Monsoon...shocking €/£ difference.

smiddyboy

Girlfriend was in Monsoon in Kilkenny looking for a dress for her 12 year old god-daughter for our upcoming wedding later this year and saw something she fancied at €120.

Went to the .co.uk website so she could show her friend the one she liked and it was on the there for £50!

I know that there is going to be some difference in the price but well over twice the price is surely taking the micky.:mad:

Now to look for the closest monsoon shop over the border.

ntlbell

something in a different country priced differently is not a rip-off.

mods can we get some form of sticky setup for this?

it's thread after thread after thread

rameire

just wondering if we can rename the rip off ireland Forum, the Joe Duffy whinge along Forum.

rubadub

rameire wrote: »

just wondering if we can rename the rip off ireland Forum, the Joe Duffy whinge along Forum.

Or call it "Anti-Bargain Alerts" of "High Price Alerts". The bargain alerts forum gets a lot of action which is understandable, I dunno why people would be interested in hearing about obviously overpriced stuff and where to go and NOT buy it. Maybe a sub forum of "high prices", so it makes people actually think twice, or definition of rip-off. If it is decided that ripoff just does mean "high price", that is fine by me, but then maybe there should be a sub forum for scams etc (true ripoffs in my mind).

In many cases these threads might belong in bargain alerts, people often quote where they got stuff cheaper. But in a lot of cases "cheaper" is not a bargain! it is just the original price was very high, and only a fool would have paid it. e.g. if the OP posted saying they found a cheap dress for £50 in the north another might have posted a cheaper place in the republic.

I couldnt care less if O'Briens charge €50 for a sandwich. I want to know about londis selling chicken rolls for €1.63 though.

I am interested in genuine rip-offs, scams, underhanded marketing, ropey contracts.

Maybe another sub forum for the little game lots of people like to play "spot the highest difference in price between the same product in 2 different countries".

rco2000

ntlbell wrote: »

something in a different country priced differently is not a rip-off.



What is it so? A fair price? I think not.

Of course its a rip off.
120 euro less 55 sterling is about double the price -and you are happy to pay double for items that are less than an hour away up in the North ... wake up.
Fair play to the OP for highlighting it:) - it should be on the front page of todays national newspapers - we Irish need to start talking with our feet and only then will the Brits stop ripping off the Paddies.

getz

rco2000 wrote: »

ntlbell wrote: »

something in a different country priced differently is not a rip-off.



What is it so? A fair price? I think not.

Of course its a rip off.
120 euro less 55 sterling is about double the price -and you are happy to pay double for items that are less than an hour away up in the North ... wake up.
Fair play to the OP for highlighting it:) - it should be on the front page of todays national newspapers - we Irish need to start talking with our feet and only then will the Brits stop ripping off the Paddies.

i notice when i was in ireland last week that tesco was selling the same brands as in the uk at upto double the price, and they are still cheeper than the irish shops

ntlbell

rco2000 wrote: »

ntlbell wrote: »

something in a different country priced differently is not a rip-off.



What is it so? A fair price? I think not.

Of course its a rip off.
120 euro less 55 sterling is about double the price -and you are happy to pay double for items that are less than an hour away up in the North ... wake up.
Fair play to the OP for highlighting it:) - it should be on the front page of todays national newspapers - we Irish need to start talking with our feet and only then will the Brits stop ripping off the Paddies.

we've been down this road hundred times

this is rip-off ireland

pointing out that something can be bought in another country is not a "rip off"

you can levis in china for 1e if we're to point out every single f*cking time you can buy something in a different country at a different price there we would be nothing else on the thread.

it's ok your just another one we can add to the long line so far...

Hennybug

smiddyboy wrote: »

Girlfriend was in Monsoon in Kilkenny looking for a dress for her 12 year old god-daughter for our upcoming wedding later this year and saw something she fancied at €120.

Went to the .co.uk website so she could show her friend the one she liked and it was on the there for £50!

I know that there is going to be some difference in the price but well over twice the price is surely taking the micky.:mad:

Now to look for the closest monsoon shop over the border.

Try it on in the shop then order it online - they deliver to Ireland no prob.

Morgans

Monsoon technically may not be ripping off the consumer in this case. Just as its not a rip off to have a different price online compared to instore. However, the person paying the €120 in this case has every right to have a feeling of being ripped off had he/she bought the item. It is another example of how british multiples treat irish consumers differently, and definitely not something to be so smarmy about.

