UK Price Increase

[yankeedave]

Well, having trolled forums across the MTG world, it looks like it is pretty much certain that as of the 12th of January 2009, MTG boosters will be £3.75, up from £2.50. A nice 50% price increase. Just thought the UK members who didnt know would like a heads up!

[JeroenC]

What? Wow, that sucks... So does this mean boosters in Europe will rise to 6€, from 4? (Well, in Belgium anyway)
Or does it have something to do with taxes, something nationally decided?

[yankeedave]

It seems to be from the main Hasbro UK distributor Esdevium wanting to avoid the credit crunch. Also has something to do with the UK having to order in Euros from a central european wholesaler. But it also means that brick and mortar stores in Britain will suffer, as you can buy from the US for about $60-$70 with postage so why pay that much more from stores here?

<EDIT> Adding info.

[Zir]

This won't affect booster price in Europe, it's due to the pound plummeting from 1.5€ to 1€ over the last year or so.

[JeroenC]

What? It fell all the way down to 1€? That sucks. Well, on one hand, bummer for you guys, but a relief for me. ^^

[Zir]

Yeah, this (http://www.exchange-rates.org/Chart.aspx?iso_code=EUR&base_iso_code=GBP&mode=G&filter=180)should give you an idea of what happened over the last 6 months.

[Dan Turner]

Its not a price increase as much as it is the realization that the Euro is stronger vs the Pound. The pound has lost a lot recently so the dealers that purchased in Euros are now paying more in pounds then they were even though its the same cost in euros as it was. Hence the price increase. Same as the rise of the Dollar here in the US. People in Europe Complaine now because the same cards they got at $15 before for about $12 Euros are now costing almost $15 Euros.

If US retailers or wholesalers were caught selling overseas they would lose there license immediately as well as face huge fines, it is in violation of some stupid US patent and Export Laws as well as their agreement with Wizards.

With the rise of the Euro vs The Pound you are going to see a rise in anything that is imported from the mainland.

[Aj-capra]

On Italy 4.10€ a booster

6.00€ is very very expensive.

[dahcmai]

yeah, but people can still buy from sellers online just fine. Ebay won't stop a thing either. Wizards has no control over those guys. Only the ones who order from them directly. Once it's past one distributor, they can't complain any more.

[Mayk0l]

God I love Ebay.
It's like countries have rules, regulations and laws arranged in a way that we pay as much as possible for whatever we want.
Ebay just gives them a big Fuck y'all

Awesome

[Phoenix Ignition]

Actually if I am correct, I believe that it's only the sealed packs and boxes that are illegal to sell overseas. So ebay really doesn't say screw you to them as much, since I think that there are relatively few people who actually do that.

Any regular cards are okay to sell over seas (except to Italy or some such nonsense).