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Kazuma Saruwatari
Caldari
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Posted - 2008.09.25 07:57:00 -
[1]
*facepalm*
I'm sorry guys, having to vent lately as someone hired me to canvas the local PC shops around here for a mid-end gamer PC. This lead to a discussion regarding the much-hated 30% "technology tax" that the government down here keeps imposing upon all electronics, and the fact that because of its existence, prices down here are far higher than when looking on the internet as a reference.
For example, taking Tom's Hardware Sept '08 videocard buyer's guide...
Radeon HD 2600 XT GDDR3 - $60. Down here: $81
GeForce 8800 GT 512MB - $120. Down here: $193
Radeon HD 4850 - $170. Down here: $221.1
<list end>
We dont even have the $300 range cards here (though I have to admit, those are going a bit over "mid-range" in my book).
Another good example, comparing processor prices down here with pricegrabber.com's estimate:
(I had MAJOR trouble just finding market listings for "our midrange" CPU's here. Most of em arent even listed on Pricegrabber.com anymore. They're THAT old. CPU's listed here are considered "high end" down here.)
Intel E4600 (2.4G) - $117.99. Down here: $126
Intel E7200 (2.53G) - $119. Down here: $131
Intel E8200 (2.66G) - $159. Down here: $177.1
Intel E8400 (3.0G) - $169.99. Down here: $190.2
And the ONLY quad-core Intel processor I could find down here:
Intel Q6600 (2.4G) - $189. Down here: $217.5
AMD is mixed down here, but no less overpriced:
Athlon 64 X2 4600 - $79.99. Down here: $66.6 <--lowest "high end" they say.
Athlon 64 X2 5200 - $66.00. Down here: $90.4
Phenom X3 8450 - $102. Down here: $115.3
Phenom X4 9550 - $144. Down here: $187.7
This is from a country where the normal monthly salary is $250 (high average, many are below that. Some companies dont hire full-time, often resort to contractual workers.), and, in a strange twist of irony, a full working copy (illegal, of course. Piracy capital of the world now here.) of Crysis barely costs $2...
I'll let you guys figure out how the heck I play EVE under such circumstances.
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Kazuma Saruwatari
Caldari
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Posted - 2008.09.25 07:57:00 -
[2]
*facepalm*
I'm sorry guys, having to vent lately as someone hired me to canvas the local PC shops around here for a mid-end gamer PC. This lead to a discussion regarding the much-hated 30% "technology tax" that the government down here keeps imposing upon all electronics, and the fact that because of its existence, prices down here are far higher than when looking on the internet as a reference.
For example, taking Tom's Hardware Sept '08 videocard buyer's guide...
Radeon HD 2600 XT GDDR3 - $60. Down here: $81
GeForce 8800 GT 512MB - $120. Down here: $193
Radeon HD 4850 - $170. Down here: $221.1
<list end>
We dont even have the $300 range cards here (though I have to admit, those are going a bit over "mid-range" in my book).
Another good example, comparing processor prices down here with pricegrabber.com's estimate:
(I had MAJOR trouble just finding market listings for "our midrange" CPU's here. Most of em arent even listed on Pricegrabber.com anymore. They're THAT old. CPU's listed here are considered "high end" down here.)
Intel E4600 (2.4G) - $117.99. Down here: $126
Intel E7200 (2.53G) - $119. Down here: $131
Intel E8200 (2.66G) - $159. Down here: $177.1
Intel E8400 (3.0G) - $169.99. Down here: $190.2
And the ONLY quad-core Intel processor I could find down here:
Intel Q6600 (2.4G) - $189. Down here: $217.5
AMD is mixed down here, but no less overpriced:
Athlon 64 X2 4600 - $79.99. Down here: $66.6 <--lowest "high end" they say.
Athlon 64 X2 5200 - $66.00. Down here: $90.4
Phenom X3 8450 - $102. Down here: $115.3
Phenom X4 9550 - $144. Down here: $187.7
This is from a country where the normal monthly salary is $250 (high average, many are below that. Some companies dont hire full-time, often resort to contractual workers.), and, in a strange twist of irony, a full working copy (illegal, of course. Piracy capital of the world now here.) of Crysis barely costs $2...
I'll let you guys figure out how the heck I play EVE under such circumstances.
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Aioa
Planetary Assault Systems
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Posted - 2008.09.25 08:30:00 -
[3]
Ok, we give up, where is 'down here'? Are we meant to guess?
Also, what are these 'shops' you speak of?
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Kazuma Saruwatari
Caldari
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Posted - 2008.09.25 08:50:00 -
[4]
Edited by: Kazuma Saruwatari on 25/09/2008 08:50:47
 Originally by: Aioa
Ok, we give up, where is 'down here'? Are we meant to guess?
