The challenge in “Supporting Irish businesses”

gogo

I try to be an advocate for shopping local, but the reality is I work Monday to Friday, often until late and when I’m out nothing is opened.. It sounds ridiculous, but I’ve no interest in tripping to newbridge shopping on a Saturday to bustle with the rest of the crowds when I can get it cheaper online from the comfort of my couch at 10pm.

If my local shops set up an online system I’d buy from them, simple as ... They don’t though, when my kids were in nappies I had them delivered to the door twice a month from Amazon.. and they were cheaper and free delivery. I can get groceries delivered by tesco, but it’s coming from a tesco in Kildare, I’m in Laois. Our local one doesn't delivery and it’s hard enough to get a slot for delivery, booked out in advance for days. If the local supermarket set up something Id go with them no question..
Local shops just don’t have the services to allow me to deal with them, I also agree with previous poster, since lockdown ive gotten into the habit of making my lunch, saving approx 10€ a day.. and the ingredients for that lunch been bought from some tesco in nass...

Our local supermarket, not one of the big names, tried to go cashless during lockdown, put it up on Facebook and had over 100 comments lambasting him for it, ‘won’t you think of the old people’... debit cards have been out for 20yrs, been old is no excuse anymore. Not having tech, even a website is not an excuse anymore.
Local bookshop has the same prices and discounts as online. The online shop delivered to my door free of charge... surely it can’t cost that much, even say free delivery locally... pay some young lad each Saturday to fly around with orders, I don’t know, but my lifestyle matches most peoples I’d imagine, working Monday to Friday and don’t want to spend Saturday’s traipsing around the shops... people are all about time these days, don’t have enough of it, if it saves time, generally that’s the option they will choose

pgj2015

washman3 wrote: »

A sandwich, 2 slices of brown sliced pan,few bits of salad and a slice of ham.
Served with a small portion of soup in a disposable paper cup.
O'Briens cafe, Cresent Shopping centre Limerick.


€11.65 :mad:


Support Irish Businesses my h##e :mad:

Exactly they should just charge you what it costs them to buy the ingredients,that would be a great business. :rolleyes:

insurance, council rates, staff wages, electricity, equipment, etc they all are free. if you begrudge a business charging you 11.65 at a time like this just make the sandwich at home and stop moaning about a reasonable charge like the one above.

you obviously have never been in business.

pgj2015

pgj2015 wrote: »

Exactly they should just charge you what it costs them to buy the ingredients,that would be a great business. :rolleyes:

insurance, council rates, staff wages, electricity, equipment, etc they all are free. if you begrudge a business charging you 11.65 at a time like this just make the sandwich at home and stop moaning about a reasonable charge like the one above.

you obviously have never been in business.

“At a time like this” isn’t a free pass to ride everyone. The poster would find cheaper anyway so luckily there’s no need to give O’Briens a cent in future.

washman3

pgj2015 wrote: »

Exactly they should just charge you what it costs them to buy the ingredients,that would be a great business. :rolleyes:

insurance, council rates, staff wages, electricity, equipment, etc they all are free. if you begrudge a business charging you 11.65 at a time like this just make the sandwich at home and stop moaning about a reasonable charge like the one above.

you obviously have never been in business.

It's an attitude like this that gives these businesses a free pass to charge what they like.
€11.65 a 'reasonable charge'......:rolleyes:
Jesus wept..!!!

pgj2015

washman3 wrote: »

It's an attitude like this that gives these businesses a free pass to charge what they like.
€11.65 a 'reasonable charge'......:rolleyes:
Jesus wept..!!!

did you sit down to have it?

pgj2015

washman3 wrote: »

It's an attitude like this that gives these businesses a free pass to charge what they like.
€11.65 a 'reasonable charge'......:rolleyes:
Jesus wept..!!!

Have you ever ran a cafe or restaurant? do you know all the costs they have?

coinop

washman3 wrote: »

A sandwich, 2 slices of brown sliced pan,few bits of salad and a slice of ham.
Served with a small portion of soup in a disposable paper cup.
O'Briens cafe, Cresent Shopping centre Limerick.


