Fitbit Ionic Price Disparity UK

[VinceZ]

This afternoon I called to pre-order a Fitbit Ionic with a leather strap. However, while the sales "advocate" was going through the features with me - I noted that the Fitbit was $299.00 USA and £299.00 UK - at the current rates that is near £60 - £70 (depending on the exchange rate day) difference.  I mentioned this to advocate and she told me there had been quite a few complaints.  A quick look online took me to Twitter a well-known Men's outfitter had tweeted the same.  The advocate told me that they are waiting on word from the head office as to what is happening with the pricing. Nevertheless, I did not order and felt I was being taken advantage off.

Let's start here, generally, when a manufacturer releases a new product there is an introductory pre-sales offer for its members or if they can't manage that, then the regular price.  In this instance, Fitbit decided they could get away with charging a lot more in the UK and do as Apple once did when they tried to charge the exchange rate and take advantage of the current problems (ie Brexit).  The problem with that is Fitbit are not Apple and this type of behaviour is noticeable, and especially amongst its community.

Fitbit cannot blame import tax or Brexit as tax has not gone up and Brexit is not in force yet and may never be. So, why the large price hike?  It doesn't make any sound sense except to annoy or possibly lose existing Fitbit members/users.  

Will Fitbit be addressing this issue, and if so, will they lower the price in-line with the US Fitbit prices?  At the moment it would make more sense (if you have somebody you know in the US) to order it in the US and have it sent, even after sending you would still be saving £40 odd pounds. I for one will not spend over the listed price in another country and especially with that amount of pricing disparity.

[DanJack]

It's  $299 in the US and £299 in the UK which means were paying about £70 more in the UK? 

[GrumpyCyclist]

At a guess it will be the same reasons everything is more expensive here:

1) awful exchange rate right now

2) VAT adding 20% to the $-£ price ($299 = £231 plus VAT = £277)

3) because they can

Remember too that most states will probably add a sales tax to that $299 but it won't be anywhere near 20% that we pay. Sales tax rules in the US are a bit of a minefield and I have no idea exactly how they work.

[SunsetRunner]

I feel your pain!  We're paying $80 more in Canada with exchange factored in, I think.  Though its late and I'm tired...

[pedris]

In addition to what @GrumpyCyclist wrote, Fitbit is obliged to provide a minimum warranty of 2 years in the EU. The extra year (compared to other regions) must add significantly to costs. 

[N8teGee]

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@GrumpyCyclist wrote:

At a guess it will be the same reasons everything is more expensive here:

1) awful exchange rate right now

2) VAT adding 20% to the $-£ price ($299 = £231 plus VAT = £277)

3) because they can

Remember too that most states will probably add a sales tax to that $299 but it won't be anywhere near 20% that we pay. Sales tax rules in the US are a bit of a minefield and I have no idea exactly how they work.

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I believe this is correct. Tax varies from state to state in the US, so it will be added to the final price. I remember being confused when I visited the US and went to by something displayed for $xx amount, then being told it's actually $yy amount as the display price didn't include sales tax. 

[DVME1]

RIP OFF BRITAIN what do you expect,  and we put up with it, not right not fair

[Colinm39]

In Australia the first pre-order ads are appearing with about 18% loading...from this company

[Breezygirl8]

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

I feel your pain!  We're paying $80 more in Canada with exchange factored in, I think.  Though its late and I'm tired...

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In Canada it's actually almost  

$100 more than the US at $399.95  

[SunsetRunner]

But our Canadian dollar is not on par so that's why I took off the $20. I was feeling generous?

[PieMavi]

In Italy it's gonna cost 100€ more than the original price which means more or less 90£.. and it's sharing the price with the Apple Watch which is not that convenient for fitbit 🤷🏼‍:male_sign:

[ErickFitbit · Accepted solution]

@VinceZ Fitbit prices its products uniquely in each region.

[VinceZ]

This is not the accepted solution, please unmark. I would prefer if you did not mark accepted solutions when that is not the case. 

FYI Fitbt generally do not mark their products up by that wider margin, hence the complaints. 

[Lucy_L]

So why are you charging the UK so much more than the US exactly?

[VinceZ]

See this post @Lucy https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Ionic/Fitbit-Ionic-Price-Disparity-UK/m-p/2171143#M494 it's a bit of a rip-off and there have been many complaints to Fitbit. 

[SunsetRunner]

Although I doubt it will appease you, this disparity is not restricted to Fitbit or Apple and is now common when purchasing across USA/UK/EU. It's a fact of (current) life. In the old days, yes we could save on exchange rate but now manufacturers keep a much closer level of pricing parity.

I've just looked up the price of my headphones; $299 in BestBuy : £300 on Amazon UK. It's a fact of life and simple exchange rate translation doesn't guarantee simple local price calculation.

[VinceZ]

I'm glad you found self-appeasement in your justification of sharp practise. The disparity is too large not to be. 

[SunsetRunner]

US price is without taxes

UK (or French) price is with taxes

Warranty is one year in USA, two years in EU

Maybe back to one year in UK after Brexit  

[VinceZ]

Brexit may never happen- wishful thinking 


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[Lucy_L]

Thanks for the link. I contacted Fitbit as I assumed it was an error and eventually got a very dismissive response about taxes and told to have a nice day.