Aldo shoes and rip off ireland

Marzipan85

Hi all,

I got a pair of Aldo ankle boots as a christmas present.They cost €95. However they cost £70gbp on their UK website, and I assume this is the same cost in Northern Irish Aldo stores. This works out at an overpricing of €11.35 for purchasing in the Irish Republic. I don't know if this just applies to all Euro currency countries? But it does seem very unfair especially in the context of an horrendous recession. Is there something that can explain this difference in price? Or is it just cynical opportunism?

dudara

Moved to Rip Off Ireland as we do not discuss currency differences here.

dudara

cookie1977

I'm in no way justifying the price difference but it's not just a simple currency exchange. There are different laws governing wages and shop rates in the Republic and this could also be a factor. All I'm saying is that a straight forward currency conversion isn't necessarily the fairest comparison.

braintoxic

Dont discuss currency differences? Is it fair to ask why..

mickoneill30

The shoes that were bought in Ireland, were they bought in a shop?

A shop has totally different costs from a website. A website might have a couple of guys in stores in some warehouse in an industrial estate in the back ass of nowhere and can order in stock as it gets sold. If they have a good supply chain they can sell the item to you before they even have it so there's no risk of them getting stuck with it. They won't need display stock for customers to try on, they just need a photo. There is a risk to the customer that they might buy an item that doesn't fit them well or doesn't look as well on them as they might have expected but the website doesn't care about that.

A shop will have to rent premises probably in a main street or shopping centre, will have to have staff constantly on the floor even when there's no customers in the shop and will have to have the stock on hand for the customer to try on or buy immediately, so if the cost price goes down after the shop has bought the item, that's a cost the shop probably has to bear. If they're bought as a gift a lot of shops will allow the customer to come in and exchange the item for another item. They don't have to and some don't but it's an extra service for the customer if they buy from a shop

Then theres any differences in VAT & currency to add on.

So if the cost on the website was the same as the cost in a shop then either the website is making great profits or the shop is making losses.

compsys

Marzipan85 wrote: »

Hi all,

I got a pair of Aldo ankle boots as a christmas present.They cost €95. However they cost £70gbp on their UK website, and I assume this is the same cost in Northern Irish Aldo stores. This works out at an overpricing of €11.35 for purchasing in the Irish Republic. I don't know if this just applies to all Euro currency countries? But it does seem very unfair especially in the context of an horrendous recession. Is there something that can explain this difference in price? Or is it just cynical opportunism?

To be honest that seems like a fair enough exchange rate.

Anything over .73 or .74c to the euro is OK in my opinion.

Sure the official exchange rate on the ForEx markets, which applies to transactions of currencies over around one million euro (!) is only around .83 cent right now.

Also, the €95 price tag is probably the same euro price that is being used in almost every other European country that uses the euro.

As I've said previously, I don't know why everyone in Ireland is so obsessed with the price of food and clothes compared to the UK alone.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=75808210

Marzipan85

well at least i know i'm not being ripped off. just some shops even go to the extent of censoring their GBP prices on clothing tags, which comes across as a bit dodgy to me. this basically keeps information from the customer (which is only going to piss people off), rather than explaining why there is a noticeable price difference.

Techno_Toaster

Marzipan85 wrote: »

well at least i know i'm not being ripped off. just some shops even go to the extent of censoring their GBP prices on clothing tags, which comes across as a bit dodgy to me. this basically keeps information from the customer (which is only going to piss people off), rather than explaining why there is a noticeable price difference.

they probably have it it to avoid situations like this. Also why do sterling prices make a difference to us? Every country is different, vat rates/cost of living/wages they all contribute to the price of things. So while its not a rip off I do agree the prices here are crazy compared to Great Britain but sadly that's the way it is.

borderlinemeath

[QUOTE=Marzipan85;76180252]well at least i know i'm not being ripped off. just some shops even go to the extent of censoring their GBP prices on clothing tags, which comes across as a bit dodgy to me. this basically keeps information from the customer (which is only going to piss people off), rather than explaining why there is a noticeable price difference.[/QUOTE]

You weren't ripped off. You didn't even buy them, you got them as a present! :rolleyes:And the purchaser wasn't ripped off either - it seems a very reasonable rate.

Skopzz

My instincts tell me that it's a ripoff. Then again, Irish prices were always mad.

davo10

Skopzz wrote: »

My instincts tell me that it's a ripoff. Then again, Irish prices were always mad.

