Originally Posted by Deus ex Machina:
“Isn't some of that down to VAT? (Honestly, no idea, just asking.)”
Yes it is, at least partly, as many US states do not have a sales tax (what we call VAT). The last time I built myself a new computer, the official exchange rate was about UK£1 == nearly US$2, but when it came to the cost of my bits (computer bits) it was less than UK£1 == US$1.50 with all the online etailers here.
We do pay extra, but with some bits we do get extras, such as a one year warranty on anything bought new from a UK retailer which you wouldn't get in the US unless the product itself has a manufacturer warranty of a year or more (many are just 90 days), so quite apart from taxes, there are other additional costs involved with selling here. I still think it does work out more expensive here, but a straight cost comparison with exchange rates doesn't show the full story.