At TechEd North America back in June, Microsoft created multi-hour queues and an eBay glut by offering the Surface RT for $US99 dollars and the Surface Pro for $US399. Attendees at TechEd Australia this week get a rather less impressive discount: the 64GB Surface RT for $299.
While that’s a decent reduction on the current $608 RRP, I suspect the queues won’t be quite as long for a half-price deal as they were for the $US600 discount. Quite aside from the $99 falling under the psychological $100 barrier (though it actually went up to $108 with Louisiana state taxes), since TechEd North America we’ve learned that the Surface RT has been the subject of a billion-dollar write down. There’s also no Surface Pro offer at all.
Obviously Microsoft isn’t obligated to offer any kind of discount and I’m sure some people will snap this up, but it does feel like a very pronounced case of Australia tax.
Disclosure: Angus Kidman travelled to TechEd Australia as a guest of Microsoft.
Comments
One response to “Australia’s TechEd Surface RT Discount Is Not As Good As The US”
The Surface RT 64 GB with Touch Cover is $559 RRP on the Microsoft Store website, and JB Hi-Fi is selling it for $556.
Still an Australia Tax in play, but less than what you are suggesting.
Just an insult to Australian TechEd attendees. MSFT showing nothing but contempt too, and how much they value the Australian market.