Has Rip-Off Ireland Gone at last?

mcaul

OK, so there will always be the odd exceptions, but I've found over the past few months that the difference in prices between Ireland & UK / USA have fizzled out on may things.

Hotels - seem to be cheaper
Eating out - About the same as london & other european cities based on similar menu & similar locations.
Grocery Food - Very little difference
Alcohol - in some cases its cheaper (pint of warm beer + glass of house wine in boring pub in outer suburb of London £10.60 on Sunday!!:eek:)
Electronics - seems to be same price. Dell printers actually 15% cheaper here than Dell USA site!
TV's, Fridges etc - all seem to be similar prices.

Only blot is the continued ridiculous pricing by certain UK stores such as debenhams, halfords, argos & homebase. But most others have changed for the better.


Of course everyone can show where something is way more expensive in some place compared to cheapest place elsewhere, but generally it seems the excessive pricing of 2007 / 2008 has finally moved away.

Even this thread has dried up!

Fighting Irish

There has never been a rip off ireland. It was always stupid people paying stupid prices and keeping prices high then complaining about the price

ejmaztec

Fighting Irish wrote: »

There has never been a rip off ireland. It was always stupid people paying stupid prices and keeping prices high then complaining about the price

The reason people paid stupid prices was because they were charged stupid prices, and thanks to lack of competition, and an abundance of cosy cartels, there was nowhere in the country to buy the stuff cheaper.

People here have been ripped off since 1922 at least, but now, mainly thanks to the internet and cheaper travel costs, shoppers can take advantage of cheaper overseas prices.

Years ago, only a small percentage of people knew that everything was cheaper outside Ireland. People didn't know that they were getting robbed, because they had nothing to use as a yard-stick for prices. Now, everybody knows.

Fighting Irish

ejmaztec wrote: »

The reason people paid stupid prices was because they were charged stupid prices, and thanks to lack of competition, and an abundance of cosy cartels, there was nowhere in the country to buy the stuff cheaper.

People here have been ripped off since 1922 at least, but now, mainly thanks to the internet and cheaper travel costs, shoppers can take advantage of cheaper overseas prices.

Years ago, only a small percentage of people knew that everything was cheaper outside Ireland. People didn't know that they were getting robbed, because they had nothing to use as a yard-stick for prices. Now, everybody knows.

ok

ejmaztec

Fighting Irish wrote: »

ok

Glad we cleared that up.:P:D

Fighting Irish

ejmaztec wrote: »

Glad we cleared that up.:P:D

:pac:

HappyHarry

The simple answer is - NO, Rip-Off Ireland is alive and well.

Some of the larger retailers are even taking advantage of the desire for 'good value' with misleading signage and pricing strategies.

However as you are a regular poster I suspect you know that and are trolling

Out of interest, what is the price of a Large Yankee Jar in Dublin as compared to say New York?

91011

HappyHarry wrote: »

Out of interest, what is the price of a Large Yankee Jar in Dublin as compared to say New York?

$26.99 (€19.30) + Sales Tax in New York
€24.95 including sales tax in Dublin (€20.61 excluding VAT)

Online $24.99 + Sales tax in USA (€17.85)
€22.50 including VAT here. (€18.59 excluding Vat)

Considering they are made in the USA a 5% difference allowing for transport costs is very reasonable. - But Yankee sell at about the same price worldwide, which is the way it should be.

Bosshogg

Fighting Irish wrote: »

There has never been a rip off ireland. It was always stupid people paying stupid prices and keeping prices high then complaining about the price

I agree with Irish, people too eager to throw their money at the sales man did the damage. But more so this only happened with the big money, buying houses, cars etc, "oh yeah my car cost more than yours", but something for a tenner and they'd want it for a fiver or the classic "give us 2 for 15".

Have you seen this one btw... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2a8TRSgzZY

ejmaztec

I can't figure out why people think that this a recent phenomenon. Must be time for a non-fiction book entitled "Ireland - Robbery Through The Ages":P

CS Hasuki

Unfortunately Ireland is a corrupt nation so rip off Ireland is here to stay.

Anyone in the know will tell you government official pay offs are common practice. Paying for inspector holidays, back handers etc.

At least in places abroad corruption is half way expected, Russia, Nigeria etc.

Here it is common also, you just do not hear about it. For example construction companies having to pay back handers to government officials for approval of works completed.
And the companies pay it as it's cheaper than having to dig up places and re-lay works all over again.
Then you have the price gouging which is common in Ireland. Sure things will be generally more expensive than the UK for example, due to VAT rates. But it mostly comes down to wholesalers, distributors & landlord greed.
Mabye we should have let the Germans take over in WWII, I doubt they could have done any worse a job than out corrupt politicians who are sitting on their comfortable pensions and could not give a crap about the country.
The banks have been bailed out by the government. All the wealthy people pissed the country down the drain and who is paying for it?Poor people, that's who, people who never even seen the "Celtic Tiger". You can get irish manufactured products much cheaper abroad(more than the VAT difference).
Every single foreigner I know could not get over the cost of living in Ireland.
Even Tesco commented on having high prices in Ireland when they were accused of price gouging. They blamed everyone else, saying the rents, taxes and distribution fees all drove prices up.

End of rant.