Steinberg offers their products to dealers at a lower price than the recommend selling price, aka the margin.
Some dealers opt to lower the sale price under the recommended price and therefore lower thheir earnings. They hope to compensate it by selling more units.
I assume one clause that the provider of the official Steinberg online shop has to agree on is to always offer all products at the recommended selling price. Exemption: An official Steinberg sale.
For those complaining about the US - do some research and it appears that the US is the country that caught the irregularities and brought the lawsuit against asknet:
I really hope the experience is better with FastSpring, and that they have observed the asknet fiasco.
asknet was also headquartered in the US: asknet, Inc. - Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding
huh?
Itās the āSteinberg Online Storeā. Neither AskNet nor FastSpring are the retailer.
The prices are listed on the Steinberg website, not on the FastSpring website. So what in the world makes you assume that FastSpring has anything to do with setting the prices or other sales policies?
Iāve bought plenty of musical software from other companies via FastSpring, where Iāve not seen specifically enforced worse prices for Canadian customers than for US customers.
Maybe my original question would make more sense to be answered by someone from Steinberg, rather than a well meaning forum member without the required detail understanding and knowhow.
Maybe the problem is an honest error in somehow double dipping on sales tax (if I recall correctly, there was a change on Canadian sales tax treatment on the Steinberg online store some time ago).
Of course they are a retailer. For the privilege of being the official Steinberg shop they have to accept the prices that Steinberg dictates them. And, as you rightfully point out, they donāt have to do their own advertising.
But maybe youāre right. Maybe the prices were lower in the AskNet shop.
How are you paying your software? Paypal? USAā¦
Mastercard or VISA? Both USA
I guess I donāt have to explain where American Express is coming from.
I can certainly understand some of your worries, donāt get me wrong. But as soon as youāre moving within anything computer or Internet related, itās gonna be hard to avoid using US products and services.
Yes, youāre right - bad phrasing of mine. There are indeed many different models of retailing.
But pricing policy would appear to be in Steinbergās control, because when Iāve bought from other music software makers via FastSpring - the prices reflected then current currency exchange rates, and not something significantly more expensive.
So I still suspect some sort of inadvertent error in Steinbergās process, rather than an evil plot against Canadians. 
But the discrepancy especially for larger ticket items is very annoying for those of us without unlimited funds.
I mean come onā¦ The āinternetā itself was a US Govt/Military project from the get go hehā¦
Good to hear the online shop is coming back.
As a passionate Cubase user, but not very active social media person Iād be thankful for a discount code, since I unfortunately did not receive an email , canāt send PMs as of now and have been looking forward to buy Absolute for quite some time.
But thatās his point, how I understand him. He doesnāt want another thing go to the USā¦ also Iām not sure how the US headquartered retailer effects the German engendered (if so) Cubase.
Spot on , no need to say more and feed the people that choose not to understand . All i know is if the boot was on the other foot it wouldnāt be so calm on this forum.
Hi all! When will the new shop be available to everyone? When will Cubase 13 be released?
Thx!
Anyone can possibly shop there now, but without a discount, because this requires a code that Steinberg personally sends by email.
Try it. In any case, it should be possible to take a look
Online Shop Preview | Steinberg
May be Steinberg reduces its taxes having a retailler in the US ???
Cyber week sale should be coming in November, you could save yourself a lot more if you wait it out.
Sorry I also canāt PM as a noob? Would like to avail of the Wavelab upgrade, so I too would appreciate a code. Thanks in advance.
Shop appears to be working fine here (as far as loading the basket at least), VAT rate was correct and geolocation working. One minor thing was the use of the term āWire Transferā which may be US-specificā¦ as the region was correctly recongnised, I would have expected something like āSEPA Transferā within the EU.
So far, so good though ā well done!
Thank you P.A.T!
How can I get the email with the discount code?
Guys make sure to fill out included survey form in the receipt. Help Steinberg and Fastspring fix any problems in shopping experience.
The AskNet HQ is in Germany, Karlsruhe.
You have to ask Steinberg directly, e.g. via PM