
Petition slams 'Vive la différence' attitude
By Jo Best
Published: 17 January 2005 16:05 GMT
Apple's "most affordable" Mac - the Mac mini - has drawn a storm of protest from European shoppers, who are petitioning Cupertino to bring EU pricing better in line with that of the US.
The online petition states: "We'd like to make an appeal to Apple on the pricing of the new Mac mini in the European Union. Basing on the last long-term rate of exchange of US dollars to euros (and vice versa) - which is 1.3293 on the spot market, so let's say 1.32 - both announced prices of the Mac mini in Europe, €489 and €589, respectively, are much too high."
The petition also states that German users come off particularly badly in the pricing scrap, with an extra €50 for the lower spec Mac mini and €60 for the higher spec machine.
The petition's writers also claim the higher EU pricing is counterproductive for Apple's business strategy and would serve to discourage potential PC to Mac switchers.
So far, the petition has attracted over 2,000 signatures from across the European Union.
One petitioner, 'Ronald', wrote "Europe is as big a market as the United States, so the prices should be similar!" Another, Walter Vermeir, added: "I like the Mac but not the price."
UK customers will also be forced to pay more than their counterparts across the Atlantic. The cheaper Mac mini sells for $499 in the US - around £268. However, to buy the same Mac in the UK would cost £339.
One UK resident, Steve Netting, who signed the petition, said: "We always get ripped off in the UK. Would be great to finally see a company treating us as equals."
It's not the first time Apple has faced the ire of customers over differences in European pricing.
In December, the Office of Fair Trading referred a complaint over the iTunes music store to the European Commission, claiming the almost 10p difference between the prices UK and EU customers pay is discriminatory.
Apple did not immediately respond to request for comment.
Hmm, lets say I pick up a Mac Mini on a trip to th...
Anonymous
Funny how nobody took the time to account for loca...
Anonymous
Same with Sony's CX355 CD changer, $199 (£106) exc...
MikeW
You should read more carefully. The entire petitio...
Anonymous
Computer equipment is exempt from import duties. Y...
Anonymous
- PC support required, Windows 2000, XP, Lotus notes / Domino, Mac, Blackberry support a benefit but not essential. Exposure to an ITIL / ...
By 2006, there were 21 million enterprises in the private and non-primary sector of the European Union (EU), of which 99.9 percent were SMEs (ENSI ...
The Centre for the Development of Enterprise (www.cde.int) is an ACP (Africa Caribbean and Pacific) /European Union joint Institution created in the ...
Agenda Setters 2009
Welcome to the ninth annual Agenda Setters poll – silicon.com's list of the top 50 most influential individuals in the technology and IT industries, from techies and CIOs to entrepreneurs and business leaders. Find out more in our latest special report.
Stories from the web...
Copyright © 2008 CBS Interactive Limited. All rights reserved. Top of page
Bethan Jones Can I use a netbook as my everyday work machine? Part II silicon.com sub editor reveals whether her netbook delivered
Seb Janacek Magic Mouse - Apple's best ever? Minority Report: After years of disappointment, one Mac lover has hope