€11.65 :mad:


Support Irish Businesses my h##e :mad:

This is definitely on the pricey side but I hope you didn't roar at the service staff in the store. It's usually youngsters and college kids that work in these places and it's not like they set the prices. I prefer a chicken fillet roll from Centra myself, usually under a fiver.

pgj2015

I asked someone who works in a cafe what they would charge for the sandwich and soup, they said 11.60. so that is just what it costs now in 2020, now this cafe use only the best ingredients, so just pay it or make your own or buy some cheap crap in another cafe/shop.

suicide_circus

Wanderer78 wrote: »

theres nothing stopping the government from creating the money and giving it to every citizen to spend, this might just prevent some businesses from going bust.

We dont have our own currency, we cant just print more money.

theballz

gogo wrote: »

I try to be an advocate for shopping local, but the reality is I work Monday to Friday, often until late and when I’m out nothing is opened.. It sounds ridiculous, but I’ve no interest in tripping to newbridge shopping on a Saturday to bustle with the rest of the crowds when I can get it cheaper online from the comfort of my couch at 10pm.

If my local shops set up an online system I’d buy from them, simple as ... They don’t though, when my kids were in nappies I had them delivered to the door twice a month from Amazon.. and they were cheaper and free delivery. I can get groceries delivered by tesco, but it’s coming from a tesco in Kildare, I’m in Laois. Our local one doesn't delivery and it’s hard enough to get a slot for delivery, booked out in advance for days. If the local supermarket set up something Id go with them no question..
Local shops just don’t have the services to allow me to deal with them, I also agree with previous poster, since lockdown ive gotten into the habit of making my lunch, saving approx 10€ a day.. and the ingredients for that lunch been bought from some tesco in nass...

Our local supermarket, not one of the big names, tried to go cashless during lockdown, put it up on Facebook and had over 100 comments lambasting him for it, ‘won’t you think of the old people’... debit cards have been out for 20yrs, been old is no excuse anymore. Not having tech, even a website is not an excuse anymore.
Local bookshop has the same prices and discounts as online. The online shop delivered to my door free of charge... surely it can’t cost that much, even say free delivery locally... pay some young lad each Saturday to fly around with orders, I don’t know, but my lifestyle matches most peoples I’d imagine, working Monday to Friday and don’t want to spend Saturday’s traipsing around the shops... people are all about time these days, don’t have enough of it, if it saves time, generally that’s the option they will choose

This says all you need to know really.

theballz

biko wrote: »

That there is no challenge in supporting local businesses.
By using Applepay only you are making things more difficult than they need to be.

Next time bring a card

I haven’t used a card in easily a year nor have my friends and colleagues.

It’s the new norm. Irish retailers are just a little slow to accept it and are making things more difficult than they need to be for themselves.

Eric Cartman

gogo wrote: »

I try to be an advocate for shopping local, but the reality is I work Monday to Friday, often until late and when I’m out nothing is opened.. It sounds ridiculous, but I’ve no interest in tripping to newbridge shopping on a Saturday to bustle with the rest of the crowds when I can get it cheaper online from the comfort of my couch at 10pm.

If my local shops set up an online system I’d buy from them, simple as ... They don’t though, when my kids were in nappies I had them delivered to the door twice a month from Amazon.. and they were cheaper and free delivery. I can get groceries delivered by tesco, but it’s coming from a tesco in Kildare, I’m in Laois. Our local one doesn't delivery and it’s hard enough to get a slot for delivery, booked out in advance for days. If the local supermarket set up something Id go with them no question..
Local shops just don’t have the services to allow me to deal with them, I also agree with previous poster, since lockdown ive gotten into the habit of making my lunch, saving approx 10€ a day.. and the ingredients for that lunch been bought from some tesco in nass...

Our local supermarket, not one of the big names, tried to go cashless during lockdown, put it up on Facebook and had over 100 comments lambasting him for it, ‘won’t you think of the old people’... debit cards have been out for 20yrs, been old is no excuse anymore. Not having tech, even a website is not an excuse anymore.
Local bookshop has the same prices and discounts as online. The online shop delivered to my door free of charge... surely it can’t cost that much, even say free delivery locally... pay some young lad each Saturday to fly around with orders, I don’t know, but my lifestyle matches most peoples I’d imagine, working Monday to Friday and don’t want to spend Saturday’s traipsing around the shops... people are all about time these days, don’t have enough of it, if it saves time, generally that’s the option they will choose

I despise the 'wont you think of the old people' as an excuse for no progress on anything...ever, even progress that would have been normal in other countries 30+ years ago. how old are these old people we're catering to.. when will a teller-less bank branch, an automated machine in the post office, a cashless till be acceptable ?

that said from the other side its a bit of a nightmare, people like the poster above living in laois and commuting a long way presumably, despite increasing populations in these motorway midlands / louth / wicklow / Kildare towns, services are closing because any of the normal daytime hours services don't suit. You've towns with a thriving pizza shop that can't keep a spar open, towns with a local pub packed on a Friday but all the shopping is done in Dublin / online. A village can't just be a pub and a cafe that opens on a Saturday.

