Irish retailer prices

eagleye7

k now i dont want to spark an argument or offend anyone but...

Ive noticed that compared to other online retailers the irish shops seem very overpriced. I foud today a CA m14 was almost 30euro cheaper from hong kong - including p+p. than an irish sitre for the same product,

Im not complainin i like to support irish businesses and if i had the money to spare i would always go to them. Im just genuinely curious as to why its more expensive to buy in our own country. Am I missing an extra charge or something that would balance it all out.

o1s1n

V.A.T

NakedDex

Pretty much yeah, there's customs duty and vat to add into that. Calculate the total price of the rifle you want, add on the shipping then add on 25% of the total price including shipping for the taxes you'll be hit for importing them here. That's where your extra money is going.
The other thing is, if you have an issue with your rifle at any stage, there's a physical place you can return to and a face with whom you can speak. Anyone who's had to return a product to HK will tell you it's often a nightmarish, and very lengthy, procedure.

horgan_p

quick bit of maths for you.


I buy an aeg for €100 ( keep this round)

cause i source it inside the eu i dont pay vat

when i sell it to YOU , you pay vat @ 21%

but the vat is all screwed up in this country...
so it works like this

cost of goods 100
sale price : 120 ( to make 20% margin ,again to keep it round)
i pay vat on that at 21% so i give the vat man 25.41 ( 21% of 120)

it just COST me €5 to sell you an aeg at 20% markup on what i paid for it.


Thats the basics of it. it can get very complicated when its outside the eu , but thats the basic gist of it.

kevteljeur

eagleye7 wrote: »

k now i dont want to spark an argument or offend anyone but...

Ive noticed that compared to other online retailers the irish shops seem very overpriced. I foud today a CA m14 was almost 30euro cheaper from hong kong - including p+p. than an irish sitre for the same product,

Im not complainin i like to support irish businesses and if i had the money to spare i would always go to them. Im just genuinely curious as to why its more expensive to buy in our own country. Am I missing an extra charge or something that would balance it all out.

This discussion has come up before. You can't compare a shop in Hong Kong with Hong Kong overheads paying Hong Kong wages and Hong Kong rent mostly doing business to Hong Kong residents (and somewhat further afield, as well as primarily over the Internet) to someone doing business in Ireland. Once you factor in shipping costs and taxes (not to mention trouble with customs and downgrade issues - don't underestimate those), as well as paying local overheards, it's actually a very good deal, from any of the irish retailers. I've found that UK prices, and from some places on the Continent too, are higher than in Ireland.

Also, if you have a problem with what you've bought from Hong Kong, then return shipping is generally your problem. If you buy local, the owners are obliged to support you when you have a problem and that doesn't come cheap for them. You'll find many, many people here who have started with your point of view, and come to the conclusion that the benefits of buying local and building a good relationship with your retailer outweight the small saving you'll make with mail-order.

Hivemind187

It amazes me how often this question comes up.

You would think that anyone with an ounce of sense would realise that in order for airsoft to maintain a secure position in the republic we need retailers and venues. Without the money pouring into their coffers there is no point in them opening. Without them we have no where to buy or to play.

Frank the Manc

ive no problems with irish retailers cause you can indeed go back with the gun alright, if you buy from ehobby, you may as well forget about it, so it is worth it for the peace of mind if youre not able to fix airsoft guns yourself.
although certain product prices do makre you wonder sometimes.

but i was under the impression that registered companies can claim VAT back at the end of the year, no?

horgan_p

as i pointed out above - i didnt pay vat when purchasing cause i'm inside the eu and have a vat number.
I basically collect 21% of all SALES and deliver it to the revenue.
I can claim on vat that i have PAID on PURCHASES , not sales.

kevteljeur

horgan_p wrote: »

as i pointed out above - i didnt pay vat when purchasing cause i'm inside the eu and have a vat number.
I basically collect 21% of all SALES and deliver it to the revenue.
I can claim on vat that i have PAID on PURCHASES , not sales.

That is to say, VAT paid in the course of expending money on reasonable business expenses is claimable against VAT charged (which must be charged on goods and services). One pays VAT on almost everything, and in varying percentages, but essentially in every transaction the State collects VAT at some point, preferably as far up the chain as possible, since at that point the amount of VAT is greatest (it's still 21%). Everyone along the way needs to make a cut in order to pay the bills and the VAT is calculated after that cut. And of course almost all consumers can't reclaim VAT. Yeah, I'm self-employed.

I doubt I've made it any clearer ... Anyway, this is why we have Customs and Excise - the State has to get it's cut, even if you buy from outside the EU, in which case it will catch the VAT as the goods enter the country, and is where the seemingly cheap goods suddenly get rapidly more expensive than they at first seemed.

horgan_p

that was so much clearer than what i typed.
thanks

Dr_Pepper

Speaking as a player -
After my Redwolf debaucle i will NEVER EVER order from abroad.
Eirsoft.ie fixed my gun in 1 day after 3 months of pain from redwolf.

eagleye7

ah thanks guys sorry if i seemed ungrateful to the wonderful irish retailers i was genuinely curious.

didnt realise this topic has come up before sorry to bore ya.
thanks for clearin it up for me though much appreciated:D:D

bullets

I've ordered from outside the EU a few times but gotta say
that I dont intend to do this ever unless an Irish retailer cannot get what I want.

The Irish market has got so good in my opinion and also
you can chat one on one with most of the guys running the
stores here that I feel that if you want anything they will
try their best to get it for you.

