UK's Forever21 - Corporate Greed?

I know there's a massive hype about the new Forever21 in Birmingham's Bull Ring, and I am the first to admit that I FREAKED out when I was at the Bull Ring the other night and discovered the store. I didn't have time to step in, but was determined to go when I next went to the Bull Ring. However, today when I logged in to the online store, I was faced with relatively extortionate prices compared to other countries' Forever21's..

I love Forever21, and have done so since my visit to the U.S. in 2006. Since 2008, Japan has started importing Forever21 as well, and currently has about 2 or 3 stores in central Tokyo. In San Diego, and even in extortionate central Tokyo, it is classed in my personal files as a budget store, where you can freely pick up about 3 or 4 items and not be too bothered about the final total.

However, as I browse through the F21's UK website - I am not feeling that. In fact, I'm feeling as if I stepped into a store somewhere inbetween TopShop and NewLook. NewLook is budget, TopShop is not. Why the pricing?

I guess this is where my little socialist alter-ego comes out, and feels this to be a result of corporate snobiness, greed and exploitation of the aura of 'unattainability' towards F21 in the UK.

Now I suppose it is a little unfair to judge solely from the website, so I will have a gander when I visit on Friday.. but a part of me is heavily tempted to just wait til I am back in Japan.

What do people who have never been to a F21 before think? Is it as cheap as you expected it to be? Is it really the Primark of the USA?