Can anyone confirm if HP's UK prices fell on the back of the rising pound, excluding any changes to the baseline cost of the hardware?

That would help us determine if this was a genuine cause for the increase, or whether HP are just using the fall in the pound to stiff UK customers.

Oil has come down in price but we are still paying the same at the pump. Why? Well because oil is priced in dollars and the dollar has gained strength. It will go back to a 2:1 after the US elections have past us.

As for hardware, infaltion is everywhere. Buy gold.

I think the answer lies in the last 13 words of your post.

even if you go on holiday, the bureau de change will get you.

It is an illusion that the strong pound is good for the consumer, but yeah you will feel it when it falls away if you are buying. It is good if you actually work the system, but even then you can get stung on import taxes.

The falling pound is the last piece in the jigsaw for the recession, traveling labour will not flock to the UK and you will see price rises across the board for items imported and the local market.

It will also make it more expensive to offshore, but of course offshoring carried a setup cost as well, and to bring it back where it is more effective will cost again. Very brutal times ahead.

Well gold, silver, commodities are the place to be at the moment. But select wisely, you don't want to buy in when it is overvalued, UK land for example is a very bad deal at the moment, there is a lot further it can fall, what with the exodus of the indigenous and the now exodus of the immigrant.

And of course commodity buying increases inflation which further depresses the value of money. It is an interesting self fulfilling prophecy, normally the only way out is an appeal to loyalty but I think Labour cashed that cheque a long long time ago.

October I heard..............

So a $2,000 laptop in the USA now costs GBP 2500 because of the falling pound instead of GBP 2,000.

Oh, wait, I get it.

For at least another week, the reseller and retail companies are going to be full of stock at the old prices, which they will want to clear ASAP, so now would be a good time to look for a bargain! After that they'll have the new stock they can sell out at the new higher prices, and with only a week to clear the old stuff I can't see them putting up much of a fight against some nice discounting.

To Anonymous Noel (Coward)..... HP year end is October 31st.

The $:£ ratio is hitting really hard is distieland (that's where I live). HP transact all business in US$ so something has to give, and I'm suprised that it took so long for a hike.

I'm sure that HP will add a little extra 'room for manouvre' into the rises, but also sure that this will be to ensure that no further rises are necessary in the near future.

And guys... distributors, margins, HP PSG & ISS kit..... don't be so daft. Typical margins are 0%, or in many cases -1% or -2% (or worse). No, there are no real rebates on commercial product, so these products are revenue generating only..... if there was margin available I'd earn a damn sight more :-)

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Skull & Xbones 'cos December 21st 2012 is getting close. End of time. Done, Finished.

Wasn't somebody using the strength of the pound to justify price rises a few weeks ago? representin the increased cost fop doing business in the UK.