RIP OFF REPUBLIC ****

Cabaal

OP its nice that your concerned and all but if you search this forum and the ripp off ireland forum you will start to better understand how pricing works, what advise is given to consumers and what you should do yourself as a consumer.

Starting a facebook group which has 4 members at present is not a very productive way of getting prices dropped, before you campaign for such things you need to understand the workings for and it appears you don't....ranting aimlessly doesn't help anyone.

I'd recommend you do some research in order for anybody to take you seriously in future regarding any campaign you want to start.

dudara

Moved to Rip-Off Ireland.

Best suited there I think.

With regard to your comment re rubadub, moderators have no influence outside the forums they moderate. Therefore rubadub was posting as a regular poster in this context. Moderators are also allowed voice their opinion and are subject to the same regulations as other posters.

dudara

vikingdub

sharonbabes wrote: »

Well if I'm not too busy with the day job I might make this a much bigger campaign than FB and throw alot more behind it. I'm quite passionate about it so yes I think I will. Cheers for all your views anyhoo

Count me in I would be delighted to be part of a campaign to force the UK retailers to reduce their prices here. Monsoon is one of the worst, I was in the UK recently dress was stg£45 there and stg €60 here. Also noticed in the Grafton Street store a label that had a price of Stg£50, €75 and on top of it another label €90, appears they have three prices, Stg£, € and Irish €.

As for the consumer bodies, toothless, I contacted them about Boots displaying the as stg£ price in large bold print and the the € in much smaller print, did not discover the € until I got to the till, they were in the process of stiffing an elderly lady for the € price. She paid, I did not, I asked to see the Manager, pointed out that I regarded this as sharp practice which certainly would not occur in France. Where else in the world would the local currency price be practically hidden and a foreign currency price be prominant? I won, the price I paid was the Stg£ amount but in €. and this was a few years ago during the Celtic Tiger madness.

As for the argument about higher wages in the Republic, I am sick of that Mark Fielding argument, retail staff are paid at or slightly above minimum wage, and until the € made substantial gains against Sterling there was very little difference in the minimum wages in both jurisdictions. However, the cost of living in the Republic was always substantially higher. The excessive mark-ups in Ireland relate to the pursuit of obscene profit levels, a fact admitted by the earlier poster who factors in "what the market will take" into his/her pricing.

sharonbabes

dudara wrote: »

Moved to Rip-Off Ireland.

Best suited there I think.

With regard to your comment re rubadub, moderators have no influence outside the forums they moderate. Therefore rubadub was posting as a regular poster in this context. Moderators are also allowed voice their opinion and are subject to the same regulations as other posters.

dudara

Would you look at the gang of mods jumping to defence...hilarious! Guys thanks for your comments but I'll do what I have to do anyway. I guess other forums I'm on work differently. RE the other mod who said "do my research"...I intend to and I am...just not on this forum. lol. I'm here to basically meet like minded people (other than you guys, of which I'm sure exist) who are interested in getting off their asses and actually doing something/anything about this that might result in a positive outcome. I'm currently studying the behaviour of bloggers/posters and I gotta say you're fitting the stereotype to a T

sharonbabes

Cabaal wrote: »

OP its nice that your concerned and all but if you search this forum and the ripp off ireland forum you will start to better understand how pricing works, what advise is given to consumers and what you should do yourself as a consumer.

Starting a facebook group which has 4 members at present is not a very productive way of getting prices dropped, before you campaign for such things you need to understand the workings for and it appears you don't....ranting aimlessly doesn't help anyone.

I'd recommend you do some research in order for anybody to take you seriously in future regarding any campaign you want to start.

Given I only created the group a few hrs ago I'd say 10 members aint too bad. You'll be hearing alot more from this group with what I have planned my friend...seems to me you're more interested in an argument than supporting a decent person trying to make a difference. God forbid you actually say something remotely positive on here...does that go against rules or something???

I won't be carrying on a pointless conversation - anybody interested in getting involved can mail me privately and we'll take it from there.

