Shopping in Northern Ireland

Boatlake

Car park in Newry is a joke. Overfull.

bladespin

Boatlake wrote:

Car park in Newry is a joke. Overfull.

Which one? There's lots.

Cortina_MK_IV

bladespin wrote: »

Which one? There's lots.

I think it was a response to my photo on previous page about the Quays.

Boatlake

yes. The Quays.

park elsewhere if you can.

bladespin

Try out the Quayside, the Buttercrane or any of the other parks along the Quays (just round the corner (KFC sign) Dunnes stores etc

5500

Surprised that carpark isnt sorted yet its been dug to bits a good while now. Up there in september and would have expected it sorted closer to christmas with the extra custom. Anyone know what exactly they are doing?

Cortina_MK_IV

£20M Expansion. I think it was put on hold for a while but it's back on again.

http://www.itv.com/news/utv/update/2016-10-03/newry-set-for-major-shopping-boost/

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Cortina_MK_IV

This was 23rd Jan, not moved much since.

Quackster

bladespin wrote: »

Try out the Quayside, the Buttercrane or any of the other parks along the Quays (just round the corner (KFC sign) Dunnes stores etc

Decent Tesco Extra to the north of the town too which is perfect if all you're doing is a grocery shop.

bladespin

Quackster wrote:

Decent Tesco Extra to the north of the town too.

Hooge carpark & it's free, park up and go walkabout

Cortina_MK_IV

I need new glasses so popped into Specsavers in Dundalk on Monday to look at them. I want reaction/transition lenses which is €69 extra. Specs I want are €149+€69 = €218. In Buttercrane on Monday and the €149 range are £99 up there. Promo at the moment and reactions are free (normally £49). My €218 glasses were £99 in total or €114.23.

dubrov

Reaction lenses should be free in the ROI stores too.

Still a bit of a saving up north but way cheaper again to stay at home and order online

nosilver

Cortina_MK_IV wrote: »

I need new glasses so popped into Specsavers in Dundalk on Monday to look at them. I want reaction/transition lenses which is €69 extra. Specs I want are €149+€69 = €218. In Buttercrane on Monday and the €149 range are £99 up there. Promo at the moment and reactions are free (normally £49). My €218 glasses were £99 in total or €114.23.

I'd be returning these as they seem to have put a rose tint on them.

Reactions has almost always been a "free" extra in specsavers here and uk. A quick look on their website would show you.

Yes, some glasses that are £99 in uk are €149 here, but some that are £49 are €59 here.

I never understand these currency comparisons when different countries and cost bases are in play.

Somehow I dout that the staff in Dundalk had a 20% pay cut imposed when sterling tanked, similarly with their rent and rates and utilities.

I doubt too if you would be happy to give up 20% of your wage so that you are paid a similar rate to someone in uk for your job.

So your "saving" is about €30 less fuel and time to travel to Newry twice.

Can't see the savings there - I value my time a lot higher than that.

Cortina_MK_IV

nosilver wrote: »

I'd be returning these as they seem to have put a rose tint on them.

Reactions has almost always been a "free" extra in specsavers here and uk. A quick look on their website would show you.

Yes, some glasses that are £99 in uk are €149 here, but some that are £49 are €59 here.

I never understand these currency comparisons when different countries and cost bases are in play.

Somehow I dout that the staff in Dundalk had a 20% pay cut imposed when sterling tanked, similarly with their rent and rates and utilities.

I doubt too if you would be happy to give up 20% of your wage so that you are paid a similar rate to someone in uk for your job.

So your "saving" is about €30 less fuel and time to travel to Newry twice.

Can't see the savings there - I value my time a lot higher than that.

2 things. My quote was in Dundalk last Monday was €218 transitions not free. I paid €114.23 by Revolut.

Where are you getting €30 on fuel from?

nosilver

Cortina_MK_IV wrote: »

2 things. My quote was in Dundalk last Monday was €218 transitions not free. I paid €114.23 by Revolut.

Where are you getting €30 on fuel from?

Saving was €30, less the cost of fuel. Lets say a fiver for fuel - so net savings €25 over two trips. Maybe you value your time that little, I put far greater value on my time.

I don't believe your €218 quote, reactions have always been a free extra and its advertised on their website and usually on posters in store. - Have a check on their website yourself.

Cortina_MK_IV

nosilver wrote: »

Saving was €30, less the cost of fuel. Lets say a fiver for fuel - so net savings €25 over two trips. Maybe you value your time that little, I put far greater value on my time.

I don't believe your €218 quote, reactions have always been a free extra and its advertised on their website and usually on posters in store. - Have a check on their website yourself.

I wouldn't see the point of lying... How odd! Bit pointless going on really, however still don't get the €30 thing. I'm in Newry at least once per week anyway, it's only 20 minutes up the road.

Well done anyway... The topic is bargain alerts in the north. I "thought" I made a €100 saving so decided to share it. Won't make that mistake again.



https://www.specsavers.ie/glasses/lens-options#lens_reactions

nosilver

Cortina_MK_IV wrote: »

I wouldn't see the point of lying... How odd! Bit pointless going on really, however still don't get the €30 thing. I'm in Newry at least once per week anyway, it's only 20 minutes up the road.