I always find it amazing that apart from one or two very mediocre efforts there are no online department stores in Ireland. I suppose you have to ask yourself why Irish people arent allowed to buy online as easily from the likes of Debenhams, Monsoon, PC World, Curry's, Next etc. Even Arnotts and Clerys dont allow easy comparison of prices via the internet.

You may be able to buy levis for €1 in China, but I'd wager its not from the same stores that you can see on Irish high streets. Surely it would be easier to advise anyone wishing to buy something from a british multiple to see if there was a less expensive way of getting the item. I know China isnt a 90 minute drive from Dublin.

rco2000

ntlbell wrote: »

rco2000 wrote: »

we've been down this road hundred times

this is rip-off ireland

pointing out that something can be bought in another country is not a "rip off"

you can levis in china for 1e if we're to point out every single f*cking time you can buy something in a different country at a different price there we would be nothing else on the thread.

it's ok your just another one we can add to the long line so far...

So who made you or "we" the judge & jury? Get real, don't be trying to pontificate that you did this and did that on boards and your "long line" - Wippee woo, do you want a rubber medal? It is a free world & we all have the right to freedom of speach/expression & if the OP has a grievance & it is relevant then let him/her air it without you wingeing to the mods with a smart comment.

The reality is it is unreasonable to say the least for a retailer to charge 100% for the exact same item on the same island. And don't start bullsh*tting about wage costs & vat - it does not explain a full 100%+ price differential.
I'm not surprised that these UK retailers are beginning to go the wall - it's a long road & we Paddies have long memories.

rco2000

[ definitely not something to be so smarmy about.

Surely it would be easier to advise anyone wishing to buy something from a british multiple to see if there was a less expensive way of getting the item. I know China isnt a 90 minute drive from Dublin.[/quote]

rubadub

rco2000 wrote: »

What is it so? A fair price? I think not.

I don't know, how much are similar dresses in other shops in the area? They can be owned by Irish or non-Irish.

rco2000 wrote: »

120 euro less 55 sterling is about double the price -and you are happy to pay double for items that are less than an hour away up in the North

Who is happy to pay it? The OP wasn't. Or actually it seems his girlfriend was... she saw a dress she fancied at €120. I can only presume she thought it was good value, I would take the word "fancied" to mean it seemed like a good buy. Otherwise I doubt she would have taken a second look at it if it seemed way overpriced. Perhaps the pricing was inline with other stores here, which I expect it was. If the other Irish owned stores were charging €120 then it would be a very foolish businessman who reduces his potential profits.

rco2000 wrote: »

the Brits stop ripping off the Paddies.

Ah yes, those nasty brits :rolleyes: Why didn't the OP go to the Irish owned shop nearby with the same dress at half the price... Seems it is "the paddies ripping off the paddies" the OP might end up buying from the cheaper "brits"...

Morgans wrote: »

However, the person paying the €120 in this case has every right to have a feeling of being ripped off had he/she bought the item.

Why did they buy it in the first place? There is no raping going on here, it is all CONSENSUAL. The person who paid €120 obviously made a concious decision that it was worth it.

Morgans wrote: »

You may be able to buy levis for €1 in China, but I'd wager its not from the same stores that you can see on Irish high streets.

It is levis who control the price most. The wholesale prices are much lower in the US for levis than here. If a seller sold at a loss here they could still not compete with US retailers. Same goes for the UK, the UK RRP price could well be lower than the Irish wholesale price. Stuff like ipods, levis, coca-cola, consoles etc have prices controlled by the manufacturers and distributors, yet people give the brunt of the abuse to retailers at the front end. Shooting the messenger really. Now in this case it might be sourced from one place, but often it is not, maybe monsoon ireland are forced to buy from an irish distributor, I do not know if it is an "own brand" dress. just like tesco are forced to buy coke from a irish supplier.

I was in China and in fact levis were around €80-100 where I was, more expensive than here, yet other brands were cheaper like pierre cardin. I was asking the people I was with, seems they target the young rich people. There is a huge divide between rich and poor there. The young rich have cash to burn. I went to a big fancy dept store and got decent clothes for next to nothing next to way overpriced branded stuff. We went to a fancy restaurant, women bowing on the way in, your own personal waiters etc, a huge side of amazing roast pork came out as one side dish, this was the most expensive at €3.50. Yet nearby was a starbucks charging the same price for a large coffee, it was seen as a fashionable hangout and they charged what they could get. Nobody was being ripped off, there was no monopoly and better offers elsewhere. Brand name electronics were a lot cheaper over there.

rco2000 wrote: »

And don't start bullsh*tting about wage costs & vat - it does not explain a full 100%+ price differential.

