SEW China - 3 times more expensive for foreigners...

[jazar]

We run a branch in China - and we're going to send some delegates to http://www.isas.cn/

What a surprise when we compared the prices displayed on the english and chinese version of the site...

Chinese version:
Pass + accomodation + catering: US$174.

English version
Pass = US$400
if you want accomodation & catering, you'll get it for the fantastic discounted price of $40.00.

What is scary is that this is not an obscure event, but the search engines strategy event&expo! Is there any representative here who can justify this?

[mcanerin]

I don't know for sure (and I agree it's annoying to be charged extra) but I suspect the answer lies in:

US Average Annual Income: $43,318
PRC Average Annual Income: $9,068 (middle class in cities only - if you include a true average for an apples to apples comparision to the US figure it drops to around $1200/year)

I imagine that it would be even more "scary" if they held an SES confererence in China and almost no one in China could afford it...

Ian

[seomike]

Ya well if you can't afford regular prices how are you going to afford SEO/SEM services...

[mcanerin]

I suppose the answer for some would be something like "We are going to SES to learn more about SEO so we don't NEED to hire SEO's..." ;)

For example, a Chinese company might actually want to hire a Chinese firm (at Chinese prices) to SEO their Chinese website for the Chinese market. Logically, the SES in China would be one of the places to go for that.

There is also the issue of exchange rates - from my perspective, the UK charges 2.5 times on the same goods for Canadians - $8 for a Big Mac???? You have GOT to be kidding! That's blatantly evil, and anti-commonwealth to boot. The stupid burger isn't worth the $3 it's charged over here... :p

I don't usually like the "different rules for different people" concept as well, but as long as I accept that things are cheaper in some countries than others, and that students, seniors and military personnel get discounts that I don't get, it's not a huge leap of logic to apply it on a national level. I know that Canadian universities charge 2-3 times for for non-Canadians, for example. Many of them are Chinese citizens.

On the other hand, presumably, if you sign up using the Chinese language side of the site, you can take advantage of the cheaper rate. Sounds more like a plot against non-Chinese speakers than foreigners per se...

Unlike other SES shows I've been to, translators will be available for English speakers - perhaps the difference helps pay for this. I really don't know. Heck, for all I know it was a typo.

Ian

[jazar]

I don't usually like the "different rules for different people" concept as well, but as long as I accept that things are cheaper in some countries than others, and that students, seniors and military personnel get discounts that I don't get, it's not a huge leap of logic to apply it on a national level. ohoh, I would suggest that you think that over again. there is a huge gap, I would even say that it is not related.

I know that Canadian universities charge 2-3 times for for non-Canadians, for example. Many of them are Chinese citizens.not related either - universities are subsidized by the states/governments, and that's why - the SEW is a private event, run all over the world.

[dannysullivan]

No idea why the pricing is different. I don't know any of the other SES shows that are like this. I'm not organizing this show, so I can't say further, but I've let those organizing it at Incisive know, in case they can respond or explain.