Guy:Incognito

sharonbabes wrote: »

The answer to that question is (a.) I didn't think the price difference would be THAT much, and (b.) I needed it quite quickly.

My shopping habits or that of others aren't and shouldn't be under fire. ealistically not everyone can shop online or travel "up north". The wider concern is that these shops are getting away with robbery quite frankly and this issue must be highlighted.

Believe it or not there are people who aren't aware of these massive scale differences.

Rather than point out the obvious it would surely be better to discuss a way of pushing for change/action?

You need it quickly and /or cant travel to get it cheaper, so why the hell does it matter what it ssold for in a different country?

If you have time to travel to get it cheaper you could order it or someting similar from China for cheaper again and avoid being ripped off in the uk.

hussey

sharonbabes wrote: »

.....

The best thing you can do is shop with your feet, i.e. go somewhere else

You needed something you bought it, you didn't shop around, yeah there is a price difference but before you blame other people, the fact remains you did not shop around.

and please not you cannot get items delivered via the website.

Rather than ranting and raving about it, send a letter to the head office (not the retail shop) and point out the price difference and how you will never shop there again etc etc.

That might make a difference.
Don't blame other people for pointing out the fact that you were also to blame.

If I walk into a pub in the city order a pint and it costs 6euro and a pint in suburbs cost 5euro, I wouldn't rant and rave, I'd just wouldn't go back.

Cabaal

sharonbabes wrote: »

Given I only created the group a few hrs ago I'd say 10 members aint too bad. You'll be hearing alot more from this group with what I have planned my friend.

Thats grand, however I wouldn't be under any allusions that you can create some sort of career using this, your post history's shows you went from one post ranting about Monsoon to creating a facebook group to having big plans.....are you hoping to use this as some sort of springboard?

..seems to me you're more interested in an argument than supporting a decent person trying to make a difference. God forbid you actually say something remotely positive on here...does that go against rules or something???

People on this board are more interested in educating consumers as ranting consumers who don't understand the law or why prices are at the amount does nothing to help anyone.

If people don't want to do the research before aimlessly ranting then there's no hope for them, in addition if people are told they are part of the problem they (you in this case) can't simply say you are not especially if you knowingly paid the higher price.

In relation to FB groups, the last Facebook group I heard of that gave out advice to Irish consumer recently announced that if a shop advertises a price in euro and sterling and you offer sterling as a payment they HAVE to take it.....reality however is different as sterling is not legal tender in Ireland they don't have to accept it by law. (some shops may but this is purely down to shop policy and nothing else)

Its wrong information like this that fecks it up for everyone and anyone who uses such misleading poorly researched info only comes across as a ill informed fool when they try and complain to shops or complain about shops

darc

There's a lot of poor information on this thread and many have no rationale behind their responses.

The OP purchased a dress for €280. - €280 is not too expensive for a decent dress. Later on she finds taht if she purchased it in the UK it would have cost her £180. Based on the commercial exchange rate last week, this would be €209.

The added costs in the republic (higher wages, higher rents, higher rates, Higher vat) add another 20% (6.5% vat + approx 13.5% other costs), so the fair retail price in Ireland should be max. €250.

If the dress was bought in Oasis, Karen Millen, Coast or a local Irish owned boutique, the cost would have been €230 - €250. However Monsoon, Kookai, Debenhams and some othe ENGLISH stores have kept their Irish retail margins at too high a level whereas the others mentioned above have dropped theirs to more reasonable levels.

Virtually Every single thread on rip off is the same UK retailers.

So, its not rip off republic - its UK Retailer Rip Off in the Republic. UKRROR

Listing that I know of that still use 1.50 or more exchange

Debenhams (up to 1.65)
Kookai (1.60)
Homebase (1.50)
Argos (up to 2.00)
Monsoon (1.55)

Though you can smile that we still pay much lower taxes than the UK, have much higher wages & we don't currently have a council tax of £2500 or water charges of £350!

Cabaal

darc wrote: »

There's a lot of poor information on this thread and many have no rationale behind their responses.
!

