Adobe Raising Prices on Creative Cloud Subscriptions in UK & Sweden

[Valvebounce]

Hi Folks.
I saw a sticker in a motor factor the other day, it read
There is no cloud, it is just someone else's computer!

Cheers, Graham.

 

[rfdesigner]

Hi Folks.
I saw a sticker in a motor factor the other day, it read
There is no cloud, it is just someone else's computer!

Cheers, Graham.

Brilliant!.. I might have to steal that idea! ;D

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi rfdesigner.
I googled this after I quoted it and found that it belongs to one Chris Watterston, it seems he's a bit peeved about it being used, oops, I just read it and thought it was good.
More info here. https://www.chriswatterston.com/blog/there-no-cloud-copyright-protection

Cheers, Graham.

Hi Folks.
I saw a sticker in a motor factor the other day, it read
There is no cloud, it is just someone else's computer!

Cheers, Graham.

Brilliant!.. I might have to steal that idea! ;D

 

[monkey44]

In fact, it's just an obvious and true statement ... the cloud is just a different computer. Data and data systems do not exist in a vacuum.

Doubt very much if he could defend a copyright here ... unless you put it in the same context wherein his blog exists. Doubt he's the first to write it too ... just sayin' ...

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

One year ago, the exchange rate of the US dollar with GBP was 1.45, so the equivalent price of $10 US would have been 6.9 GBP plus VAT. Today, the exchange rate is about 1.25, so the equivalent is 8 GBP plus even more vat.

A 10% increase is still a bargain, it is less in todays US dollar than a year ago, A 16% increase would have made it even.

It sounds like Adobe is absorbing a significant amount of the new currency exchange values.

I know that price rises hurt, because you do not get higher wages to compensate, in this case, it was pretty well predicted what the Brexit would do to currency values, at least for 2-5 years. Hopefully the currency value will rise again, and sooner rather than later. The low values do not benefit anyone, both the UK Customer and Adobe are losing money compared to a year ago.


I did not spend the time to compare Swedish values, but its likely the same story.

 

[rfdesigner]

One year ago, the exchange rate of the US dollar with GBP was 1.45, so the equivalent price of $10 US would have been 6.9 GBP plus VAT. Today, the exchange rate is about 1.25, so the equivalent is 8 GBP plus even more vat.

A 10% increase is still a bargain, it is less in todays US dollar than a year ago, A 16% increase would have made it even.

It sounds like Adobe is absorbing a significant amount of the new currency exchange values.

I know that price rises hurt, because you do not get higher wages to compensate, in this case, it was pretty well predicted what the Brexit would do to currency values, at least for 2-5 years. Hopefully the currency value will rise again, and sooner rather than later. The low values do not benefit anyone, both the UK Customer and Adobe are losing money compared to a year ago.


I did not spend the time to compare Swedish values, but its likely the same story.

I'd expect SOME of Adobes UK sales costs to be in pounds (advertising for instance), so a currency move should never 100% be reflected in local price movements.

Some companies are under fire here (N power) for using the exchange rate as an excuse to hike prices.. but didn't lower them when rates went the other way over previous years.

Where the lower pound value will help, in time, is with trade deficit, but that always takes time to change.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

One year ago, the exchange rate of the US dollar with GBP was 1.45, so the equivalent price of $10 US would have been 6.9 GBP plus VAT. Today, the exchange rate is about 1.25, so the equivalent is 8 GBP plus even more vat.

A 10% increase is still a bargain, it is less in todays US dollar than a year ago, A 16% increase would have made it even.

It sounds like Adobe is absorbing a significant amount of the new currency exchange values.

I know that price rises hurt, because you do not get higher wages to compensate, in this case, it was pretty well predicted what the Brexit would do to currency values, at least for 2-5 years. Hopefully the currency value will rise again, and sooner rather than later. The low values do not benefit anyone, both the UK Customer and Adobe are losing money compared to a year ago.


I did not spend the time to compare Swedish values, but its likely the same story.

I'd expect SOME of Adobes UK sales costs to be in pounds (advertising for instance), so a currency move should never 100% be reflected in local price movements.


Some companies are under fire here (N power) for using the exchange rate as an excuse to hike prices.. but didn't lower them when rates went the other way over previous years.

Where the lower pound value will help, in time, is with trade deficit, but that always takes time to change.

The lower cost of products imported from UK will be welcome here, but so far, the Walker's shortbread cookies (Scotland) I buy every Christmas still cost the same. I need to see if Gin costs less, I seldom buy any, its been over a year. I love Stilton cheese, but its still expensive, I haven't noticed a price drop.

 

[David - Sydney]

Same thing happened to me here in Oz last year. As "outraged" as I was, looking at the rates (Aussie $ was at parity with the USD a couple of years ago and since has been more like 75c) there's a good argument if not a complete justification.

I'm no Adobe supporter (at least not of their business practices), but cc pricing is pretty much on par here, whereas in the past on outright purchase, it was insanely higher (like 2 or 3 times) - and for no reason whatsoever. So while I would not trust Adobe as far as I could throw them, so far cc is OK - including the rate related hike. Will be interesting to see what happens in the next couple of years.

My advice? Try cancelling your subscription on the web and see what happens. I tried it and two seconds later was re-directed to the "would you reconsider for 3 free months?" offer webpage.

Agreed.... 4 years ago (2013), it was cheaper to pay to fly from Australia to the US and buy CS6 in the US than it was to pay locally! That got reconsidered just prior to a government IT pricing review (MS/Adobe/etc).
http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/it-is-cheaper-to-fly-to-us-than-buy-adobe-software-in-australia/news-story/158aa7824a22e1e66611c2afb5e7a61a

2013 was when the AUD:USD rate was about 1.05 but it has since dropped to 0.75 cents so ~30% decrease.
https://au.finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=AUDUSD=X&t=5y&l=on&z=m&q=l&c=

There has been one AUD price increase for cloud LR/PS and justified in my opinion. But.... there was a lot of confusion with student pricing, introductory pricing at the time:
https://www.reddit.com/r/australia/comments/4cek9y/adobe_creative_cloud_to_almost_double_in_price/
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3984820

The current LR/PS rate is AUD13.63/month (including bank "international transaction fee" of AUD0.44) which is USD10.46 at current mid market rates.

The real question is whether current events in the US will deflate the USD and how long (if ever) Adobe will wait to drop prices.

LR/PS is still great value for me though. The last new perpetual LR5 license I paid for was about AUD180 (USD138) so adding PS is great!

 

[rfdesigner]

Hi rfdesigner.
I googled this after I quoted it and found that it belongs to one Chris Watterston, it seems he's a bit peeved about it being used, oops, I just read it and thought it was good.
More info here. https://www.chriswatterston.com/blog/there-no-cloud-copyright-protection

Cheers, Graham.

Hi Folks.
I saw a sticker in a motor factor the other day, it read
There is no cloud, it is just someone else's computer!

Cheers, Graham.

Brilliant!.. I might have to steal that idea! ;D

I'm afraid that's how too much of the world works today, rip off and hope no one notices. I don't quite see how he can trademark the phrase, but the graphics are eminently patentable.

Regarding my "theft".. I was thinking of simply having it as a strapline on bulletin board posts, I don't think I'd be overstepping any line there.