Fender's ridiculous RRPs in Australia...

[nullref]

Currently, 2799 US Dollar equals 2229.12 GBP, which in the US Apple will sell you a 15inch Macbook Pro, but in the UK it's £2699.

But isn't that £2699 including VAT?  If so, that wouldn't be a fair comparison since the US price is before tax.

Yes, it is including VAT. But when you consider that was worth about $4300 odd dollars about a year ago pre Brexit vote.
Even if you remove the VAT it's still almost $3600. This is not far out when I bought an MBP in 2015.

That would tend to point to a few things, the pound is undervalued which it is.

That Apple, in this case, has been charging almost the same types of prices in the UK for several years regardless of exchange rates indicates profiteering or charging what they can get away with. Now with less favorable exchange rates for the UK I don't see Apple absorbing a loss.

If this is the case it would tend to suggest the US prices themselves are also far higher than they otherwise could be. Certainly, lots of folks have done price type comparisons for equivalent spec'd PCs and found them to be more cost effective.

I'm not going to comment on where exchange rates should be, but I certainly have enjoyed the additional purchasing power of the USD as of late. 

As for Apple, since they consider themselves as a premium brand they do what all premium brands do.  It is all about the logo, not the cost of assembly.

 

[stratamania]

Yes, premium brands and logos. In the clothing world, you can pay £100 or more for a shirt or get 4 for £100 that are better made and better quality. Crazy but true nonetheless.


In case anyone gets the wrong idea I don't mind paying for stuff but I am generally more for value than being a brand slave.