Your instincts as usual are wrong

Marzipan85

some contradicting answers here saying that
1. every country is different, you're not being ripped off
2. irish prices have always been crazy, mad

well, i still think the price of consumer goods and services should be reflective of xe exchange rates.

Skopzz

Marzipan85 wrote: »

some contradicting answers here saying that
1. every country is different, you're not being ripped off
2. irish prices have always been crazy, mad

well, i still think the price of consumer goods and services should be reflective of xe exchange rates.

I've also noticed the other companies that attempted to sell had to dump their products to get rid of them. That's how greedy they are here in Ireland.

But most importantly, I have enjoyed watching my money go further on eBay USA and in the 6 counties as a result of the "greed"

davo10

Skopzz wrote: »

Marzipan85 wrote: »

some contradicting answers here saying that
1. every country is different, you're not being ripped off
2. irish prices have always been crazy, mad

well, i still think the price of consumer goods and services should be reflective of xe exchange rates.

I've also noticed the other companies that attempted to sell had to dump their products to get rid of them. That's how greedy they are here in Ireland.

But most importantly, I have enjoyed watching my money go further on eBay USA and in the 6 counties as a result of the "greed"

Seriously? You are using an online bohemoth like eBay USA as an example of how retailers here are ripping people off. Dear God, this is a new low.

parsi

It's the same old really.

If we drop the costs to Uk levels then we can get UK prices.

So drop the dole, drop the children's allowance and bring in a poll tax (circa 2Kby all accounts).

Oh, and raise petrol/disel to Uk levels.

scotty_irish

I bought a 240ml bottle of contact lens solution in a pharmacy in Carlow on Christmas eve. €14.70, normally pay £3 for it. If I wasn't stuck I wouldn't have paid it. Glad I live abroad where this level of constant rip off doesn't exist.

davo10

parsi wrote: »

It's the same old really.

If we drop the costs to Uk levels then we can get UK prices.

So drop the dole, drop the children's allowance and bring in a poll tax (circa 2Kby all accounts).

Oh, and raise petrol/disel to Uk levels.

Don't forget, college fees increase to 9k sterling per year

Techno_Toaster

Marzipan85 wrote: »

some contradicting answers here saying that
1. every country is different, you're not being ripped off
2. irish prices have always been crazy, mad

well, i still think the price of consumer goods and services should be reflective of xe exchange rates.

its not contradicting. Cost of living in Ireland has gone up compared to say 4-5 years ago when jobs were plentiful and people had loads of money. The prices now for clothing and footwear are crazy high BUT compared to GB our dole/wages are higher so you cannot compare our prices to there's when they have different bills to pay

ejmaztec

A lot of it can be blamed on the rip-off rents paid to the Irish mall-owners. The traders in those places have to shift quite a lot of stock just to pay those people, let alone wages, overheads etc etc.

djrichard

I left the UK in 2007 and went to live in the Canary Islands until April this year when I moved to Dublin to live. I was shocked at how much everyday items cost here and wondered how it could be justified. I decided to go up to the North to do some shopping one time, even ended up driving to some place called Newcastle to visit the ASDA there as its usually always the cheapest supermarket. Boy did I get a shock, it wasnt all that much cheaper at all, especially when you considered the exchange rate. What I hadnt taken into account was the huge rise in prices in the UK in the last 4 years. Certain things were much cheaper though, for example a packet of 28 paracetamol only cost 14p in ASDA! I tried to buy a few packets, but they only let me buy two due to the risk I might be ending it all!

For years in the UK everyone has been screaming about rip off Britain, so its just the same. The only thing I find that is way in excess in comparison to the UK is the price of alcohol and the price of rental properties. Mobile rates are also a considerable amount more expensive too.

You can quite easily do a lot of your shopping online, Amazon even has free postage to Ireland now for its own products. Take advantage of that.

davo10

It's easy to point the finger of blame, the fact is we are all in this together. We all want to be paid as much as possible or to recieve as much benefits as possible but at the same time we want to pay low prices. There is a lot at the moment about water charges, household charges and increases to college tuition but these are things which have been in place in the UK for years. As consumers we are in a privileged position, we are paid more than in the North but can shop there at lower prices though I think the gap in prices is narrowing.