Also, what are these 'shops' you speak of?
sorry, local slang showing. There are several computer retail chains around here in the Philippines that offer components and parts you'd find that were entry-level two years ago.
...and they market this stuff as mid-end hardware.
EDIT: and just to give an example as to what his old "high-end-turned-low-end PC" he's been using for 5 years now, its a Pentium 4.
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Wendat Huron
Stellar Solutions
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Posted - 2008.09.25 11:32:00 -
[5]
All your findings seem to indicate you are.
These forums are FUBAR, upgrade this decade! |
KingsGambit
Caldari Knights
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Posted - 2008.09.25 11:47:00 -
[6]
Originally by: Kazuma Saruwatari
There are several computer retail chains...that offer components and parts you'd find that were entry-level two years ago.
...and they market this stuff as mid-end hardware.
You already gave the answer for this 
Originally by: Kazuma Saruwatari
This is from a country where the normal monthly salary is $250
This is the same reason as to why
Originally by: Kazuma Saruwatari
a full working copy (illegal, of course. Piracy capital of the world now here.) of Crysis barely costs $2...
In the many of the near, middle and far eastern countries where workers salaries are extremely low, technology is bound to be older and less prevalent as the majority of people can't afford them. The poverty line is much more defined and without a middle class like in the UK, there're few customers who will buy a CPU we would for $250, when that's their entire months salary. That money has to pay for food, clothing, housing, etc. The necesseities. There is a sociological theory that explains this better.
Piracy of course is also prevalent as noone can afford $250 for a copy of Vista, etc. Despite its rampancy though, I believe corporations are less bothered about the factories churning out copies of their products over there, compared to piracy in the western countries. The reason for that being that noone/few will buy their product there anyway (businesses excluded), there's little money to sue for if they tried to and further, the Governments are usually well aware of it and turn a blind eye (same as why the Nigerian govmt do nothing to stop scammers). I've been in eastern shopping malls with pirate software shops in the middle.
The economies are vastly different and not just technology suffers, but most luxuries. CDs, DVDs, books also are much less popular. A paperback novel costing ú6.99 over there would be to us as though we were paying ú50.
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Kazuma Saruwatari
Caldari
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Posted - 2008.09.26 09:51:00 -
[7]
Kings Gambit, your post is /thread
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Slade Trillgon
Siorai Iontach
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Posted - 2008.09.26 10:24:00 -
[8]
Originally by: Kazuma Saruwatari
Kings Gambit, your post is /thread
You are correct their, KingsGambit hit the nail on the head.
I do pose one question though. It was not answered why there is the additional tax to begin with? Kings response gave the reason that older equipment is being sold as middle of the road current technology.
I bet that the government rationalizes that anyone that is able to go and pay the type of money that you speak of, in the Philippines, has even more money in their pockets and if they do not then they do not need to buy the product. The government then is going to tax/"extort" an additional amount of money. Call it a "luxury tax"
The government realizes that the hierarchy of needs within their population does not include much technology and decide that if someone is willing and able to afford this stuff then they should also help contribute to the governments greater good by paying an additional amount in the form of a sales tax. This is pure conjecture as I have little to no clue how the Phillipino government and economic system really works.
Slade
Originally by: Crumplecorn
NerfBat is now known as the WaveMachine.
≡v≡ |
SoftRevolution
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Posted - 2008.09.26 11:31:00 -
[9]
Technology... tax?
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XenoPagan
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Posted - 2008.09.26 12:10:00 -
[10]
hmm. I remember that when I visited some shops in Philippines, TVs and that kind of stuff costed approximately the same or was cheaper than in here (Estonia)
didn't check computer stuff tho
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Kazuma Saruwatari
Caldari
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Posted - 2008.09.26 12:24:00 -
[11]
in all honesty, that "tax" only gets applied if any of us try to order components and other PC related parts from overseas and get them shipped here.
Customs take over, and slap ridiculous taxes on top.
Current theory is that there's a secret pact between all the PC component chains that are currently doing business here to control and limit parts and availability, even to commercial clients.
Proof? Well just so happens one of the suspected corrupt congressmen behind the technology tax happens to indirectly own the biggest PC/electronics retailer chain here.
Main issue: corruption in politics, and here my thread gets locked if I continue on these lines.
But, I wont
Instead, I'll just moan and gripe that Pentium 4's and Semprons are still on the market here marketed as low-middle-end hardware...
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Kur'Dekaija
League of Disgruntled Fast Food Employees
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Posted - 2008.09.26 13:02:00 -
[12]
bahh get your relatives to send you some good PC stuff... we philipino are everywhere!!! 
but I know what you mean, when I visited my home country back in 2005 I checked out some PC stores. The stuff they sold were worse than my 2 year old laptop at that time.
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