Spar ballsbridge!

Zamboni

Shocking place. I've avoided it like the plague for years now.

I remember getting a sandwich that I'd bought regularly in the Spar around the corner from Waterloo Road for €2.50.
They tried to charge me €4.85 for the exact same thing in Spar Ballsbridge.
That is some price change for two Spar shops about a mile apart. :pac:

Gringo180

Zamboni wrote: »

Shocking place. I've avoided it like the plague for years now.

I remember getting a sandwich that I'd bought regularly in the Spar around the corner from Waterloo Road for €2.50.
They tried to charge me €4.85 for the exact same thing in Spar Ballsbridge.
That is some price change for two Spar shops about a mile apart. :pac:

I get that too, I usually get a ham salad roll out of the local supervalu maybe 2 or 3 times a week, but the inconsistency in the price is mad, some days E3.30 then a few days later the price will be E3.90 for the exact same roll

Radiotower

Gringo180 wrote: »

I get that too, I usually get a ham salad roll out of the local supervalu maybe 2 or 3 times a week, but the inconsistency in the price is mad, some days E3.30 then a few days later the price will be E3.90 for the exact same roll

I hate that - think maybe you should start keeping the price stickers off the rolls as evidence and make an offical complaint...

I hate going into that Spar in Ballsbridge always a rip off, sometimes you've no choice and so have to bite the bullet..

Btw I drink a 2litre of Aldi Irish spring water every day - its something like 48c - i cannot differ between any of the bottled waters (except the difference between still and fizzy)

the groutch

I remember my first time ever going into that Spar (about 15 years ago now) just before a testimonial in Landsdowne, the prices were so extortionate I thought they increased them specifically on match days

rubadub

the groutch wrote: »

I thought they increased them specifically on match days

I think they do, burger places like abras jack up the price in slane or similar venues. Before concerts people are all out drinking on the street due to overflowing pubs, I remember them charging loads for cans in that spar, there is nothing much the gardai can do as people are outside the pubs on the street drinking, they would have to arrest everybody to be fair. The spar know this so charge over the odds since the alternative is queueing for ages in the pub for a pint in a plastic cup anyways. I was saying to a mate he was mad paying €2 for a can that should be €1, but he figured he was still saving since the alternative was similar muck in a plastic cup for €5+

Just plan ahead and bring your own food & drink.

the groutch

rubadub wrote: »

I think they do, burger places like abras jack up the price in slane or similar venues.

thing is they weren't, because I was back there a few months later on a non match / RDS event day and prices were the same, they were just so out of line with the rest of the city that I thought they had jacked them up

Moojuice

The Ballsbridge spar is the most expensive store I have ever been in. Its a rip off. Never shopping there again. Don't buy anything there, don't go in and they will get the mesage.

ejmaztec

Are they catering for up-market Ballsbridge people who have more money than sense?

We should organise a rent-a-crowd demo outside the shop, and wave placards and fists until they call the Guards.

We could choose a different shop each week.

Ghandee

Ok, I have read the thoughts of the "pro" rip off camp!
Tbh your right! No one forced anyone to buy Anything from anywhere. However, (IMHO) prices charged are a rip off, hence op posting in the "rip off" forum.
Getting charged almost 6yo yo for volvic water is exactly a rip off!
Stop jumping to centra and spars defences folks!
Ffs you lot would have shredded the op had he of posted in bargain alerts!

Make up your effing minds!

Any wonder this countries in the pooh?

I'm raging now!

Hate thieves, and conmen

rubadub

ejmaztec wrote: »

Are they catering for up-market Ballsbridge people who have more money than sense?

Thats exactly it, people are still paying so they would be fools not to maximise their profits. Some people are attracted to places that are expensive, if this spar was cheaper the queues would be bigger, some people will pay more for convenience, like people nipping into a newsagent alongside a major supermarket. Some people like to pay for "exclusivity" in many ways, sometimes it has some benefits.

Gucky wrote: »

Ffs you lot would have shredded the op had he of posted in bargain alerts!

Of course he would, if people post non-bargains in that forum they do get told it is not such a great bargain, people usually have sound reasons why they do not consider it such a great deal. Same here, if people do not think its a genuine ripoff they will say so. And all too often people ask something like "how can they justify this?", then they get upset when they hear an actual reasoned answer to their possibly rhetorical question.

Gucky wrote: »

Stop jumping to centra and spars defences folks

Its more a "defence" or rather an explanation of common business practice.

Gucky wrote: »

Hate thieves, and conmen

+1 but there is no theiving or confidence tricks going on in that shop. If they were selling tap water labelled as volvic it would be a con.

podgemonster

rubadub wrote: »

Thats exactly it, people are still paying so they would be fools not to maximise their profits. Some people are attracted to places that are expensive, if this spar was cheaper the queues would be bigger, some people will pay more for convenience, like people nipping into a newsagent alongside a major supermarket. Some people like to pay for "exclusivity" in many ways, sometimes it has some benefits.


Of course he would, if people post non-bargains in that forum they do get told it is not such a great bargain, people usually have sound reasons why they do not consider it such a great deal. Same here, if people do not think its a genuine ripoff they will say so. And all too often people ask something like "how can they justify this?", then they get upset when they hear an actual reasoned answer to their possibly rhetorical question.

Its more a "defence" or rather an explanation of common business practice.


+1 but there is no theiving or confidence tricks going on in that shop. If they were selling tap water labelled as volvic it would be a con.

Firstly thieves and conning(an exaggeration there but fuelled by passionate anger usually felt by some when they are ripped-off), they are selling multipack items seperately. Selling lidl ice-creams for the same price as magnums so there are tricks in place here, fact!

I do expect to pay for convienence. I am a fan of hopping into Daybreaks, Centras and spar and getting out quickly and yes they do charge a little bit extra but nothing to the jaw dropping increases of this place.

Naturally yes there is a business aspect by maximising profits but there should also be some business morals here, your entitled to charge more for convienience but come on there is a line. There is an element of greed here and not good business.

You mention that some people are attracted to places that are expensive: yes like Brown Thomas, Marks and Spensers not a Spar, seriously like rich people do queue from time time, iv seen em.

To jump the defense of people in ballsbridge (never thought id ever say that) but from someone who lives and works in ballsbridge myself, my house mates and my co-workers avoid this place, there are now two other alternatives in close proximity to this shop (alot friendlier inside there too) but these shops dont charge €1.60 for a Mars bar, they dont charge an extra euro for phone credit or €1.40 for a sausage roll. Are these new shops fools for not having higher prices. They have the business morals to charge more than the usual supermarket yet not be a rip off, thus getting repeated custom and not a thread named after them telling people not to go there.

coylemj

whatsupdoc? wrote: »

I'd guess Ballsbridge is the most interesting word here.
As stated before not a lot of competition, RDS close by, couldn't see them charging anything else tbh.

There is a convenience store just across the bridge between Bellamy's pub and Roly's so there is competition in the area.

That said, it's an upmarket part of town, even today you'd be hard pressed to find a decent house costing less than a million in the area so it's not surprising that they charge premium prices.

But if they get away with ripping off mugs people who think that it makes sense to import bottled water from France then good luck to them.