so transportation distances are unlikely to be a factor, and a parliamentary report concluded there was no great difference across EU states. Differences in storage costs are difficult to quantify, since many goods are shipped just in time directly from the manufacturer to the consumer, or in the case of electronic goods and services, they may not be physically shipped at all, but delivered via the Internet. Easy conversion Simply converting $1 to £1 is one reason for the price increase. For example, Wikipedia donations page asking for donations gives the following options, US customers: "This year, please consider making a donation of $5, $20, $50 or whatever you can to protect and sustain Wikipedia." UK customers: "This year, please consider making a donation of £5, £20, £50 or whatever you can to protect and sustain Wikipedia." Discussing why personal computers cost more in the UK than in the US, New Scientist stated in 1977 that "the price of an American kit in dollars rapidly translates into the same figure in pounds sterling by the time it has reached the shores of Britain". This also applies to digital downloads where the price is not a round number and where the costs are the same. "The ever popular method of simply swapping the $ sign for a £ sign sees a monthly subscription to Spotify priced at $9.99 in the US and £9.99 in the UK", Which? magazine stated in 2013. At its launch, Microsoft Windows Vista had a suggested retail price of $249 (£127) in the United States and £249 ($487) in the United Kingdom. This made it almost twice as expensive to buy in the UK than in the U.S. Remedies Shipping from abroad Higher prices in the UK often have the effect of encouraging British consumers to order goods from the Internet, whether from UK businesses claiming to break a price cartel or directly from abroad, including via eBay and other online auction sites. Most American Internet retailers ship directly to consumers in the UK which, assuming customs provisions are met, can provide a worthwhile alternative to higher UK prices. Many believe that competition from the Internet and the Eurozone general free trade will tend to normalize retail prices and put an end the UK being known as "Treasure Island". However, "customer not present" transactions can generally not be made for legally controlled products such as alcohol, tobacco,