If you want lower prices, ask yourself are you willing to take further wage/benefit cuts and increases in fuel/water/household rates/college fees etc to come in to line with the residents of Northern Ireland. And if you look further afield, what is the average monthly wage in the Canary Islands or Hungary or Bulgaria?. Would you survive on a wage of €400 per month if consumer items were reduced to their levels in these countries?

The Master.

It is worth going up the north for food drink furniture clothes etc. as i think there is a lot more choice up there. Shopping gets very boring around ireland with shopping centres invariably having the same few names. The north has a lot of small independent shops that i love going into and of course the large supermarkets where the choice of fresh foods is amazing.
I had to laugh while in a dublin furniture shop enquiring about a bed i was told as a selling point it was guaranteed irish made. When it comes to furniture and things that you might like to keep for a few years id prefer it to be made away somewhere else thanks! Lets just stick to making guiness and cheese and eh......stuff.

Skopzz

The Master. wrote: »

It is worth going up the north for food drink furniture clothes etc. as i think there is a lot more choice up there. Shopping gets very boring around ireland with shopping centres invariably having the same few names. The north has a lot of small independent shops that i love going into and of course the large supermarkets where the choice of fresh foods is amazing.
I had to laugh while in a dublin furniture shop enquiring about a bed i was told as a selling point it was guaranteed irish made. When it comes to furniture and things that you might like to keep for a few years id prefer it to be made away somewhere else thanks! Lets just stick to making guiness and cheese and eh......stuff.

You are 100% correct.

Irish retailers lack innovation and always follow their competitors like sheep.

I recommend not shopping local because it is a false economy and fails to address the issue of competitivness. If people start shopping en masse again, retailers will only increase prices and continue the failed policies as before.

As a consumer I should not care where something is made so long as it's cheap. Otherwise, it hinders free trade in an open market such as the EU.

For too long, we have been paying considerably more than our EU counterparts for basic goods.

the groutch

Marzipan85 wrote: »

well, i still think the price of consumer goods and services should be reflective of xe exchange rates.

so which bank/credit card is offering you sterling at the xe.com rate?

ejmaztec

Marzipan85 wrote: »

well, i still think the price of consumer goods and services should be reflective of xe exchange rates.

In each Eurozone country, the currency is the same, yet all of the prices are different from one country to the next for the same goods.

If the UK had joined the Euro, the prices would still be different between here and there.

borderlinemeath

Skopzz wrote: »

You are 100% correct.

Irish retailers lack innovation and always follow their competitors like sheep.

All your posts on this topic lack any argument except for your blinkered views on retailers so for you to talk of innovation is laughable.

I recommend not shopping local because it is a false economy and fails to address the issue of competitivness. If people start shopping en masse again, retailers will only increase prices and continue the failed policies as before.

Your recommendations have usually been as far out as the lighthouse so most posters that recognise your username will take your "recommendations" with a pinch of salt. Or just snigger.

As a consumer I should not care where something is made so long as it's cheap. Otherwise, it hinders free trade in an open market such as the EU.

So you would have no qualms purchasing something produced in a sweat shop once it's cheap enough for you?

For too long, we have been paying considerably more than our EU counterparts for basic goods.

For the past 20 odd years (and probably longer) we have had a far higher standard of living than a lot of our European counterparts, far higher social welfare, lower taxation and no rates/social charges, and free education for the most part. You have taken full advantage of all of these yet you come onto an anonymous internet forum and mouth off about what you consider to be "greedy retailers". Most posters on this board see it as "greedy Scopzz" - taking, taking, taking from the Irish economy and contributing sweet FA.

maxer68

Skopzz wrote: »

You are 100% correct.

Irish retailers lack innovation and always follow their competitors like sheep.

I recommend not shopping local because it is a false economy and fails to address the issue of competitivness. If people start shopping en masse again, retailers will only increase prices and continue the failed policies as before.

As a consumer I should not care where something is made so long as it's cheap. Otherwise, it hinders free trade in an open market such as the EU.

For too long, we have been paying considerably more than our EU counterparts for basic goods.

Skoppzz with his unfounded BS again.

I have one big advantage - I lived in the UK and paid circa £2300 council tax, I also paid higher personal tax, it also took longer to get anywhere and the crowded towns and cities are in the main a pain in the ass to go shopping in. I also saw the death of the local store so that even for a opint of milk, you had to drive 5-10 miles in many instances.

