaming equipement then they do in the US.

WTH... The confusion just wont end... does Sony understand what there saying ? ... :?

so people in america are cheap for not buying a 600 paperweigth?alcarazo9

[QUOTE="peter1191"]Koalakommander, you better shut up! Americans basically run the world's interlocked economy, and you insult them when they don't buy a PS3? FOr what? A game? One game? If Europeans think the PS3 is superior for those trivial reasons, then they are retarded! Heck, thats not saying much, considering how many times they killed each other in history..................Koalakommander

I'd call Americans a lot of things; fat, ignorant, uneducated, even religious fanatics who believe "Leave it to Beaver" was an accurate example of 1950s and 1960s life(J/K). But cheap? I don't think so Sony, if your neighbors the Jones get new siding, you get better siding , if you get a new power sander they get the deluxe model, if they get the 8-seat 6 MPG SUV for their 2 kids you get the 2.5 MPG SUV with the DVD player and amphibious mode just in case you need to duck into the river when the terrorists attack while out on a family trip to the local mall.espoac

isnt the US one of the wealthiest nations in the world ? according to GDP/capita ? what happened now they cant afford a ps3 ? there is something wrong!

arabi_89

if they didn't over price their damn console maybe i wouldn't cheap out on a p$3

[QUOTE="peter1191"]Koalakommander, you better shut up! Americans basically run the world's interlocked economy, and you insult them when they don't buy a PS3? FOr what? A game? One game? If Europeans think the PS3 is superior for those trivial reasons, then they are retarded! Heck, thats not saying much, considering how many times they killed each other in history..................Koalakommander

The jump from 400 to 600 is a 30% increase i wouldnt call it slight when the 360 is 2/3 the price. 

cheatymcshifty , your point is interesting, but its mostly communism that slows progress. Capitalism is the opposite. Communism weakens a person's incentive to work harder, after all, if the government controls everything, why should you bother working hard? Aside from this off-topic talk, Americans are cheap. But, people like to stereotype Americans, so I never like to admit it. Either way, I was not born in the U.S., but raised. As an Egyptian, I know the true meaning of cheap. Americans are cheap, but they know when a video console cost too much for what its worth.peter1191

lol Sony gonna lose the market like that.Gamertag-TFTW

well Europe sees it different as of thie moment.  

Sony just lost North America. :lol:

Nice, trying to flip his words as if he was purposely trying to insult US citizens.

What he is says is true for the most part, I as an American am not offended.

well the language in the response seems quite poor...people are more expensive in the UK??? but they're cheap in the USA???

Now if we all just think about it I'm sure we can make sense of it...the GBP is a stronger currency than the USD...plus all the mad trading taxes in the UK, you get higher relative price points for EVERYTHING here not just Ps3's...

The average wealth of people in the UK relative to the US is probably higher as well. I mean I earn $800+/month working part-time in a convenience store!

cheapness1

Us Americans don't like to buy overprice junk, unlike Europeans.

Oh and I guess Japan is full of cheap people since Sony had to lower the price of the PS3 there.

The wording of that response naturally invites misinterpretation. But as some people have referenced, without specifically stating, that isn't what it means.

Think about it. If he were talking about how budget-concious Americans were (unlikely, considering the level of debt we have), why would he mention it along with the US's 'massive land'? It doesn't make any sense.

What he is referring to, which is related to the PS3's pricing in the UK, is the cost of labor. Wages are higher in Europe than in the US, at least for most jobs. The cost of living is higher, and almost all goods are more expensive. Therefore, it's only natural that the PS3 costs more.

It makes sense put in those terms. He really shouldn't have used the term 'cheap people' to refer to labor, though.

[QUOTE="peter1191"]Koalakommander, you better shut up! Americans basically run the world's interlocked economy, and you insult them when they don't buy a PS3? FOr what? A game? One game? If Europeans think the PS3 is superior for those trivial reasons, then they are retarded! Heck, thats not saying much, considering how many times they killed each other in history..................Koalakommander

Wow, 200 IS a lot of money. That difference is large for many families. 400 is simply more affordable. 600 dollars outright is not. The PS2 dominated partially due to a 300 dollar starting pricetag-Only 100 more than the 200 dollar Dreamcast, and with way more hype.

The PS3 hate train is huge right now. It's everywhere. This hate only further seperates the two when it comes to a purchase. Only the most diehard of Sony fans are buying it. The 360, and moreso the Wii, are appealing to a greater number of people. Does this mean Sony is doomed? ---- no. They can make a comeback. It will take a very long time, possibly the majority of this generation, but they can make a comeback. It may even take this entire generation and some of the next. But 200 dollars more is a lot of money. Especially when many people in America buy systems for their children. Even if they CAN afford a 600 dollar console, they won't simply because they won't find it worth it.