I was horrified to find that with the entry into force of the reduction in VAT today, there has been a flat 3% price increase for all products.
This means that all prices remain unchanged, only 16% VAT instead of the previous 19% are shown on the unchanged purchase price.
I think that's completely unacceptable, given the corona-related background for the VAT reduction. The goal is to support and relieve the consumer. And not the goal is to help a company that profits very strongly from the corona pandemic due to the very high demand for its products to help them increase prices secretly.
Heinz Müller
Member
Comments
I see it too.
And that´s for a German Company. I don´t know, why it is not possible to use a Rabatt-Code, like amazon and so on.
I also think this is a despicable thing to do!
I was looking forward to buy a Porsche GT3 Podium rim and waited until today so i could save a few Euros.
Before midnight the price including shipping was 655,79€!
Today with a VAT reduction of 3% the price is 656,90!!
That is just a very bad behavior in front of your costumers!
Fully share your view, for my upcoming order it would have ment a ~50€ price reduction, which honestly may not be crucial compared to the overall spend.
Having the reason for the VAT drop in mind (and the appeal of the government to pass it through to customers) defintely leaves a certain taste (Geschmäckle) about the company...
I think on a message to the forum the CEO has said about increasing the prices.
So what you see in the webshop might be the increase that happened together with the VAT reduction.
Bare in mind that yes, the VAT reduction in Germany happened to help the customers, but the companies have increased logistics/production costs due to whole shit the world is going through.
So on Janury 1st 2021 we will have to expect the next 'price increase', when we're returning back from 16% VAT to 19% VAT? Other companies have to cope with the "shit the world is going through" as well, still they're not using the temporary VAT drop in Germany to increase their prices.
it's simply a stupid and bad moment to do so...
I agree with you mate. But is it what it is if this is the case. We are only making assumptions.
Don't forget that sim racing products are being considered premium products.
Not sure what Germany's take is on that. Haven't seen the news. I mean is it 16% to everything, or is on vital products?
I remember reading somewhere that in some countries were making different categories for different VAT to apply depending on the product. 🙄
19% and now 16% for the coming 6 months is the general VAT.
Of course there are some exceptions to this (food, gastronomy, ...) but for sure not SIM racing products.
It would make more sense if they have drop to everything or to drop to food and products related to everyday households, than premium products but I am not aware of the German VAT system. The only thing I know is that when I buy something from Germany to be exported outside Europe i don't have to pay VAT.
I planned on buying a wheelbase and was waiting for the tax reduction too, sad to see the prices increased so we end up with the same price again :(
I was even tempted with the possible reduction I could go for a direct drive base, now I'm not sure anymore.
Is there the slightest of the possibles that we are all wrong and simply the site is not yet adjusted?
They are well aware, dont worry.
In the mean time the german government releases a statement about companies like Fanatec.
They are appealing to these companies that it is moraly wrong to not pass the VAT reduction to your customers and that customers will remember the companies doing them wrong.
But now that the Alonsos, Vettels, Leclers of this world drive Fanatec products, maybe they dont need normal customers anymore...
I am sure they know. I dint say they dont know. I assumed that maybe, maybe they haven't changed the website yet.
For sure they needed, need and will need normal customers and this is also that they know as well.
I ask for a timely response from Fanatec, since all direct emails have not been answered.
Hi Heinz,
Our CEO has addressed this in his latest blog post:
https://forum.fanatec.com/discussion/11743/pricing-stability
[Fanatec Community Manager]
So you're telling your German customers that they (alone) have to compensate increased international logistic costs, through a national German government initiated (temporary) VAT reduction - which is intended to benefit German citizens (paying taxes in Germany) and to support restarting the national economy. You notice it yourself, do you?
"We think global and not national and hope that our international community will appreciate this step."
I'm sure your international customers will do.
Your CEO will have thought about the impact of his decision and therefor it's obvious that Fanatec doesn't seem to care about the 'signal' you're giving your German customers with such a statement in these times.
Don't get me wrong, if economic reasons require price increases (supply, procurement, logistics, staff, ...) there is no discussion about that, those are decisions companies must make. But the way Fanatec is handling and communicating this national VAT topic (perceived as on the back of your German customers) is very unfortunate. You probably thought people wouldn't care about ~2,5%, but they do about the signal you're giving.