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Is Buying A PlayStation Cheaper In Japan?

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Have you ever thought about buying a PlayStation where it was originally made to get it cheaper? Maybe you love PlayStation but can’t afford one at the prices they are being sold so you have to get it cheaper.

Well, in this article, we will go over everything you need to know about PlayStation and if they are cheaper in Japan or not. 

So, is buying a PlayStation cheaper in Japan?

Playstation will sometimes put special promotions on some of its devices and manufactured products in Japan. The problem is that even though the device may be a little cheaper, you will have to pay to travel to Japan to purchase one as well as pay import fees on the console you bring back. Once you figure in travel expenses, you are normally better off just purchasing the item where you live. 

If you want to know more about the cost of the PlayStation in Japan, and other parts of the world, you will want to keep reading. You can also watch this short video to see just how cheap you can get a PlayStation for in Japan. 

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Cost of PlayStation in Japan

Recently, Sony announced that its cost in Japan will be reduced as compared to other countries. Sony, being the home company of Japan, gave the country the benefit of selling the products at a cheaper cost as compared to other countries. 

The recent price of PlayStation was 39,980 yen but because of this offer by PlayStation, then price was reduced to 34,980 yen. This makes it just over $300 to purchase the PlayStation in Japan instead of in the United States. Recently though, 

Sony has been having its own deals in the United States and has allowed people to buy them on black friday for $299 or less! This has allowed many people the option of buying a PlayStation and not going broke. 

Not all of the products will be cheaper in Japan though. Because PlayStation ranges in a wide variety of consoles, handheld devices, and other hardware, you will not be able to find all the products at a cheaper cost than in the United States. 

Sony has also become an international company rather than just a national company. It has its franchise in Japan, London, and California therefore it has to follow the international standard guidelines for the policy-making of the product’s prices. This means that for the most part you will find the same prices here in the United States as you will anywhere in the world. 

It may vary only a little because of the competitive advantage of the manufacturing country but, in the end, it will always be very little. 

Japan’s tax exemption program

The main thing that needs to be considered in this aspect is Japan’s tax exemption program. It completely explains the policies to buy and take the product as a traveler.

Japan made the exemption program for foreigners to have a complete shopping experience in Japan. According to this, you have to follow a few rules to be able to get the items to tax as the local. 

The Japanese locals do not have to pay the price that the people of other countries pay. This is because PlayStation is their local product so they do not have to pay the customs and import taxes.

However, if you visit the country as a traveler, you will have to pay these fees to make the purchase. There are certain rules and regulations developed by the Japanese Government for the travelers to have a complete shopping experience. 

According to this policy, the travelers will have to pay a 10% tax for each product. Some items are subjected to a little less tax of 8% however, you will always have to pay tax unless you live in the country. 

If you purchase at the airports though, then you can have the tax free item by showing the original passport. Also, if you are buying the product that has tax placed on it, it will be removed once you spend at least 5000 or more yen. 5000 yen is just under $47 here in the U.S. This tax will be first deducted but then refunded back to your account. 

Cost of PlayStations in other parts of the world

The cost of the PlayStation is determined by the custom price, tax applied by the country and other costs. The final price results as a complete PlayStation package.

Today, A PlayStation 4 is the most expensive in Brazil. It is available there for 3999 real which is equal to $715 here in the United States. Brazil is the most expensive place to buy the newest PlayStation. Most other places in the world where you can buy a PlayStation are the same price if nor more expensive than the United States simply because of the exchange rate of the Dollar and how valuable it is. You will find that in many other countries the cost for a PlayStation will be 2-3 times what it is to buy one here! 

You can check out the product list from the local gaming stores and the online marketplaces as well.

Who makes PlayStation?

PlayStation is a product of Sony which is a Japan-based country. Because of that, many people consider that the cost of the PlayStation in Japan would be less than in the United States. Some people consider that PlayStation consoles, handheld devices, and other hardware equipment will come with special discounts and promotions as compared to the other parts of the world.

Well this is partly true, but with traveling costs, it definitely does not make it cheaper once you pay for all of your traveling expenses. 

When people travel to Japan, they consider if they should buy the PlayStation here and then take it home with them or not. They think that they will have to pay little to no tax if they buy this local product in Japan. 

Although this is smart thinking, you will need to look at a few other things before you just go and buy one. You will first need to consider the cost of traveling. If you are just traveling to the country then buying the product there and taking it with you to somewhere else, it will not be worth paying for the trip. 

Conclusion

Now that you know you can get some PlayStation devices cheaper in Japan, you can now save up to get one when you are over there on vacation. If you are not going to be in the country though, it is not worth it to get the item in Japan and you should simply just buy the item here in the United States. 

No matter where you buy the item from, because of Sony being an international company, the price cannot vary that much from one country to another. This means that for the most part you will be able to find the PlayStation the same price or cheaper on sale here in America than you will anywhere else in the world as they will have the same sales. 

Once you buy your PlayStation no matter where you get it from, you are bound to have fun playing on it and enjoying all of the games that Sony has put out for the PlayStation as well as all of the online games you can buy and play! The PlayStation is definitely fun for the whole family.