why most products are more expensive in IRL

Hogzy

Nearly everyday there is a thread about the price differences between Ireland and X Countries! Im sick of these people giving out aout how Irelandis such a rip off and Y product is way cheaper in X country...
I would love to see a sticky thread made and put on most forums, most importantly electronics...

In this thread it could explain how different societies price different items and that when currencies fluctuate obviously the prices on importedgoods will not fluctuate with them, and if the prices ae to change that it takes some time for them to do so...

I know the average store manger in Ireland is on a much Higher wage than in the UK and the sam with floor staff, People always fail to factor these into account when on a rant about "Rip Off Ireland".

Also the tax differences are NEVER taken into account

and the Prices of renting premises in the UK is far cheaper than in Ireland (bar city centers etc)

ALL THESE INFLUENCE THE PRICE DIFFERENCES PEOPLE SO STOP THE RIP OFF IRELAND THREADS!!!Im calling for a sticky thread to explain why most items are more expensive in Ireland!!!

Rant over... BTW im not denying Ireland is a Rip Off, but thats not because of the Companies, its because of our government!

ejmaztec

Hogzy wrote: »

Nearly everyday there is a thread about the price differences between Ireland and X Countries! Im sick of these people giving out aout how Irelandis such a rip off and Y product is way cheaper in X country...
I would love to see a sticky thread made and put on most forums, most importantly electronics...

In this thread it could explain how different societies price different items and that when currencies fluctuate obviously the prices on importedgoods will not fluctuate with them, and if the prices ae to change that it takes some time for them to do so...

I know the average store manger in Ireland is on a much Higher wage than in the UK and the sam with floor staff, People always fail to factor these into account when on a rant about "Rip Off Ireland".

Also the tax differences are NEVER taken into account

and the Prices of renting premises in the UK is far cheaper than in Ireland (bar city centers etc)

ALL THESE INFLUENCE THE PRICE DIFFERENCES PEOPLE SO STOP THE RIP OFF IRELAND THREADS!!!Im calling for a sticky thread to explain why most items are more expensive in Ireland!!!

Rant over... BTW im not denying Ireland is a Rip Off, but thats not because of the Companies, its because of our government!

Aren't politicians cheaper in the UK as well? :P

Mossy Monk

I buy online from other countries.

Hogzy

Mossy Monk wrote: »

I buy online from other countries.

Oh so do I, Im just ranting about why people dont understand why things are more expensive here

The fact were an Island aswell...
And the fact that are Politicians are straight so it takes even more money to bribe them

Biggins

Hogzy wrote: »

Also the tax differences are NEVER taken into account..
Oh so do I, Im just ranting about why people dont understand why things are more expensive here
The fact were an Island aswell...

I bought a double buggy for just under 100 Euro including delivery from England.
Exact same thing here in Dublin (and we searched for the cheapest, was 350 Euro).

So your saying that that tax and because we are an island, is the reason why others have to pay 250 + extra!

Sorry - thats just a load of cobblers. Don't insult our intelligence with your crazy rant.
Our government is responsible for tax all right but that don't excuse rip-off shops whom are up till now, WERE CLEARLY taking the piss.
(and by the way - I'm no fan of the government either)

If you don't like a thread - don't read the frakin' thing! Duh!
Take it (your interest) else where.

twinytwo

A member of my family enquired about this and the reply was that they care charged the max that the market is willing to pay

Kernel

I go to Newry and support the crown with my money. Mr. Cowen, you know it makes sense. Lower VAT, abolish the pension levy and put money into the economy by investing in homegrown industries - not banks. :cool:

Mmcd

These may be a factor in the higher price but they certainly cant be blamed for all of it!
Its probably 50% taxes etc - 50% Greed

junkyard

The main problem with Ireland is it's too politically correct for it's own good, too quick to bail out charity cases in other countries instead of looking after our own, too much money spent on trying to find out how money was wasted on this that and the other. Too many politicians and civil servants getting paid way too much for so little productive work and as a result taxes have to be raised to pay for all the squandering. This is the basic problem, even if there wasn't a world crisis like there is now this is the kind of carry on that is bleeding us taxpayers and as long as we accept bad management this is what we're going to get.

