North /South Price Differences

Hi,

I live on the border with N.I. Our local councillors / business owners are calling for us to shop local (S. Ireland) this Christmas. HOWEVER, looking at the huge differences in price for the same items, how can we be expected to do this?????
An example would be a Nintendo DS. Locally, we are being quoted upwards of 149 euro which is apprx £119 stg, yet you can buy the same thing a few miles away in the North for £99?????
This also extends to on-line sales. I recently logged on to a popular cd seller to see that Now 71 was quoted at 20.99euro (apprx £16.79), yet the same site is selling exactly the same item for £12.99 on their uk site??
Why are we being allowed to be ripped off so blatantly and where is our protection as consumers to this blatant profiteering?
How do we find out about local pressure / consumer groups?
I WOULD LIKE TO STRESS THAT THESE PRICES ARE BASED ON EXACTLY THE SAME ITEMS SOLD IN THE SAME CHAIN STORE> THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS LOCATION!
Has anyone else come across this??

Nightdude

There must be hundreds of posts on this. What would you propose should be done about it?

nightdude said:

I WOULD LIKE TO STRESS THAT THESE PRICES ARE BASED ON EXACTLY THE SAME ITEMS SOLD IN THE SAME CHAIN STORE> THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS LOCATION!

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Please don't shout, as per the posting guidelines.

nightdude said:

... Why are we being allowed to be ripped off so blatantly and where is our protection as consumers to this blatant profiteering?
...

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No one is being ripped off as the prices are all posted clearly and if we decide to buy, then we have decided that we are willing and able to buy at this price.

Unless you want to live in a police state the only protection we have is not to buy locally but to purchase the item in the North.

I work in a global business and one of the often valid reasons the price is higher is we have to factor in risk for currency fluctuations.

IMHO prices in the Republic are higher because enough people are prepared to pay them, full stop.

If a supplier has higher costs then it has to accept that and have lower profits or leave the market. Of course, if enough suppliers leave the market, the reduced supply will enable the remaining suppliers to increase prices, thus reducing demand, until the demand and supply are back in equilibrium

Hi,

Firstly, I accept the points that we have a right to take our business to non-local suppliers, it still seems very unfair that we are being punished for our geographical location by multi national firms who have sourced their stock probably from China in bulk for a knockdown price. They then decide to "round up" conveniently the currency differences between stg and euro!!
This can be seen in every area of our consumption, from groceries to luxury items.
This therefore increases the cost of living, makes us a less appealing tourism destination due to overpricing, causes lower income workers to struggle to make ends meet, rising prices lead to reduced consumer confidence and decreased spending, and so on...look at the climate we are in....Yet we are being urged by politicians to "shop local"...It is a vicious circle that is not going to be improved with the current economic situation and everyone in the South is losing out...

krissovo said:

I work in a global business and one of the often valid reasons the price is higher is we have to factor in risk for currency fluctuations.

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So presumably all your prices dropped when the euro strengthened against sterling and US$ or was that fluctuation just posted below the line as an "unplanned currency credit"?

I too wish people would stop whinging about prices and vote with their feet and wallets.

I no longer shop locally, but make longer less frequent trips to whatever outlet offers decent prices and quality - I don't much care about brands, apart from fags and newspapers.

To buy diesel or petrol I wait until I travel past a filling station with low prices and brim the tank and a jerry-can; I buy consumer goods (books, CDs, music, car-parts, tyres, etc) from internet shops; I buy from Germany, the UK and the US (paying freight, duty and VAT as appropriate) and save money. So maybe I don't support local shops, but I do my best to keep my ISP, credit-card company, couriers and An Post in business.

I complained about prices in two outlets recently and was offered "trade discount" - 12.5% in one, 20% in the other.

I don't believe I am unpatriotic, but retailers and our esteemed Government need to understand that the globalisation thing is a two-edged sword.

I needed brake-pads for one of the cars yesterday and was quoted E220 plus E10 delivery by an Irish supplier - I bought them in the UK for E112 including VAT, delivery and (estimated) currency exchange commission on the credit-card transaction. The same pads were available from the US for $98 plus delivery and (unknown) Customs and clearance charges.

So stop whinging and shop where you get the best deal and tell your local politicians why.

BTW, has anyone else noticed how friendly and helpful staff in ALDI/LIDL are? It contrasts sharply with the attitude of staff in certain other stores where the customer is treated as an unwanted interruption to an otherwise perfectly enjoyable day at work.

a few years ago i started selling appliances on ebay.they were all sourced from irish distributors,anyway the same appliances were for sale on ebay uk by other retailers for the same price i was buying them trade here in ireland.the mark up was 20% with 21% vat on top of that so i think the manufacturers and distributors/importers have alot to answer for.

Game in Cork sell the DS Lite for 134.99 incl a game and accessories...

Unfortunately landlord rents, town council rates, electricity, & retail staff wages in ireland stay the same no matter what exchange rate applies between stg & euro. Add in an extra 4 % VAT and I am willing to purchase UK sourced products in Irish stores at a stg / euro multiple of 1.30 - 1.35 max. as this is justified by higher fixed costs.

A rate of 1.45 - 1.65 (as per debenhams, M&S & other UK multiples) is totally unjustified and retailers charging this exchange rate are fleecing their customers.


edit - I'm happy to say all sterling products sold in my online & high street store are now sold at a 1.25 exchange including VAT difference.