Sticker Shock! Autodesk UK Raises Prices (as much as) 77%

The annual subscription for British AutoCAD goes up 24% on February 1, reports Excitech.

As dismal as that is for residents of Old Blightly, a reader tells me Excitech isn't including "some of the worst ones, particularly for upgrades."

Here's his story:

"My firm's multi-hundred licenses are all on subscription. In March 2004, a single-step upgrade (AutoCAD 2004 to 2005) was £300 (list price, before corporate discounts). It will cost £440 from 1 February, a 47% increase.

"A subscription is still cheaper than upgrading, but I have to ask: am I getting 47% more value to my firm from upgrading? The answer is, No.

"The 24% increase for annual subscriptions is the real pain, because Autodesk UK withdrew the discount they used to give for subscription renewals. This means that my 2005 subscription renewals are a whopping 44% more than they were in 2004. I think you can imagine the upset that one causes!

"You're already aware how much Autodesk and Bentley overcharge customers outside the US. A cheap dollar just means they rake in even more profits from overseas -- they certainly don't adjust the prices!"

So, customers in England are providing Autodesk with a double profit: higher prices charged on top of a stronger exchange rate. In a related story, Apple is being sued by consumer groups in the UK for overcharging on iTunes, compared with the price other countries. Canon UK charges for replacement product manuals that Canon USA provides as free PDF downloads.

Update

Another British reader reports:

Just read your piece on UK prices. It's worse than you think. I've just been told that AutoCAD 2002 to AutoCAD 2005 upgrade has gone from £495 to £880 -- that's a 77% increase.

To upgrade from 2004 to 2005 would have cost £250 but that's now £440, to add subscription would cost another £310 (was £250). And there are others. I'm trying to find them out. I know LT has gone up massively too.

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