SoupyNorman

I was going to say things like, Small Popualtion, Economies of scale e.t.c but the the real root of it is the greedy robbing bastards in almost every facet of commerce in the country.

TheZohanS

Goods cost more because:

1. Wages are higher here
2. Commercial premises cost more
3. Energy costs more
4. We live on an island

There are many many reasons.

Now of course we can all shop up the North, but if all of us do that Taxes will go up, Irish jobs will be lost and the HSE and every other public service inculding schools will suffer because there will be more cutbacks due to lost vat and taxes.

WooPeeA

Mossy Monk wrote: »

I buy online from other countries.

So do I.

Biggins

Mossy Monk wrote: »

I buy online from other countries.

WooPeeA wrote: »

So do I.

Dito.

ejmaztec

TheZohan wrote: »

Goods cost more because:

1. Wages are higher here
2. Commercial premises cost more
3. Energy costs more
4. We live on an island

There are many many reasons.

Now of course we can all shop up the North, but if all of us do that Taxes will go up, Irish jobs will be lost and the HSE and every other public service inculding schools will suffer because there will be more cutbacks due to lost vat and taxes.

Isn't Newry on the same island?

OPENROAD

TheZohan wrote: »

Now of course we can all shop up the North, but if all of us do that Taxes will go up, Irish jobs will be lost and the HSE and every other public service inculding schools will suffer because there will be more cutbacks due to lost vat and taxes.

So would it not make more sense to make ourselves more competitive again?

With the demise of the celtic tiger, you will find that people will become more prudent and as others have said shop on the net and make huge savings. With the net the world is a much more smaller place these days, why should I pay 100% more for an item in an Irish shop, when at the touch of a button I can get the same item from a UK store and delivered to my door.

What the govt/shops should be doing is to make the retail sector more competitive, then you will find people will shop more in Irish shops and so the govt will take in more money.

Biggins

TheZohan wrote: »

Goods cost more because:

1. Wages are higher here
2. Commercial premises cost more
3. Energy costs more
4. We live on an island

There are many many reasons.

Now of course we can all shop up the North, but if all of us do that Taxes will go up, Irish jobs will be lost and the HSE and every other public service inculding schools will suffer because there will be more cutbacks due to lost vat and taxes.

...and England isn't an island?

dyl10

To the OP, give me an explanation for concert tickets then :rolleyes:

SoWatchaWant

Lol come to think of it, who doesn't live on an island? Technically, Europe/Asia/Africa is an island.

trout

bravestarr082 wrote: »

I was going to say things like, Small Popualtion, Economies of scale e.t.c but the the real root of it is the greedy robbing bastards in almost every facet of commerce in the country.

I can see no flaw in this statement. It rings true.

TheZohanS

Biggins wrote: »

...and England isn't an island?

Eurotunnel makes importing stock a bit easier plus as a poster already mentioned there are differences because of economies of scale.

I think we'll see a nice reduction in prices across the board in Ireland over the coming months.

PirateShampoo

Wages

US: Barack Obama (€301,000) Pop 305 mill

United Kingdom: Gordon Brown (€212,000) Pop 61 mill

France: Nicolas Sarkozy (€243,000) Pop 65 mill

Russia: Vladimir Putin (€60,000) Pop 142 mill

Ireland: Brian Cowen (314,000) Pop 4.5 million


Says it all about this country and rip offs tbh

Kernel

PirateShampoo wrote: »

Russia: Vladimir Putin (€60,000) Pop 142 mill

Wow! He's a bargain. A terminator KGB man as well.

PirateShampoo

TheZohan wrote: »

Eurotunnel makes importing stock a bit easier plus as a poster already mentioned there are differences because of economies of scale.

I think we'll see a nice reduction in prices across the board in Ireland over the coming months.

Whats nice about being forced to leave your home/family and country because you'r government is inept?

edit- read ur post wrong, but my point stands.

ejmaztec

TheZohan wrote: »

I think we'll see a nice reduction in prices across the board in Ireland over the coming months.

