# Cost of Microsoft Software.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-microsoft-software/291240>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 21, 2005, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-microsoft-software/291240 "2005-02-21T22:08:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 13\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-microsoft-software/291240/1 "2005-02-21T22:08:15Z")

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It needn’t be Microsoft, but because I’ve just bought Windows XP it seems relevant.  
The cost of XP at [Amazon.co.uk](http://Amazon.co.uk) is £161, whereas at [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) it’s $99.99. My calculator tells me that $100 is approximately £52.  
Now how does that work? Why is there such a large differential, it cost 3 times as much to buy in the UK as in the States. It’s not as if shipping costs are that high even if XP came from America (which it probably doesn’t, it might even be produced here in the UK)  
Is there anything stopping me buying from [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) (or any retailer in the States)paying the shipping costs and saving myself at least 50% of the price. Are there import taxes to consider? Has anyone in the UK done this?  
What is the cost of XP in your part of the world? Are we being ripped off (again) here in Blighty.

Sorry about getting carried away with all those questions.

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-microsoft-software/291240/2 "2005-02-21T22:21:20Z")

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Are you sure that you’re comparing the same thing? The fully licensed version is more money than the upgrade version, and Windows XP Professional is more than Windows XP Home Edition.

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**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-microsoft-software/291240/3 "2005-02-21T22:45:51Z")

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I’m talking about XP Home. I looked at Amazon about an hour ago. It may be a special offer, or it may be a permanent special offer 🙂 Take a look.

> **[Amazon.com: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit System Builder OEM DVD 1...](https://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Windows-Premium-System-Builder/dp/B00H09BB16)**
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> Microsoft Software GFC-02733 Windows 7 Home Premium 1Pack Looking for your product key? The product key is a 25-digit string with a hyphen between each 5...

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-microsoft-software/291240/4 "2005-02-21T22:57:23Z")

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When I looked for Windows XP Home Edition, the results included Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2 for $189.99. So I think the one you found might be a clearance price on the version without SP2. (You can freely download SP2, so it’s not a problem.)

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**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-microsoft-software/291240/5 "2005-02-22T00:25:24Z")

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Because of the Windows Media Player, the recently pass a new regulation that requires MicroSoft to write a special version of their XP OS. Whether it has a higher retail on the continent then it does here is unclear.

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**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-microsoft-software/291240/6 "2005-02-22T07:59:06Z")

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> [@JohnBckWLD](#):
>
> Because of the Windows Media Player, the recently pass a new regulation that requires MicroSoft to write a special version of their XP OS. Whether it has a higher retail on the continent then it does here is unclear.

It’s always been that expensive in the UK - and they certainly won’t be allowed to get away with increasing prices because of the new version. In general, we’re familiar with pound=dollar markups, which matches the SP2 version **Dewey Finn** found.

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**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-microsoft-software/291240/7 "2005-02-22T09:30:29Z")

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You can buy an OEM version from [EBuyer.com](http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=66489) for £59. Being an OEM version you must also buy some non-peripheral hardware with it, but since that includes keyboards & mice and the same outfit sells mice for \< £2, that doesn’t seem to big a problem.

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**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-microsoft-software/291240/8 "2005-02-22T10:13:02Z")

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I guess Microsoft figures that since every Britisher is a multi-millionaire with Old Money, thirty live-in servants, and a Bentley, they can afford to pay more for their software. Is it true you people wipe your butts with American money?

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-microsoft-software/291240/9 "2005-02-22T10:21:28Z")

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> [@ticker](#):
>
> You can buy an OEM version from [EBuyer.com](http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=66489) for £59. Being an OEM version you must also buy some non-peripheral hardware with it, but since that includes keyboards & mice and the same outfit sells mice for \< £2, that doesn’t seem to big a problem.

…and of course be aware that buying OEM software can make it harder/more expensive to get tech support from MS (not that this is all that likely to be a problem).

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**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-microsoft-software/291240/10 "2005-02-22T12:47:19Z")

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> [@SPOOFE](#):
>
> I guess Microsoft figures that since every Britisher is a multi-millionaire with Old Money, thirty live-in servants, and a Bentley, they can afford to pay more for their software. Is it true you people wipe your butts with American money?

Yes.

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**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-microsoft-software/291240/11 "2005-02-22T13:44:31Z")

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> [@ticker](#):
>
> You can buy an OEM version from [EBuyer.com](http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=66489) for £59. Being an OEM version you must also buy some non-peripheral hardware with it, but since that includes keyboards & mice and the same outfit sells mice for \< £2, that doesn’t seem to big a problem.

That’s actually what I did do (not ebuyer but similiar) in the end, it came the next day and it was the SP2 version. The cost totalled £64 including postage. I am relying on either my son or son in law to provide any technical know how necessary.

Even comparing the price **Dewey Finn** quoted above it’s still only approx £100 and still a huge price differential that seems to have little justification.  
No one has come up with an answer whether any duty or tax has to be paid if I was to buy something abroad -has anyone in the UK had any experience of this? I’m just thinking of something like software for personal use which doesn’t attract prohibitive shipping costs.

> [@SPOOFE](#):
>
> I guess Microsoft figures that since every Britisher is a multi-millionaire with Old Money, thirty live-in servants, and a Bentley, they can afford to pay more for their software. Is it true you people wipe your butts with American money?

I believe the servants in the east wing of the house use American money, I’m a little fussier than that however.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-microsoft-software/291240/12 "2005-02-22T18:02:40Z")

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> [@Vetch](#):
>
> No one has come up with an answer whether any duty or tax has to be paid if I was to buy something abroad -has anyone in the UK had any experience of this? I’m just thinking of something like software for personal use which doesn’t attract prohibitive shipping costs.

Technically, VAT is owed on imported purchases. Little chance of being stung for it, though.

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**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cost-of-microsoft-software/291240/13 "2005-02-22T20:07:57Z")

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> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> …and of course be aware that buying OEM software can make it harder/more expensive to get tech support from MS (not that this is all that likely to be a problem).

LOL LOL LOL, tech support from M$…

::drops to floor in convultions of laughter::

I’m in the industry, and work for a company that pays big $$$$ for support, and we barely can get any answers from the big monopoly.

-butler  
(who finds his answers for free anyway on the net)