Sensible business practise explains the price differential. Maximising profits and matching prices to the current market value, 1st year commerce in secondary school.

rco2000

rubadub wrote: »

I don't know, how much are similar dresses in other shops in the area? They can be owned by Irish or non-Irish.

If you don't know then don't comment

rco2000

If the other Irish owned stores were charging €120 then it would be a very foolish businessman who reduces his potential profits.


There is little or no evidence of Irish owned retailers engaging in these practices in other countries. Why? because you would not get away with it in other countries.

rco2000

Ah yes, those nasty brits :rolleyes:

No one mentioned "nasty" brits but there are more appropiate words for describing such parctices?

Why didn't the OP go to the Irish owned shop nearby with the same dress at half the price... Seems it is "the paddies ripping off the paddies" the OP might end up buying from the cheaper "brits"...

The dress was stocked in a UK multiple called Monsoon - nobody said it was stocked in a nearby Irish owned shop.

Sensible business practise explains the price differential. Maximising profits and matching prices to the current market value, 1st year commerce in secondary school.

"Sensible business practice" you call it? Not very sensible if your customer gets the hump & shops elsewhere or in fact decides to visit their sister store an hour up the road in Newry!
Don't remember that in college when doing my business degree or indeed 1st year commerce in secondary school.

smiddyboy

To clarify a little, my girlfriend liked the dress in Monsoon and thought that the price was around the norm(as Irish prices go) and wanted to be able to let her friend see the dress before it was purchased.

The lassie in the shop then mentioned that all the stock was available to browse on the .co.uk website. It was only then that the price differential was noticed.

If monsoon had a .ie website with prices in euro i am sure that she would have gone ahead with the purchase, but as it is a trip is now planned with my girlfriend, her friend and her daughter up to Belfast to go shopping up there. More money lost to local business in Ireland as i am sure it will be more than monsoon they look at.

I also noticed that the monsoon online site delivers to Ireland for ~£8. I am a supporter of local Irish businesses and shop at my local butchers and willing to spend a little more for essentials at the independent grocery shop.

My girlfriend has just lost her job and considering we have a wedding coming up in October we will be looking to save as much as possible. The wedding dress was bought from a little shop up the road, as the price was only marginally higher than what could be bought in the UK. If the larger stores brought prices down to a reasonable level it might entice more people to spend the day shopping in an Irish town centre rather than one across the border.

rubadub

rco2000 wrote: »

I don't know, how much are similar dresses in other shops in the area? They can be owned by Irish or non-Irish.
If you don't know then don't comment

You tell me not to comment yet you commented yourself :rolleyes: Did you know the prices in local shops? "if not shut up" :rolleyes:

What is it so? A fair price? I think not.

So why do you think it is not a fair price? I was asking a leading question, hoping for an answer. And I got it from the OP.

smiddyboy wrote: »

To clarify a little, my girlfriend liked the dress in Monsoon and thought that the price was around the norm(as Irish prices go)

So there you go, it did appear to be the normal price AS I EXPECTED.

rco2000 wrote: »

If the other Irish owned stores were charging €120 then it would be a very foolish businessman who reduces his potential profits.

There is little or no evidence of Irish owned retailers engaging in these practices in other countries. Why? because you would not get away with it in other countries.

WELL DONE!!! now you are actually copping on a little, at long f*cking last! If Irish retailers did sell in other countries with prices higher than here they WOULD get away with it, and they would be foolish not to match the local market prices. I expect some Irish manufacturers do sell for more in some countries.

rco2000 wrote: »

Ah yes, those nasty brits :rolleyes:

No one mentioned "nasty" brits but there are more appropiate words for describing such parctices?

You singled out "brits" which I take as a derogatory term in the context in which you posted. As though they are the only nationality with shops charging high prices. Steve Jobs controls the price of ipods here more than retailers, Coke, Levis etc do too. The OP went on to say the price seemed in line with other shops, probably Irish owned.

rco2000 wrote: »

The dress was stocked in a UK multiple called Monsoon - nobody said it was stocked in a nearby Irish owned shop.

It appeared in line with other shops prices, that is the point.

rco2000 wrote: »

"Sensible business practice" you call it? Not very sensible if your customer gets the hump & shops elsewhere or in fact decides to visit their sister store an hour up the road in Newry!.