Another advantage. I'm originally from NI. Very north east tip. Family still there, friends still there. They get paid sh1te money, they don't have anywhere near the quality of life we have down here. They STILL pay more tax than we do and god help you if you lose your job and need social welfare - its pittance.

We are DAMN lucky in Ireland, even in recession, most people can survive and have a few luxuries. Try that anywhere else in the worl.

Finally - the market has turned. We've had a brilliant christmas. Took on 12 new staff this year. Moved stronger in to the UK market (yep - I BEAT Uk prices!) planning more expansion this year too.

Skopzz

maxer68 wrote: »

Skoppzz with his unfounded BS again.

I have one big advantage - I lived in the UK and paid circa £2300 council tax, I also paid higher personal tax, it also took longer to get anywhere and the crowded towns and cities are in the main a pain in the ass to go shopping in. I also saw the death of the local store so that even for a opint of milk, you had to drive 5-10 miles in many instances.

Another advantage. I'm originally from NI. Very north east tip. Family still there, friends still there. They get paid sh1te money, they don't have anywhere near the quality of life we have down here. They STILL pay more tax than we do and god help you if you lose your job and need social welfare - its pittance.

We are DAMN lucky in Ireland, even in recession, most people can survive and have a few luxuries. Try that anywhere else in the worl.

Finally - the market has turned. We've had a brilliant christmas. Took on 12 new staff this year. Moved stronger in to the UK market (yep - I BEAT Uk prices!) planning more expansion this year too.

You just made my point perfectly. They wouldn't remain footfall-less if they were competitive. Consider what we get now, 30 second answers to complex questions that are turned into sound bits by borderlinemeath....

maxer68

Skopzz wrote: »

You just made my point perfectly. They wouldn't remain footfall-less if they were competitive. Consider what we get now, 30 second answers to complex questions that are turned into sound bits by borderlinemeath....

Do you even know that there is a population difference between the 2 countries????

Your answer suggests you do not.

Population density of Ireland = 65 per sq km
Population density of UK = 255 per sq km

That's over 4 times the number of people per sq km!! - That leads to overcrowding in many areas, huge traffic problems, but also economies of scale which in SOME instance can lead to lower prices. But give me less crowded Ireland ANY day over the UK!


Advice Skopzz - Give up commentating on anything to do with economics until you start getting some basic understanding of what you are talking about. And this is not an attact on you yourself, but on your posts. Nothing, absolutle nothing you have ever posted on pricing / economics / currency has EVER had even a small element of fact in it and readers of your posts need to know that.

Skopzz

maxer68 wrote: »

Do you even know that there is a population difference between the 2 countries????

Your answer suggests you do not.

Population density of Ireland = 65 per sq km
Population density of UK = 255 per sq km

That's over 4 times the number of people per sq km!! - That leads to overcrowding in many areas, huge traffic problems, but also economies of scale which in SOME instance can lead to lower prices. But give me less crowded Ireland ANY day over the UK!


Advice Skopzz - Give up commentating on anything to do with economics until you start getting some basic understanding of what you are talking about. And this is not an attact on you yourself, but on your posts. Nothing, absolutle nothing you have ever posted on pricing / economics / currency has EVER had even a small element of fact in it and readers of your posts need to know that.

That's no excuse for higher prices... We are in a different currency too.

Oh, and you want to know why they have the worst chance to succeed? Because of you.

But Ireland is a house of cards. Consumers deserve better. They will shop wherever it's cheaper.

maxer68

Skopzz wrote: »

That's no excuse for higher prices... We are in a different currency too.

Oh, and you want to know why they have the worst chance to succeed? Because of you.

But Ireland is a house of cards. Consumers deserve better. They will shop wherever it's cheaper.

I'm not saying its an excuse for higher prices. As I have said time and time and time again. I cannot see any discernible price difference between north & south of Ireland, between Ireland and UK, between Ireand and continemtal europe when you take an OVERALL picture.

Of course there's odd products, of course there's different types & styles of shops that have different costs. But when you look at your overall spend on the SAME products and the smae quality, there is no discernible difference. That why there was feck all southern Irish shopping in NI this year - Newry chamber of commerce said taht except for their natural catchment area within the republic, there was no benefit from southern Ireland shoppers this year.

Facts always speak louder than your BS posts.