Your post is pretty much spot on,

Fighting Irish

Why lower prices when stupid people keep paying them? :rolleyes:

sharonbabes wrote: »

I just bought a dress in Monsoon for €280 and the same dress is online/priced in the UK at £180. How can these rip-off merchants justify the difference?

I want your help to make a difference!

Are you tired of retailers taking the proverbial piss by charging you over the odds for clothes that are a snip of the price in sterling? Just who is responsible for monitoring retail prices in Ireland and why are these big name retailers getting away with it? Now is the time for all of us to come together, show some people power and show these rip off merchants that we will NOT take it! Help me name and shame those shops

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=643466986&ref=profile#/group.php?gid=87926845663&ref=mf

I have every confidence that this group will be popular and I will prove these shops can not afford to ignore what is the power of social networking. It's time to fight back!

dudara

sharonbabes wrote: »

Would you look at the gang of mods jumping to defence...hilarious! Guys thanks for your comments but I'll do what I have to do anyway. I guess other forums I'm on work differently. RE the other mod who said "do my research"...I intend to and I am...just not on this forum. lol. I'm here to basically meet like minded people (other than you guys, of which I'm sure exist) who are interested in getting off their asses and actually doing something/anything about this that might result in a positive outcome. I'm currently studying the behaviour of bloggers/posters and I gotta say you're fitting the stereotype to a T

Right, now that I'm not in a forum that I moderate...

Don't make assumptions about people you encounter on the net. I could make a lot of assumptions about you based on the fact that you have the word 'babes' in your username.

Secondly, you voiced your opinion on a public forum. Accept the replies that you get. Some will be helpful, some won't. That's the way of the net. You might learn that if you got out of classes about the internet and used it instead. Remember the old joke about arguing on the internet and being in the Special Olympics? I won't give the answer here, but you should google it.

rubadub

sharonbabes wrote: »

Would you look at the gang of mods jumping to defence...hilarious!

Defence of what? If you found something offensive about my post you can report it, there is a little triangle at the side of each post like a yield sign that you can click.

I would honestly like to hear any retort to any points I made, do you disagree with anything I said?

newman10

darc wrote: »

There's a lot of poor information on this thread and many have no rationale behind their responses.

The OP purchased a dress for €280. - €280 is not too expensive for a decent dress. Later on she finds taht if she purchased it in the UK it would have cost her £180. Based on the commercial exchange rate last week, this would be €209.

The added costs in the republic (higher wages, higher rents, higher rates, Higher vat) add another 20% (6.5% vat + approx 13.5% other costs), so the fair retail price in Ireland should be max. €250.

If the dress was bought in Oasis, Karen Millen, Coast or a local Irish owned boutique, the cost would have been €230 - €250. However Monsoon, Kookai, Debenhams and some othe ENGLISH stores have kept their Irish retail margins at too high a level whereas the others mentioned above have dropped theirs to more reasonable levels.

Virtually Every single thread on rip off is the same UK retailers.

So, its not rip off republic - its UK Retailer Rip Off in the Republic. UKRROR

Listing that I know of that still use 1.50 or more exchange

Debenhams (up to 1.65)
Kookai (1.60)
Homebase (1.50)
Argos (up to 2.00)
Monsoon (1.55)

Though you can smile that we still pay much lower taxes than the UK, have much higher wages & we don't currently have a council tax of £2500 or water charges of £350!

Great to see a little sense about who is ripping off whom.

UK retailers here ripping us off is more to the point

parsi

darc wrote: »

There's a lot of poor information on this thread and many have no rationale behind their responses.

The OP purchased a dress for €280. - €280 is not too expensive for a decent dress. Later on she finds taht if she purchased it in the UK it would have cost her £180. Based on the commercial exchange rate last week, this would be €209.

The added costs in the republic (higher wages, higher rents, higher rates, Higher vat) add another 20% (6.5% vat + approx 13.5% other costs), so the fair retail price in Ireland should be max. €250.

If the dress was bought in Oasis, Karen Millen, Coast or a local Irish owned boutique, the cost would have been €230 - €250. However Monsoon, Kookai, Debenhams and some othe ENGLISH stores have kept their Irish retail margins at too high a level whereas the others mentioned above have dropped theirs to more reasonable levels.

