Argos: 24% higher in the Republic than the North

Rebelheart

Is anybody listening to RTÉ Radio 1 now???

PS: I'll edit this in a few moments.

Adamcp898

You're only finding this out now?

convert

And you're surprised because...

Wazdakka

Not exactly breaking news I'm afraid buddy..

Cookie_Monster

RTE, behind the tims as usual

Monday's Indo wrote:

A SURVEY of more than 12,000 goods on sale through the Argos catalogue has found that Irish customers pay more than British customers for a staggering 99pc of them.

The study was carried out by a professor of Computer Sciences at University College Dublin using a computer programme he had devised to compare Ikea prices.

Prof Barry Smyth admitted he was surprised that the price difference between Ikea in Belfast and Dublin was "only" 8pc on average, as he had expected customers in the so-called "rip-off Republic" to be paying even more.

However, he was surprised in a different way when he discovered that Irish customers are paying an average of 24pc more than those across the water when shopping at Argos.

"These averages disguise a multitude of savings, and there are literally hundreds of products that are 40pc to 200pc more expensive in Irish Argos stores compared to UK stores," Prof Smyth said.

He said that a three-in-one canopy for babies in prams, for example, costs less than €12 in Belfast. The same product in Dublin costs €35.99, a mark-up of more than 220pc.

But it is on the 'big ticket' items that cash savings are most pronounced.

"If you are interested in a flat screen TV then Argos will charge you, on average, an extra €400 for the privilege of shopping in the Republic," Prof Smyth said.

"In fact, the biggest price difference that I have found so far is €1,124, which you pocket by purchasing a 52 inch high-definition Sony LCD TV up north. This product is listed as €3,339.99 on the Irish site but comes in at only €2,213 (£1,899.99) on the UK site."

Prof Smyth said he found almost 500 products -- mainly in consumer electronics, furniture and leisure equipment -- which are at least €100 cheaper in Argos Belfast than Argos in the south.

Expensive

When studying Ikea, Prof Smyth admitted that the 8pc price difference could largely be explained by the difference between our 21.5pc VAT rate and the 15pc rate in the North.

However, he said that Argos could not fall back on the same excuse.

"Even after adjusting for this [by calculating the price before VAT is applied] the average Irish product is still 17pc more expensive than its UK equivalent," he said.

An Argos representative could not be contacted last night.

Rebelheart

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

RTE, behind the tims as usual

Fair enough, Cookie. That's the same guy, UCD'S Barry Smyth, who was just on RTÉ's Drivetime with Philip Boucher Hayes. I've never bought the Independent in my life. But didn't read The Irish Times either, which reported it yesterday:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0818/1224252774352.html

ejmaztec

In before the 800 years.

Rebelheart

Adamcp898 wrote: »

You're only finding this out now?

In fairness, you knew that the difference was precisely 24%? Philip Boucher Hayes is after giving (oh yes, I know I know I know: has just given) a professor of Computer Science in UCD, Barry Smyth, a drilling about his methodology in his calculations. Smyth did alright.

rubadub

McDonalds: Higher prices in the Republic than Malaysia.

WTF! how are they let away with this, its a bloody outrage, surely the world police enforce strict pricing controls based on XE.com

Rebelheart

ejmaztec wrote: »

In before the 800 years.

Ejmaztec: I rather think you are, once again, in before your brain gets into gear.

Cookie_Monster

rubadub wrote: »

McDonalds: Higher prices in the Republic than Malaysia.

WTF! how are they let away with this, its a bloody outrage, surely the world police enforce strict pricing controls based on XE.com

Malaysia and Ireland aren't an hours drive from each other

Rebelheart

rubadub wrote: »

McDonalds: Higher prices in the Republic than Malaysia.

WTF! how are they let away with this, its a bloody outrage, surely the world police enforce strict pricing controls based on XE.com

Nice. So Belfast is akin to Malaysia, it appears.

ejmaztec

Rebelheart wrote: »

Ejmaztec: I rather think you are, once again, in before your brain gets into gear.

I'll see if you can resist the temptation.:P


My brain's always in gear, and not reverse.

dr.bollocko

OP I would post a new thread in here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=235
Once you have the edit in place.