TF prices in Europe

Hey all!

Im back after a month on a Euro-camping trip with my sis! Trip was great, loved it over there! Places, people, food, shops, summer weather were great!

Well getting onto my topic, I just wanted to say how lucky I think we are over here in Aus, compared to what some Transformer fans must feel over in Europe. For curiousity, I wanted to see what Tfs they had out at the time. Didnt want to bring any home - they would get squashed in my backpack, would rather get them back in Australia.

After looking through some shops over in London, Switzerland, France and Italy, I think TF prices are not that bad for us over here.

Mostly due to the conversion rate between Pound vs Aus Dollar, Swiss Franc vs Aus Dollar and Euro vs Aus Dollar it seemed pretty bad for an Aussie tourist looking at TFs.

For example, at a Carrefour (a supermarket) near Nice in France TF2 Movie Scouts (Ransack, Rollbar, etc) were for sale at about $17.xx (in Euros) which in Aus Dollars would be about $29!

In a shop in Switzerland, a TF Robot Heroes pack (Tigatron vs Inferno?) was for sale at about $12.xx Swiss Frances which in Aus Dollars would be about $13.xx (not that bad compared to the next country)

In Florence, Italy this is where it gets shocking:
TF2 Movie Optimus Prime/Megatron - $112 Euros = approx $191 Aus Dollars :eek:
TF2 Voyagers Mixmaster/Optimus/Megatron - $48 Euros = approx $81 Aus Dollars :eek:

I know stuff is expensive over in Europe, but surely shipping costs do not have to mean a mark up that much? Prices in shops I went into that had Tfs for sale had similar prices in their respective countries.

But when you can buy bottles of wine that costs cheaper than a bottle of soft drink, then prices must be tangled up :D

Just a little something I wanted to say.
Now to get back to reading through my emails.....

I think also one has to take into account what the average annual wage is next to the cost of living.