The Prices for Clones are very good but the prices for high
end stuff pure Suck! but thats not the fault of Irish retailers.

UK Prices can be a little expensive and also Irish retailer
prices can get a little crazy at times. If you want the Good brands in Ireland I feel you over pay for them.
With that said its not the fault of the Irish retailer they
have expenses to pay and overheads.

Pros and cons?
Irish: No extra customs fees, less or no customs holding stuff, no high postage costs, no downgrade fees, you can return faulty goods easier, suporting your local scence.

Cons: More expensive for the High end stuff.
cant think of any more bad points!

Even if the Irish price is more expensive heres something to ponder on.
I pay typically 13-15 Euros postage and no hidden costs to an Irish retailer.
I once paid 160-170 Euros postage +143 Euros Customs fees on something from Hong Kong!
and had missing items and also damaged and faulity items when they arrived.

~B

CrazyRabbit

o1s1n wrote: »

V.A.T

+Shipping (which you are also charge VAT on separately)
+2-3 week delays in shipping
+Shipments going missing
+Customs practically destroying the packaging during inspection
+Having to deal with retailers in Hong Kong who speak 50 words of english.
+Dealing with retailers outside europe who aren't bound by any of the european laws on trading/returns etc, can leave you in a tough spot if something goes wrong.

The local retailers are a nice bunch. I'm happy to support them. Especially as helping them helps the sport, which benefits me in the long run.

Real Steyr Dave

While i've found sourcing gear and some bits and bobs over the ole Interweb can be pretty handy, I found it was soo much simpler to buy Irish.
1) I've only ever gotten great service when dealing with irish retailers
2) Any quibbles can be sorted out within a few days max
3) the aeg's are downgraded specifically for the irish market and I just personally prefer not to have to request a downgrade over the web where it can add on costs.

i know there's for and against,I'm just stating a preference.

I definitely plan on continuing to buy aegs from irish retailers for as long as they're available.... and as long as I'm addicted to this marvellous sport of ours

TheDoc

I was also going to make my first purchase from abroad. Then i factored in

Initial cost
Shipping
Shipping Time
Custom Delay
Ballistic snatch/delay
VAT
Courier surcharges
Downgrade cost - mostly forgotten by everyone until they are about to purchase
No warranty
Return cost on my end

And with the rate in which airsoft guns break or can break ( hiya m16...o your gorgous gathering dust)

Its tremendously easier to buy nationally...

Its kinda a no brainer for aeg/gbb etc

Accessories/camo and the like, its well understandable.

Doomofman

I've no problem with the prices retailers over here use... I much prefer being able to walk into a shop and pick up something and bring it home rather then having to wait for it to be delivered

Tigger

i buy the silly stuff that i have like gore-tex suits fancy vests and other tactical gear from wherever i see it on the web (because its different) i get the stuff to fix or messaround with the insides of my aegs from specialists (because the irish lads don't stock all the little bits i need) and i buy all aegs and gbbs from the irish lads

they may be a couple of quid cheaper but its only a couple of % i call it insurance and a warrentte

blacon

The most important thing to consider here is faults with the gun. Ordering online means when something goes wrong with the gun, youve nowhere to turn to. That extra money you pay by buying in Ireland is like a warranty, the retailer will fix your gun if something goes wrong.

I had problems and some of my friends had problems with guns and Tony from eirsoft.ie sorted it in ten minutes.
Plus, by going to the shops in ireland, you can physically hold and check out the gun. Instead of buying because the picture looks good.

Cuddlesworth

blacon wrote: »

That extra money you pay by buying in Ireland is like a warranty, the retailer will fix your gun if something goes wrong.

Within reason, you always need a stupidty filter when dealing with warrenties.

Masada

it doesnt only apply to airsoft equipment either, computer parts, memory cards, watches, cameras... etc etc, the far east is cheaper for everything., its when it gets here the price starts to go up.,

MacAonghusa

Hivemind187 wrote: »

It amazes me how often this question comes up.

To be fair I'm not at all surprised this has come up again.
3-4 lads here started airsoft after I got my first aeg and ALL looked abroad for aeg's. It's only when i pointed out the difficulties in buying abroad and the reality that it can potentially cause you more money/hassle that they decided to buy local.

People will always try to save money, don't fault them for that. And many people just don't realise the hassle of buying abroad.

TerrorFirmer

I buy a lot of cheap AEG's from Poland but I wouldn't buy a proper rifle there; true the prices are good but as already stated, if you buy in Ireland, it's so much easier to sort any troubles - don't get me wrong, the Polish site I buy from are excellent regarding helping out in any way they can, but it's a major pain having to ship stuff back to the far end of Europe, the delays involved, cost, etc. The price differences are there alright but no so amazingly significant as to offset that, trust me, when it comes down to a major fault occuring you'd be cursing your slight saving not praising it.

Plus, it just so happens every Irish site I've used so far (mainirishairsoft, airsoftworld, airguns.ie and eirsoft.ie) offer very good service and go that step futher to hang onto customers, even when it's not due. Recently for example I was sent two of the slightly wrong magazines from mainirishairsoft, recieved a free 3rd one for my troubles. Airguns.ie sent me a free pistol to apologise for a slight delay, and when I emailed eirsort/Airsoftworld over my order I actually got a reply literally within minutes.

So even at the end of the day, when you work it all out, if an Irish site is costing me a few quid extra to be honest I don't mind paying it for the reliable service and more importantly keeping them in business for that reason.