Name and shame the Rip-Off Merchants here!!!!

Raiser

The recession is now a depression and there's a lot of talk of prices falling with some evidence of same here and there - but this thread is about the greedy Folks out there who are charging incredibly inflated prices for products which in my opinion they are usually themselves getting for half nothing.

My personal recommendation has to be The Art and Hobby shop which according to their Website is located in 15 locations around the Country. My own experience of them though comes from their sorry operation in the Crescent Shopping Centre, Dooradoyle, Limerick.

In my opinion everything in there is so unbelievably expensive that its actually beyond belief. I have no idea who is daft or desperate enough to pay their insane prices but they are somehow still in business, so people must be handing them money for some reason :eek:

- I will also say that the attitude of the staff there is absolutely appalling, they treat you as though you are the worst ever inconvenience and can barely conceal their contempt for you as they tolerate your annoying queries etc.

Below are some examples of their cynical, greedy, unbelievable pricing - lets see what I can buy there for €100 will we?



Oh fcuk I just blew a full €50 or half my budget on a crappy wall chart that looks like it was made in Taiwan for 99 cents. Oh well, still have another €50 to spend....

I'd love to buy this huge value box of 6 paints as I hear Van Gogh recommended a mere 6 colours as sufficient for most artworks - but its an incredible €60 for this comprehensive collection of 6 paints [?]



I definitely don't have €150 to spend on a Unicycle - but I'm not too sad about that because I just found the exact same product here for €75. I wonder how many more of their products are retailed to the unsuspecting and trusting Consumer for double what other seemingly more honest retailers are selling them for???



I think I'm just going to have to go 10% over my original budget because this ingenious few bits of wood and some assorted fabric is only €60 euro
- What a massive bargain!!!!



So there you go a marvellous wallchart and a wonderful wood and fabric yoke all for a recession beating €110.

Bring it all to the till and get condescended to and insulted by some ignorant Gobshíte that treats you like you just reversed over her kitten.

- Welcome to the sorry state of Retail in modern Ireland.

taram

Never had staff problems in the Cork one, but my god the prices are scary! 20 odd euro for little make and do sets that are around a fiver in Smyths.

Blue_Wolf

Don't pay the price and they won't charge it. I think they charge those prices because their children pressure them into buying it for them. Ridiculous, I'd rather wipe my arse with 50euro than hand it over to them for a bit of wood

Bonavox

Centra Ballyfermot - sale on a magic cone for €5. I expected something good for my nephew. I brought it home and it had a packet of crisps, a bottle of Cadet orange and a measly plastic toy that broke an hour later.

This is just one bad example!

stoblerone

Naming and Shaming is a great idea.

The info given in these posts are appalling and it only seems to have hit now, now that cash is scarce.... it has been going for years.

The only way that you will not be ripped off is NOT to pay the asking price!!

Only when everyone does this will prices change.

mcaul

Raiser wrote: »

-
I definitely don't have €150 to spend on a Unicycle - but I'm not too sad about that because I just found the exact same product here for €75.

Can also be bought locally for €79 incl delivery and has been at this price since last year! http://www.giftmaster.ie/shopexd.asp?id=1978
(declaration of interest - I operate giftmaster)

Cabaal

Since when are we in a depression?

Nobody is ripping anyone off, at the end of the day you as a consumer DO NOT HAVE TO buy from the shop in question, your job as a consumer is to shop around this is your only basic task before buying an item.

IF however your too lazy or stupid to shop around then you deserve to pay the stupidity tax of paying extra for an item or service that can be obtained cheaper elsewhere.

In respect of prices and shops, at end of the day a shop is not breaking any laws by selling an item for say 10e that can be obtained elsewhere for 7e, just like I can buy an item for 10e and resell it for 40e...if someone buys it then happy days for me.

stoblerone

Cabaal is right.

And I would add, if we don't vote with our feet.... you and I deserve to pay extra.

Raiser

Cabaal wrote: »

Since when are we in a depression?

Nobody is ripping anyone off, at the end of the day you as a consumer DO NOT HAVE TO buy from the shop in question, your job as a consumer is to shop around this is your only basic task before buying an item.

IF however your too lazy or stupid to shop around then you deserve to pay the stupidity tax of paying extra for an item or service that can be obtained cheaper elsewhere.

In respect of prices and shops, at end of the day a shop is not breaking any laws by selling an item for say 10e that can be obtained elsewhere for 7e, just like I can buy an item for 10e and resell it for 40e...if someone buys it then happy days for me.

We're in a depression since May - where are you living anyhow?

While nobody can really criticise your argument on its merits, I can't say I share your perception of this type of cynical profiteering, morally dubious activity.

- Its a fact that sensible people can end up spending considerable sums of cash as gifts/through a sense of obligation etc. without actually realising that they have been ripped-off - sometimes in a huge way.......

silverharp

Our local butcher in Sandymount Michael Byrne & Son , he's been there for years but somewhere along the line he rebranded himself as a "craft" butcher and his prices never looked back. An example of his prices a few years back was charging €15/kg for a leg of lamb. it seemed high so went to the butchers in Ringsend and they were charging €10/kg. Since then unless I pick up something small its worth going the extra mile as it were.

Cabaal

Raiser wrote: »

While nobody can really criticise your argument on its merits, I can't say I share your perception of this type of cynical profiteering, morally dubious activity.

- Its a fact that sensible people can end up spending considerable sums of cash as gifts/through a sense of obligation etc. without actually realising that they have been ripped-off - sometimes in a huge way.......