Well done anyway... The topic is bargain alerts in the north. I "thought" I made a €100 saving so decided to share it. Won't make that mistake again.


https://www.specsavers.ie/glasses/lens-options#lens_reactions

Yep - they have a "value" of €69 and if you click "offers" it states that it is free. Both UK and Irish sites are identical with identical frames and identical offers.

https://www.specsavers.ie/offers/free-reactions

there's a small saving IF you are near to Newry and IF you are in Newry every week and IF you pick one of the models where there is a saving on.

Too many IF's for 99% of people and its not a Bargain Alert - just a small currency saving in select circumstances.

But if a different model suits you the saving may not be there and on some models the saving is in Dundalk.

robyntmorton

The issue here is in the offer that was offered in the different outlets, if I am reading it correctly (correct me if I'm not)

ROI:
Buy One Get One Free offer
€149 glasses
€69 reactions
Second €149 glasses (standard lenses) free

NI:
Single pair £99
Free reactions

The offers can't be combined, leading to where the prices go messy.

If we were to go on the same offer in NI:
Glasses £99
Reactions £49
Second glasses free (standard lenses)
£148 total (€173 approx.)

James Delaney

robyntmorton wrote: »

The issue here is in the offer that was offered in the different outlets, if I am reading it correctly (correct me if I'm not)

ROI:
Buy One Get One Free offer
€149 glasses
€69 reactions
Second €149 glasses (standard lenses) free

NI:
Single pair £99
Free reactions

The offers can't be combined, leading to where the prices go messy.

If we were to go on the same offer in NI:
Glasses £99
Reactions £49
Second glasses free (standard lenses)
£148 total (€173 approx.)

******************
Can u please explain what REACTIONS are ?

I live in Dublin.
Would cost me €40 for retrn trip to Belfast.

Online is the way to go.
Once u have you glasses prescription from the 'South' & know the ID Name / No. Of frame, u'll buy much cheaper.

I purchased a 49" tv in Belfast in Nov.
Cost me stg £6.75 to deliver to Dublin & did not ave 2spend the day driving.

robyntmorton

Reactions are the name Specsavers use for photochromatic lenses. They're the ones that change colour in UV light, IE sunlight.

nosilver

Checked with local specsavers in Naas.

Two pairs for price of one always apply to €89 + ranges. £69+ in uk.

Reactions are free on one pair of glasses. They are not free on the second pair. You cannot have any other "free" finishes on the other pair.


So you can get 2 pairs for one, and one free extra on one pair.

Same applies to UK.

So two pairs + one reactions (sunglass) finish from €89 in Republic of Ireland or £69 if in uk (about €83 using today's consumer exchange rates.)

James Delaney

nosilver wrote: »

Checked with local specsavers in Naas.

Two pairs for price of one always apply to €89 + ranges. £69+ in uk.

Reactions are free on one pair of glasses. They are not free on the second pair. You cannot have any other "free" finishes on the other pair.


So you can get 2 pairs for one, and one free extra on one pair.

Same applies to UK.

So two pairs + one reactions (sunglass) finish from €89 in Republic of Ireland or £69 if in uk (about €83 using today's consumer exchange rates.)

**************

In this instance, ur better buying 'local' for the sake of €6.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Geuze

ECB rate at 87.5 pence today, up from 84.5p a month or so ago.

James Delaney

Geuze wrote: »

ECB rate at 87.5 pence today, up from 84.5p a month or so ago.

*******************
So what rate do the shops in NI give.

I bet its a lot lower than 87.5

nosilver

Geuze wrote: »

ECB rate at 87.5 pence today, up from 84.5p a month or so ago.

Far better to quote gbp/eur consumer debit card rate.

Currently it is just over €1.17 per £1 stg.

Official mid market rate is €1.1465 at this minute.

Geuze

Sat 4-Mar.

Asda EK gave 85p approx for euro notes.

ECB rate on the Friday 3-Mar was 86.355p.

My bank gave me 85.57p using a debit card at an ATM.

But I was charged 3.17 fee.

nosilver

Geuze wrote: »

Sat 4-Mar.

Asda EK gave 85p approx for euro notes.

ECB rate on the Friday 3-Mar was 86.355p.

My bank gave me 85.57p using a debit card at an ATM.

But I was charged 3.17 fee.

using above

Asda rate was €1.176 per £1
Bank rate was €1.169 per £1 + 3.17 fee for transaction.

A lot of people think that if the rate is 87p, that you add 13% to get to euro price not realising its 13% of 87p + bank margin, so always best to look at GBP/Eur rate instead of Eur/GBP and add 2c for bank charges to make price comparison easier.

overmantle

nosilver wrote: »

using above

Asda rate was €1.176 per £1
Bank rate was €1.169 per £1 + 3.17 fee for transaction.

A lot of people think that if the rate is 87p, that you add 13% to get to euro price not realising its 13% of 87p + bank margin, so always best to look at GBP/Eur rate instead of Eur/GBP and add 2c for bank charges to make price comparison easier.

All this talk of conversion rates makes me appreciate how easy it has become to holiday on mainland Europe, since the introduction of the Euro. Fluctuating exchange rates with sterling etc etc, as well as the potential of time, fuel and hassle, make me think it's hardly worth the effort of shopping in the north.