Sensible business practise to maximise profits, yes certainly. Matching the local prices, makes perfect business sense. The customer get the hump and buys elsewhere, they still make a profit as they buy in their shop WIN WIN no matter what happens. Shops are well aware this is happening. If everybody did it then they drop their prices accordingly with the aim of MAXIMISING PROFIT. There comes a limit to how much they can drop them, there is a point where it could become a loss to match a price when wholesale and other overheads vary drastically from country to country.

Don't remember that in college when doing my business degree

HOLY F*CK what college did you go to? you come out with a degree and cannot grasp a simply concept like that, that is bizarre....

smiddyboy wrote: »

If the larger stores brought prices down to a reasonable level it might entice more people to spend the day shopping in an Irish town centre rather than one across the border

The UK owned ones will make a profit if you buy here or up north. The smaller Irish ones know people are going up north, if they want they could try and match the price. As explained in countless threads there are differences in overhead prices which are out of their hands, including the big one, the wholesale price. Many simply cannot compete, simple as that, if they could do you really think they would be closing down?

rco2000

rubadub wrote: »

You tell me not to comment yet you commented yourself :rolleyes: Did you know the prices in local shops? "if not shut up" :rolleyes:
Crap, you are upset now because this "moderator" does not like being told when he/she is wrong.:rolleyes:
So why do you think it is not a fair price? I was asking a leading question, hoping for an answer. And I got it from the OP.
No, I told you already why it is not a fair price - you chose to ignore my earlier comment.
Only muppets make a discretionary spend on an item that is double the price charged nearby/a one hour drive away(by the way I am not referring to the OP). Actually you can buy the item for 50sterling plus 8sterling delivery.
So there you go, it did appear to be the normal price AS I EXPECTED.
very subjective expectations . Normal price = double the uk price for exact same item! sure you are never wrong
"WELL DONE!!!"
Thanks, you are finally coming around.
"long f*cking last"
show a bit of maturity now, there could be young people watching.
If Irish retailers did sell in other countries with prices higher than here they WOULD get away with it, and they would be foolish not to match the local market prices. I expect some Irish manufacturers do sell for more in some countries.
Er Am, Irish retaillers do sell in other countries and don't rip off their customers in these countries because they simply are not allowed to get away with such practice.
You singled out "brits" which I take as a derogatory term in the context in which you posted.
Are you on something? You should first of all take it that Monsoon are British. British people like to be known as Brits & not by some sad derogatory terms used by others.There is nothing wrong with the word Brits in any context. Enoch Powell - come back all is forgiven
As though they are the only nationality with shops charging high prices.
I Never said that or implied that. However it is well known that there is a major issue with UK retailers based in Ireland charging far higher prices for the same garments in Ireland (ipods?? going off on another tangent here). Where have you been these past years.
the OP went on to say the price seemed in line with other shops, probably Irish owned.
Seemed?
It appeared in line with other shops prices, that is the point.
More like a mirage than an appearance. Most if not all Irish ragtrade retailers have been on sale, offering substantial reductions since the start of 2009. Several national brand retailer have brought their general prices back by up to 20% for spring/summer season 2009.
Sensible business practise to maximise profits, yes certainly. Matching the local prices, makes perfect business sense. The customer get the hump and buys elsewhere, they still make a profit as they buy in their shop WIN WIN no matter what happens. Shops are well aware this is happening. If everybody did it then they drop their prices accordingly with the aim of MAXIMISING PROFIT. There comes a limit to how much they can drop them, there is a point where it could become a loss to match a price when wholesale and other overheads vary drastically from country to country.
Rubbish - you don't maximise profits if you are losing sales because your Irish customers become aware that they are being charged double by you and consequently decide to shop elsewhere - shops are well aware that this is now happening in Ireland.
HOLY F*CK what college did you go to? you come out with a degree and cannot grasp a simply concept like that, that is bizarre....
Thankfully a good one that has enabled me to constructively analyse/comment pure diatribe from some contributers to certain forums, especially when they know sweet f.a. Does that include you? Think about doing the Junior Cert?:D

Anyway I have enough said on this topic.

lindtee

As has been mentioned its only a rip-off if you choose to buy it, despite loads of other options being available these days.

I for one, have not bought a non-discounted item of clothing or footwear from any shop in Ireland for I don't know how many years. Not all reduced stuff is rubbish. I use the internet for brands/items that I know are expensive here and make huge savings.

I'll not complain about rip-off Ireland because I always feel that I get value for money where-ever I go.