The issue came to a head when a consumer electronics trade site ran a story accusing Sony of price gouging with the launch of their new OLED Walkman which they said was $280 more expensive than the same product being sold in the USA. The Australian price for the Walkman is $800 for a 32GB model.

The same model in the US is $399. Which when an exchange rate is applied this equates to $518.00, or $280 lower than the Australian retail price of $800.

Sony claimed the following:

"The Australian versions of products need to be adapted to comply with Australian standards and local regulations."

Really Sony: Then so do products from Apple and Nintendo.

For example the Apple 32GB iPod Touch sells in the Apple Shop in Australia for $549.00. The same product sells in the US Apple Shop for $399 which when today's exchange rate is applied equates to $525. A difference of $24. Not $280 as is the difference with the new Sony OLED Walkman.

But just to give Sony the benefit of any doubt we also compared the price of a Nintendo Wii starter pack with 3 games which in Australia is being sold for $399 at JB Hi Fi.

The same pack at Best Buy in the USA is $318.99 which when today's exchange rate is applied comes in at $420 making the Australian Nintendo Wii cheaper than the US price.

We also compared the price of a Sony PS3 Playstation and an Xbox 360 from Microsoft. Both are competing products and both are sold by JB Hi Fi and Best Buy in the USA.

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