Yes, if the importers and wholesalers get their acts together, or there will be an even bigger glut of vacant premises around the country. If they don't drop their prices, they'll be cutting their own throats - greedy feckers!

Gummy Panda

There are generally three approaches to pricing:

1. cost-based pricing
2. customer-based pricing
3. competition-based pricing

Most companies in Ireland use customer-based pricing which doesn't mean offering the product at the lowest price, but at a price the customer feels is 'good value'. Its more complex to price items using this approach so generally a lot of companies in Ireland over estimate customer's perceptions of value and willingness to pay.

ps. Sony Ireland, you suck for charging €70 RRP for Killzone 2!

ejmaztec

PirateShampoo wrote: »

Whats nice about being forced to leave your home/family and country because you'r government is inept?

edit- read ur post wrong, but my point stands.

There's nothing nice about it - but it's an Irish tradition. I've mentioned before that it must really piss the government off that there's nowhere for the workforce to migrate to. Since the founding of the state, successive incompetent governments have breathed sighs of relief at the sight of the unemployed heading for the docks and airports.

Had it not been for this tradition, myself and many thousands of others would be speaking with an Irish accent, instead of the one that we ended up speaking because our parents had to move to another country.

TheBigFella

i work in the retail sector and see it every day. The goal is to get the public to part with as much money as possible and only lower your prices when the competitors give you no option.
Tax, rates & wages are only a small part of the blame, its all down to greed.
I shop up north and on-line regularly and will continue to do so.

PirateShampoo

Whats the bets that Cowen starts handing out one way plane tickets instead of dole money soon?

Killme00

Kernel wrote: »

I go to Newry and support the crown with my money. Mr. Cowen, you know it makes sense. Lower VAT, abolish the pension levy and put money into the economy by investing in homegrown industries - not banks. :cool:

I harbour a hope for a thirty two county Ireland in the future and as such i also spend money in the abondoned counties.

ejmaztec

PirateShampoo wrote: »

Whats the bets that Cowen starts handing out one way plane tickets instead of dole money soon?

We might all get one way trips, courtesy of the Aer Corps. Watch out when the dole office starts advertising free parachute lessons.

Biggins

TheZohan wrote: »

Eurotunnel makes importing stock a bit easier plus as a poster already mentioned there are differences because of economies of scale.

I think we'll see a nice reduction in prices across the board in Ireland over the coming months.

O come onnn! So your saying that the majority of England good come through a tunnel!
Please. Don't stretch incredulity even further.

Prices might come down all right. Sadly, it might be closing stock.

ejmaztec

Biggins wrote: »

O come onnn! So your saying that the majority of England good come through a tunnel!
Please. Don't stretch incredulity even further.

Prices might come down all right. Sadly, it might be closing stock.

Yes, there's only so much that can be squeezed through that tube, or you wouldn't be seeing convoys of container ships bobbing around the islands.

Kipperhell

I worked in retail for many years and there are some key factors not mentioned that cause prices to be more expensive here.

1)We use a lot of 3rd party sellers in this country. Basically there is an extra middle man involved to sell things that come from outside the country.

2)Small population. Effectively we don't buy enough to get benefits from economies of scale. This is also a reason for point 1

3)Currency charges. For many Euro zone goods they actually travel through England get converted to Sterling from Euro/any other currency then to Euro. Companies will always use the higher rate that suits them often setting it for a year based on the best rate from the year before.

Now these are all interconnected and mainly because we live on an island. Britain produces a lot of goods so that island doesn't ship it in. Goods in the north are priced the same as the main land UK because of favoured tax rules to promote unity and general marketing reasons. Unit prices for single markets are based on complex price modelling which spreads costs of shipping in the entire market.

People are making profits at our expense but it is profit based on many hands rather than one companies greed who happen to be selling it to you.

It doesn't really matter about the facts in many peoples' eyes because they simply just want the goods cheaper. The reality is it can be changed but it actually probably needs EU regulatory intervention.