Virtually Every single thread on rip off is the same UK retailers.

So, its not rip off republic - its UK Retailer Rip Off in the Republic. UKRROR

Listing that I know of that still use 1.50 or more exchange

Debenhams (up to 1.65)
Kookai (1.60)
Homebase (1.50)
Argos (up to 2.00)
Monsoon (1.55)

Though you can smile that we still pay much lower taxes than the UK, have much higher wages & we don't currently have a council tax of £2500 or water charges of £350!

Good post, but what do folk do to "sock it to the man" ?

They go up North and give them their money there.

Folks - if you want to boycott Argos et al, boycott all their shops. There's not a whole lot of pain for them if you spend your bobs in their Northern shop.

And another thing - please accept the reality of life which is that if you want it quickly then you'll have to pay extra (because you don't have the time to shoparound).

And a third thing - none of these shops have a man inside whose job is to point a gun at our heads. If it's dear - leave it there.

Moosh10

I've fallen victim to the shopping in Ni for clothes & makeup etc cos it really is much cheaper.
I'd prefer to support local but hate feeling ripped off.
I see the point though on giving your money to the same store just in a different place. Basically they never lose.
Might need to rethink my actions!!!!

parsi

parsi wrote: »

Good post, but what do folk do to "sock it to the man" ?

They go up North and give them their money there.

Folks - if you want to boycott Argos et al, boycott all their shops. There's not a whole lot of pain for them if you spend your bobs in their Northern shop.

.

At the same time though, they won't get the inflated price amounts as they would if you'd paid for it down here, so surely they're getting less money overall.

ejmaztec

bluewolf wrote: »

At the same time though, they won't get the inflated price amounts as they would if you'd paid for it down here, so surely they're getting less money overall.

I would say that the vast majority of what is on sale in Argos can be bought anywhere in the South for less. The only reason that I would ever buy anything from them is if it were half-price.

For example, just look at the ludicrous prices for photographic equipment, camcorders etc... You would be completely mad to buy it from Argos.

Even down the other end of the scale. I was looking for a can of the Nivea stuff that goes with a Philishave shaver. Argos have it for €9.49 and I bought some in my local one-off "everything" supplier for €7.99.

ejmaztec

ejmaztec wrote: »

I would say that the vast majority of what is on sale in Argos can be bought anywhere in the South for less. The only reason that I would ever buy anything from them is if it were half-price.

For example, just look at the ludicrous prices for photographic equipment, camcorders etc... You would be completely mad to buy it from Argos.

Even down the other end of the scale. I was looking for a can of the Nivea stuff that goes with a Philishave shaver. Argos have it for €9.49 and I bought some in my local one-off "everything" supplier for €7.99.

Well I didn't mean argos in particular, just in general e.g. tescos north vs tescos south. Just that "you're giving them your money anyway" isn't such a bad thing if you're giving them less money overall.

ejmaztec

bluewolf wrote: »

Well I didn't mean argos in particular, just in general e.g. tescos north vs tescos south. Just that "you're giving them your money anyway" isn't such a bad thing if you're giving them less money overall.

Unfortunately most people are stuck with the nearest competitive supermarket. What is even more unfortunate is that Dunnes, Superquinn, Musgrave/SuperValu etc., can't afford to take Tesco on in a pricewar.

If the longstanding rumour about Dunnes/Asda ever came to be true, then Asda/Walmart could most definitely take on Tesco and drive the prices down.

AMHRASACH

. .see Aldi are tearing off the £sterling price on their price tags so you now cannot know the extent to which you are being screwed on the currency differential . .

parsi

AMHRASACH wrote: »

. .see Aldi are tearing off the £sterling price on their price tags so you now cannot know the extent to which you are being screwed on the currency differential . .

Moser Roth choco bars (125g) currently advertised on UK tv as 99p - 1.59 over here.

So lets continue to bear in mind that ALdi may be cheaper but they are still raking it in.