BuboBubo

Shop local, get ripped off imo...

Forgot to nip into Supervalu for Brennans bread, so popped into my local small supermarket.

It was €2.09. It's €1.50 In the larger supermarkets.

Danno

I'm selective in where I buy. I'll do a weekly shop in the larger outlets, but won't pick up something there that is priced similarly in my local shop. Meat especially. The meat in the supermarket is pretty much the same as my local butcher. Just be price savvy and purchase items locally where their prices are keen.

pgj2015

BuboBubo wrote: »

Shop local, get ripped off imo...

Forgot to nip into Supervalu for Brennans bread, so popped into my local small supermarket.

It was €2.09. It's €1.50 In the larger supermarkets.

some day when you need milk the local shop wont be open anymore and you might have to drive 20 minutes more to get it in the supermarkets.

59 cent oh no, it might put you under. people just love complaining.

Muahahaha

Wibbs wrote: »

One thing I have noticed down the years in business dealings in Ireland is that if times are tough so many raise prices to make as much as they can from the dwindling business, rather than drop prices to create more business. And it can become a thing within some businesses as most within the field will do the same from suppliers on down. I doubt this is an "Irish thing" but I have seen it happen a lot, during the boom, during the crash and here we are again. Personally I always dropped prices or gave more service for the same price to keep and expand business. Though to be fair I could do that as I didn't generally have the outgoings of so many and had no great issue with tightening my belt, rather than keep going as before on more and more credit as so many seem to do.

Yeah I remember back in 2017 An Post were complaining that no one sends letters anymore and they werent selling many stamps. So their solution to that was to raise the price of a stamp by 37%. Which resulted in OAPs on tight pensions buying even less stamps.

Ive a mate who says the same phenomenon of raising prices when business goes down happens in all the Mediterranean countries like Spain, Italy, Greece. Reckons that ourselves and them just dont truly get capitalism and demand/price curves in the way that the British or Americans do. I think he might be on to something, it could be cultural.

Geuze

Fish and chips in some Irish pubs = 15-16

Three course meal in central Paris = 17 in 2019

(small cafe, seats packed tight, +5 supp for beef dishes, rue du Roule)

beggars_bush

Bought something online today for €90

Used an Irish website even though it was probably €5 dearer.

Geuze

Pint of weak 2.8% beer in Manchester suburbs in 2019 = GBP 1.34

http://tandlemanbeerblog.blogspot.com/2019/09/what-times-mr-smith-coming.html

VAT in UK = 20%, it's 23% here, fairly close.

Excise duty on beer is similar in UK and Irl, can be higher in UK depending on exchange rate.

Yet pints can be got for less than 2 euro in 2019.

Hodors Appletart

I've left shops and rural pubs that are "cash only" - ie, pulling a stroke on tax

I can't remember the last time I used cash and I support my local coffee shop regularly chat with the owner - I even buy the coffee beans they use for my own use at home too

I'm with PTSB/Revolut and never carry a wallet these days only my phone

theballz

Hodors Appletart wrote: »

I've left shops and rural pubs that are "cash only" - ie, pulling a stroke on tax

I can't remember the last time I used cash and I support my local coffee shop regularly chat with the owner - I even buy the coffee beans they use for my own use at home too

I'm with PTSB/Revolut and never carry a wallet these days only my phone

Yep I’m the same.

