Get ripped off.....or get ripped off on sale? Hmm, lemme think...neither.

*slaps Impulse with a wet kipper* Wake up...aslong as you sell Paradox's crap at fixed regional prices -you- get the flak, just like steam have been. No ammount of "The publisher made us do it" will fly. If you're willing to alienate European markets by all means feel free.

Well unfortunately i don't fall into the teenage demographic, sorry to disappoint you.

If you think getting mistreated simply because of your geographical location (which constitutes racism under most legislation) is ok, you go ahead. Some of us would rather raise our voices over the issue.

God I dont want any of that crap...

Well, that is the fact about it.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Should Impulse desire to attract a wider fan base and offer a wider variety, they like many retailers often have to swallow what is fed them in order to make the product available.Sometimes competition is not about the bottom line but about what is available to a certain audience or market. Obviously the vendor feels their product is worth what they choose to charge for whatever reason. That does not mean Stardock has to say 'no'. It does, however mean that they still have a bussiness to consider and a right to make a profit. Without knowing the details, you couldn't possibly know what that profit margin is. So, you are not in a place where you can accuse Stardock of ripping anyone off.

It's ignorant consumers that assume the retailer has the final say.  As someone who has spent years in retail, it is very often the vendor that sets the price. Often because they are attempting to maintain a certain image and feel that going below a certain rate will 'cheapen'  the perception of their brand.

You really need to be voicing your complaint to the publisher. Especially if you're seeing it at the same price across the board from retailers. That should tell you where the complaint needs to be directed.

Selling what we do and how we do it isn't a defense; it's a reason.  Getting market share counts.  If you don't like it, take your moral high ground and shop elsewhere.  Start your own business and do whatever you like.  Let us know how it goes.  Until then.  Your question has been asked and answered.  More of the same may make it not worth having you on the forums.  Can you dig it?

Retailers/distributors of a product have to abide by several RULES.  Some are imposed by the Manufacturer of the product, and others are by local Government regulations under International Trade agreements/limitations.

Simple example... Games such as Wolfenstein were/are prohibited to be sold and/or distributed within the Legal boundaries/jurisdiction of Germany.  Is THAT a fault of the Manufacturer, the Retailer, or the Distributor?

Nope.

DVD Region-coding limits either by time/calendar or by outright prohibition the distribution of Film and Television.

In Australia [where there is no R-rating for PC games] some games are therefore prohibited by Australian Govenment Censorship Laws. [want an example?...last week I got into my head I'd like to get a copy of the PC game 'Starship Troopers' ....not apparently available in Australia anymore...but I found it on Amazon....but on my way to checkout was informed it was a prohibited distribution to AUS and could not be sent].

Stardock [via Impulse] is entirely free to choose between one of two options.....they are...

1. Facilitate Online purchase/distribution of a game/software under whatever pricing and/or conditions imposed by the product owner.

or

2.  Not Facilitate purchase/distribution of that product at all.

There IS NO third option.

People can bitch and moan as much as they like, typically through naivete and/or mis-information but it will not change reality.

I want to see top sellers TOP10 always

@ XSive_Death

http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi

Convert,before complaining.

Shaft has spoken.

People who know me may be a bit surprised, but I actually am Stardocks's side here. I think it is hard to avoid regional pricing at all, publishers operate in different markets, and obviously costs in different markets will be different. Obviously this is not true for a webshop, but publishers have to make a price policy for a certain market and that means an on-line distributor like Stardock has to comply with that policy. And let's not say the EU is an easy market with 23 official languages and the laws of 27 countries to respect.

Of course, 1 EUR=1,42 USD, costs in Europe will not be 42% higher than in the U.S., that is plain nonsense. Publishers that are using that kind of price policies are not trying to reflect different costs, they are trying to maximize the money their customers are going to pay. That practise should be frowned upon. There is a very easy way to work around that: buy internationally, and I think that is what we consumers should do.