Maplins Ireland GBP to EURO price conversion rip off

Rashers72

Was looking at their UK website at the weekend at the following Seagate portable drive:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=217649&source=1&DOY=7m1
Costs GBP50, plus free delivery to anywhere in UK.
At todays exchange rate of .72, = EUR70.
However, Maplins Ireland add their own little margin in, and bring the product up to EUR85. This EUR15 'margin' represents a price increase of 21% for buying from their Irish branch. Interestingly a similar product in Peats is EUR89.
I have come across price increases in the conversion in the likes of Boots and Argos, but nothing to this extent.
When you hear ISME going on about buying from Irish based retailers, and how we need to protect our jobs, and then see Irish consumers putting up with retailers clearly ripping us off, one wonders.
So, am I just over-reacting, or what do others think?

jahalpin

That looks like a website special, I don't think that price is avaliable in their shops in the UK and even if it was the additional costs associated with transporting the goods to their shops in ROI would more than justify the increased cost

Rashers72

jahalpin wrote: »

That looks like a website special, I don't think that price is avaliable in their shops in the UK and even if it was the additional costs associated with transporting the goods to their shops in ROI would more than justify the increased cost

Don't think it's a website special, as the brochure published by Maplins Ireland looks identitical in offers to the UK website with the exception of the prices. Also considering they offer free delivery to any UK address.
But is the >20% price increase the norm to send a container to Ireland? And if so, how come the prices in Belfast are the same as the most Northern tip of Scotland, or in Cornwall?

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Maplin & Peats are rip-offs for most stuff.

Maplin do good deals sometimes, but you're always best shopping around to get the best price.

dudara

The UK VAT rate is 17.5%, whereas here in Ireland, it's 21%. That might help account for some of the difference as well.

gas_ticket

The problem comparing prices in the UK with prices over here is that the stuff in the UK IS IN THE UK!

UK shops cost less to rent. The staff live in cheaper digs and houses, and can be kept happy on lower pay. Their transport to work costs less. Their beer costs less.

The UK boss lives in a big house costing a fraction of what the Irish boss paid for his mingin little jerry-built 3-bed kip miles out in the middle of nowhere. The UK staff get on public transport and nip to work cheaply. The Irish staff sit it out, in their OWN car in their OWN little space on the M3, N11 or M50. That's their choice, and YOU'RE going to pay for it.

The shipping cost to Ireland is astronomical. A single pallet may cost a hundred quid to bring over, so if there are hundred items on the pallet, that's a Euro per item just to get it here.

Furthermore, our sales volumes are so low that economies of scale don't apply here, unless you're Aldi or Lidl or Tesco.

All of these things are paid for by: You, the punter.

That's what we get for thinking the high price of houses is a great idea, that the Celtic Tiger is a good thing, and for continuing to live on this damp little island stuck out here on the edge of Europe.

jetpropellednun

Here, here!

I'm with pessimistic above on this one. It's our own fault that we're a greedy bunch of bastards.

TerrorFirmer

I was looking at their website yesterday, 8800GS is on Special offer this month at 99 sterling = 125 euro.

Price here, also on Special Offer this month = 165 euro.

mcaul

Simple as Don't buy it and e-mail them saying that you did want to buy it but the additional charge v UK charge bears no relevance to the additional cost of operating here.

IMO, a fair exchange taking into account additional costs + additional VAT is €1.4 to £1 sterling. - This allows for currency flucuations to .75stg to €1.

General analysis feeling is the stg / eur rate will settle in the .74 - .78 range medium term.

biggles007

Maplin is a robber

dudara

biggles007 Please don't drag up old threads. Thread closed.

dudara