I don't know if it's legal but it's the same here in Switzerland. FF11 in the US is $2599 (around 2700 Francs). The Swiss price is 5348 Francs - double the price...

It's been an ongoing issue for a while: http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2007/04/25/adobe_vs_the_europeans/

Adobe considers the world outside of the USA to be the place to make money, I guess. Do NOT get too upset about this — you won't be able to buy the cheap version because the US-shop is closed to foreigners. Maybe a friend in the States could do you the favour…

. . .
Bert Vanderveen BNO

"Maybe a friend in the States could do you the favour"
But isn't this a licencing rather than a buying situation? I mean if somebody in the States bought this for me (yes I've been wondering too), would I be able to register(?) as myself, and actually rightfully licence the fonts in my name?

Companies that sell digital media like to compare it to physical good whenever the discussion turns to infringement. You copied that font? That's just like stealing a car!

Of course, they drop that analogy once the conversation shifts towards licensing and region restrictions, reselling, and returns.

But isn’t this a licencing rather than a buying situation?

Maybe, but does the EULA actually contain region restrictions?

Adobe considers the world outside of the USA to be the place to make money…

So do plenty of other businesses. Unless there’s a tariff to jack up the price, I can buy some European goods here for less than in Europe (and that’s AFTER I get the VAT refund!).

Maybe a friend in the States could do you the favour

not likely, people in the US rarely do favors, let alone favours.

I thought those differences in prices for the apps were intended to cover internationalisation’s costs. But for fonts?

I thought those differences in prices for the apps were intended to cover internationalisation’s costs.

Nope, stuff just costs more in some countries because people are willing to pay more (although in some cases in also has to do with the oddities of currency markets), even discounting VAT taxes. Australia and Japan also have inflated prices for many goods. But go shopping outside of touristy neighborhoods in Mexico and even the USA looks expensive!

because people are willing to pay more

That’s debatable (as this thread proves), especially since we’re talking about a near-monopoly (as far as apps go at least, not fonts, of course).

IIRC Adobe's EULA is transferable. So, in theory, one could have a friend do them a favor. (I'll double check.)

$1.00

http://typophile.com/node/62079

Cheers!

I thought the FontFolio 11 is all OpenType now? Am I missing something?

Nina, Miguel wrote:
The only Type 1 fonts in FF11 are Pi/Ornament fonts, but all these have their OpenType counterparts.

Oh sorry, so I was missing something. Thanks Florian.

The price of something in a particular market is determined in part by ability and willingness to pay, which is why the Internet might function as a global delivery system but not as a global market: ability and willingness to pay remain regional. Companies like Adobe have European marketing and sales staff or associates, and they determine the price for the local market, based on their experience of what buyers in that market are able and willing to pay. Sure, not everyone in any market is able or willing to pay the asking price, but the pricing is based on maintaining some number of sales in given time period. If not enough sales are made, the price will go down, but as long as the product is selling at the current price that price will be maintained or may go up. It may seem unfair that people in North America pay less for a lot of things, but then it seems unfair to a lot of us that Europeans get such long holidays.

..it seems unfair to a lot of us that Europeans get such long holidays.

Three weeks of summer holiday, plus two weeks around the turn o'the year, plus one or two odd weeks out throughout the year (well, sometimes three). But numbers of days off are also subject to market influence!

We appear to have different priorities :-)

What's a "holiday"? Is it something like the "vacation" thing I keep hearing about?

LOL, Charles. Up to eight weeks, Theunis? Is that when the "vacation" thing overlaps with the "retrenchment" thing?

Related: Bying FF Sanuk OT 1+2 from Fontshop Norway cost NOK 6.460 (apx. $1.100). The same product at www.fontfont.com is €598 (apx. $880).

Some explanations of the relevant economic principles in the ever-reliable Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_elasticity_of_demand
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_discrimination

Maximisation of revenue here, I guess, just like in any other business.

I have more information in regards to the transfer of Adobe Font Folio.

I emailed: Section 4.4 of the 5-seat US English EULA for Font Folio 11 seems to say that as long as the package hasn't been opened one could transfer the license to the Font Folio. Am I wrong? And could this be done across borders?

They replied: The section that Tiffany references [above] does allow for the transfer of the license. She is required, however, to follow the instructions at http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/152/tn_15281.html.

The Section 4.4 provides the link to the Customer Support page; the link above is off of this Customer Support site.

The only limitation, that I know of, for delivery of the product outside the U.S. is delivery to embargoed countries. The EULA explicitly states this as well - no transfer of licenses may occur to individuals or entities in Iran, Syria, Cuba, North Korea or Sudan.