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Why does Stardock charge US$5 above MSRP for GalCiv II?

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Why does Stardock charge US$5 above MSRP for GalCiv II?

from GalCiv2 Forums
The MSRP for GalCiv II is US$39.95 in the US but Stardock charges US$44.95 for the download and US$44.95 + SH for the boxed version.Link I understand Stardock does not want to undercut the retailers because that would anger them and they might stop selling Stardock products. But shouldn't Stardock sell the game at the MSRP? Why do they have to charge US$5 more?

I purchased the download version from Stardock in Dec. 2005 because:
(1) I wanted to get in on the beta
(2) I wanted to help finance the development
(3) I wanted all the money to go to Stardock because they are the ones who made this great game!

I'm not complaining; I consider it money well spent but I'm curious, did the retailers pressure Stardock to charge above MSRP?
21,849 views 28 replies
Reply #26 from Stardock Forums Top
Correct.
Reply #27 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

If it makes people feel better, the version we sell direct is the Collector's Edition.


It did. The reason was somehow none of the shops in my area from Walmart to Gamestop, Ebgame, ToyRus, CompUSA, Bestbuy...etc... carry the game in the first 2 weeks. I eventually gave up and bought from Stardock, Digital Dowload with hardcopy. I was thinking I would be getting the normal game and woot! After dowloading I have access to the Collector stuff, so does the box I received 3 days later better thing is that now I have the game to play and a seal box for collection purpose, and no, I won't Ebay it



Am I the only one who lives in a place where they have sales tax??? If I went out and bought the game at Walmart it would cost me the exact same if I downloaded the game from stardock. Am I missing something.


That's the charm of Online buying ... depend on how lucky you are. If you buy from a company that does not have and official representative office or having a business going register to the state you live in , then no sale tax.
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Reply #28 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Am I the only one who lives in a place where they have sales tax??? If I went out and bought the game at Walmart it would cost me the exact same if I downloaded the game from stardock. Am I missing something.

Your sales tax is 12.5%!? In Canada sales taxes are high because you need to pay both provincial and federal sales taxes but there most retailers are only charging CAN$39.95 = US$34.35. VA like many US states require that you report and send in sales tax for your online purchases when you file your state taxes. Who actually does that!?

For me convince was much more of a factor than price. The day the game was released I spent less than a minute to download the last few files (I downloaded the bulk a few days before). So while others were phoning / driving around looking for a retailer that had the game in stock, I was happily playing the game.

I have yet to see the game in my local Super Walmart. I hope the success of GalCiv II means Stardock will get more clout and self space for their future releases! I also hope as they grow that they maintain their excellent level of customer service! When was the last time someone felt that Microsoft or EA cared about their customers?!

I created this thread not to complain about the price. As I have repeatedly said GalCiv II is a bargain at US$44.95, when you consider the quality of the game and the excellent support!

I just wanted to clear up the confusion in my mind and I'm sure many others.

I'm really happy to see that GalCiv II has turned into a sleeper hit as it helps ensure Stardock will be around for a long time. We need more companies like Stardock in the software development industry.