Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, entertainment
In Britain, Marvel, DC, Image Digital Apps Charge More Than ComiXology – A Lot More
Since Brexit, the value of the British pound crashed through the floor compared to the US dollar. Things have gotten a little better after Donald Trump started sounding off about devalueing the dollar, but it's still nowhere near what it used to be.
In the UK, American print comics naturally became a lot more expensive and so comic store had to put their prices up.
Intriguingly, however, ComiXology did not put their UK prices up. So a $2.99 comic book in the US….
…..costs £1.99 in the UK (including a 20% sales tax), when its direct currency exchange price today would be £2.38 and, taking in shipping and distribution from the US, costs around £2.60 (no sales tax is charged on printed publications in the UK).
And a $3.99 comic book in the US….
On ComiXology.co.uk costs £2.49 in the UK (including a 20% sales tax), when its direct currency exchange price today would be £3.18 and, taking in shipping and distribution from the US, costs around £3.35 in comic shops (no sales tax is charged on printed publications in the UK).
It means there's a massive discount on digital comics through ComiXology in the UK right now, exacerbated by the Brexit situation. Given that ComiXology has to pay the UK government 20% sales tax as well, where as print comics sellers don't, that seems a bizarre situation.
Especially considering that the ComiXology-powered apps from other publishers are charging more.
A $2.99 comic book through the DC Comics App charges a lot more than ComiXology, with a $2.99 comic costing £2.99. The same goes for Marvel, with a $3.99 comic costing £3.99. Image Comics' app does the same.
Basically, for Brits, it's cheaper to buy a new print comic, than digitally from a comic publisher's app. But even cheaper to buy it digitally from ComiXology.