Muahahaha

Hodors Appletart wrote: »

I've left shops and rural pubs that are "cash only" - ie, pulling a stroke on tax

I can't remember the last time I used cash and I support my local coffee shop regularly chat with the owner - I even buy the coffee beans they use for my own use at home too

I'm with PTSB/Revolut and never carry a wallet these days only my phone

A few people on thread saying they no longer carry wallets. Is that not a bit limiting at times? Even if I paid for everything by phone Id still need a wallet for some cards like a Leap card, drivers license, organ donor card and a couple of loyalty cards. I dont spend much cash but always have about 40 euro in the wallet in case Im in a place that doesnt accept cards, like some pubs and chippers.

heroics

Muahahaha wrote: »

A few people on thread saying they no longer carry wallets. Is that not a bit limiting at times? Even if I paid for everything by phone Id still need a wallet for some cards like a Leap card, drivers license, organ donor card and a couple of loyalty cards. I dont spend much cash but always have about 40 euro in the wallet in case Im in a place that doesnt accept cards, like some pubs and chippers.

Leave drivers license in the car. Don’t have any loyalty cards although some of them are virtual cards now. Irish life health have a virtual card on the phone.

Wallets been in the drawer for the last 3 or 4 days haven’t missed it.

For Forks Sake

Deleted User wrote: »

The other side of the challenge in supporting local Irish businesses is the attitude of bricks and mortar smartphone shops and tech stores.

I asked to buy a Huawei y6 on display on the shelf in a "smartphone store of a service provider".

Assistant retorted back they had no y6's left in stock.

Then REMOVE IT FROM DISPLAY.

Most of the handsets on display in retail outlets are demo units provided by the manufacturer (most have custom software demo modes for customers to play around with) and can't be sold off as they remain property of the handset manuacturer and not store stock

gogo

Muahahaha wrote: »

A few people on thread saying they no longer carry wallets. Is that not a bit limiting at times? Even if I paid for everything by phone Id still need a wallet for some cards like a Leap card, drivers license, organ donor card and a couple of loyalty cards. I dont spend much cash but always have about 40 euro in the wallet in case Im in a place that doesnt accept cards, like some pubs and chippers.

Cleaned out my car this evening and found my purse under the car seat, Christ knows how long it’s there... all my loyalty cards are on my phone via apps, drivers license and organ donor are in the car... my phone cover had a secret compartment at the back with my bank card in it and have revolut on the phone and my watch if I need it... haven’t used my purse since god knows when, as in it’s probably under my car seat for at least a year... more.... been to an atm once in the last six months, that was for kids gaa registration and advised that will be online next year, and I live in the back of beyond.. never get caught yet

1800_Ladladlad

I was really enthusiastic about supporting local as much as possible and I have been doing that but I went to my local bike shop to get them to order in a bike I wanted they were asking for €450 more compared to the €830 tag online. Genuinely thought he was taking the pish. When I asked him to price match or do the best they could, they'd reduce their asking by €100. I wouldn't mind paying extra but not the amount they're charging. Iv been in with them since they opened, ordered bikes with them too but f*ck me, must be something to do with their suppliers I don't know. Online I go so

Eric Cartman

On the card machines especially contactless, most people dont realise that broadband is needed for these payments, many retailers in rural ireland do not have the service available to process these transactions, calling them all ‘tax evadors’ etc.. is insane.

Inside cities yeah ill agree but many simply cannot process these transactions due to poor connectivity

Darc19

Muahahaha wrote: »

Yeah I remember back in 2017 An Post were complaining that no one sends letters anymore and they werent selling many stamps. So their solution to that was to raise the price of a stamp by 37%. Which resulted in OAPs on tight pensions buying even less stamps.

Ive a mate who says the same phenomenon of raising prices when business goes down happens in all the Mediterranean countries like Spain, Italy, Greece. Reckons that ourselves and them just dont truly get capitalism and demand/price curves in the way that the British or Americans do. I think he might be on to something, it could be cultural.

Will everyone fuc off with the "poor oap" and "vulnerable" sh1te

The primary drop in letter volume was in utility bills and statements - all are online.

The letter post was being subsidized by other services which was stupid and they changed that.

An post now have 40% of the consumer parcel delivery market in Ireland and have gone from loss making to profitable.

BTW, the cost of postage here is similar to other countries and in many cases cheaper.

nyc-dublin

Use cash. Cash is king.

whisky_galore

washman3 wrote: »

A sandwich, 2 slices of brown sliced pan,few bits of salad and a slice of ham.
Served with a small portion of soup in a disposable paper cup.
O'Briens cafe, Cresent Shopping centre Limerick.


€11.65 :mad:


Support Irish Businesses my h##e :mad:

Chain well known for pricey "premium" sandwiches.
More fool you. You're paying for the name.