mudgel
It's a crazy system.
For an overseas buyer I have to consider exchange rates applied at Gear credit and or Jam Points. It's a crazy system that's really only their to further confuse the buyer that they're really paying more when they think they might be paying less. Yuk!
Sorry to hear it is confusing for you. Gear Credits are meant to offer a discount for those who buy them in bulk - the more you buy, the less you pay per Gear Credit. JamPoints can be applied to purchases of Gear Credit packs to make it an even better value. There's no trickery - you are paying less per credit when you purchase larger packs of Gear Credits, and even less when using JamPoints toward a Gear Credit pack.
If you do not like the Gear Credit system, you can use traditional forms of currency and JamPoints for up to 30% off purchases in that way too.