Its not morally dubious at all its something thats been in existence since man first bartered an item for something else, if the seller believes they can get more for the item then they will do this.

Human's have been doing this for 1000's of years, do you honestly think that LCD tv you buy costs 500e to make it....no of course not, same for cost of your shoes, clothes, etc

Its called making a profit, every single item is marked up generally by a few 100's percentages

Cabaal

Raiser wrote: »

We're in a depression since May - where are you living anyhow?
.

"technically" in a depression and in a depression are not the same thing, ECB doesn't see Ireland in a depression for starters

As such what your stating is inaccurate and "technically" misleading

Raiser

Cabaal wrote: »

Its not morally dubious at all its something thats been in existence since man first bartered an item for something else, if the seller believes they can get more for the item then they will do this.

Human's have been doing this for 1000's of years, do you honestly think that LCD tv you buy costs 500e to make it....no of course not, same for cost of your shoes, clothes, etc

Its called making a profit, every single item is marked up generally by a few 100's percentages

Cabaal wrote: »

"technically" in a depression and in a depression are not the same thing, ECB doesn't see Ireland in a depression for starters

As such what your stating is inaccurate and "technically" misleading

Arghh !!!! The patronising tone and patient bludgeoning with basics is evoking rage

- Tell me Cabaal; Do people ever sporadically grab you by the throat with both hands and then throttle you?

newtogame

I am trying to start a campaign to stop the practise of printing new editions of school books purely for the profit of the publishers.This is to prevent parents passing on books to siblings and /or buying second hand books.The only time it is acceptable is when there is a major change in a curriculum .If you are interested in helping send an email to minister_okeeffe@education.gov.ie and also to info@asti.ie maybe to info@secretariat.ie also.It is unbelievable that the parents association of secondary school pupils have not tackled this.The latest trick by the publishers is to add a workbook to the book and only sell the two together.Hopefully we can stamp out this practice.

Raiser

newtogame wrote: »

I am trying to start a campaign to stop the practise of printing new editions of school books purely for the profit of the publishers.This is to prevent parents passing on books to siblings and /or buying second hand books.The only time it is acceptable is when there is a major change in a curriculum .If you are interested in helping send an email to minister_okeeffe@education.gov.ie and also to info@asti.ie maybe to info@secretariat.ie also.It is unbelievable that the parents association of secondary school pupils have not tackled this.The latest trick by the publishers is to add a workbook to the book and only sell the two together.Hopefully we can stamp out this practice.

Wow - I was just thinking this while reading about Batt the W@nkers cutbacks to the free book scheme in the Independent earlier today!!!!

My Mam was always on about this in the 80's, ie as early as I can remember, - Folens/Fallons et al fcuking with the books every year out of cynical, mindless greed :mad: The poor Woman had 5 children in Primary school and couldn't re-use a book for any of them.......

Strange how the fundamental basic rules of Maths, Grammar, Irish, Geography change EVERY September.

- Best of luck with this Newtogame and fair play to ya!!!!

Cabaal

Raiser wrote: »

Arghh !!!! The patronising tone and patient bludgeoning with basics is evoking rage

- Tell me Cabaal; Do people ever sporadically grab you by the throat with both hands and then throttle you?

Well you've lost this discussions, reverting to personal abuse...bad form
:rolleyes:

Rockshamrover

Raiser wrote: »

Wow - I was just thinking this while reading about Batt the W@nkers cutbacks to the free book scheme in the Independent earlier today!!!!

My Mam was always on about this in the 80's, ie as early as I can remember, - Folens/Fallons et al fcuking with the books every year out of cynical, mindless greed :mad: The poor Woman had 5 children in Primary school and couldn't re-use a book for any of them.......

Strange how the fundamental basic rules of Maths, Grammar, Irish, Geography change EVERY September.

- Best of luck with this Newtogame and fair play to ya!!!!

Yes, best of luck.

Degsy

Cabaal wrote: »

"technically" in a depression and in a depression are not the same thing, ECB doesn't see Ireland in a depression for starters

As such what your stating is inaccurate and "technically" misleading

You know that not only are you adding NOTHING to the thread,you're dragging it off topic?

Soundman

Cabaal wrote: »

Its not morally dubious at all its something thats been in existence since man first bartered an item for something else, if the seller believes they can get more for the item then they will do this.

Human's have been doing this for 1000's of years, do you honestly think that LCD tv you buy costs 500e to make it....no of course not, same for cost of your shoes, clothes, etc

Its called making a profit, every single item is marked up generally by a few 100's percentages

So what you are saying is that if we can get away with selling something for more than face value or what it is worth because someone is willing to pay whatever then it is just fine to do.

How come then, using your logic, that Ticket Touts get such a bad wrap? After all it is just supply and demand surely going on what you are saying? They bought the tickets at the correct price, but because people NEED these tickets and they are willing to pay over the odds which is what the "Touts" are asking, it morally reprehensible.

I'm not understanding your logic here.

honk05

to be fair I think the difference is that touts are selling tickets which are in limited supply! This applys across the board- if something is made as a limited edition then people can charge more than the reccomended retail price and as there are are only X amount of them in existence someone will pay it if theres demand for it. Compare this to say the sale of an LCD tv which are not in limited supply- if companyX decides there gonna charge an extra E200 just because they can get away with it and they think they can earn a higher profit then they will -thats much different to ticket touts- who by the way are a dirty shower of *****!!!

brendansmith

Bono Vox wrote: »

Centra Ballyfermot - sale on a magic cone for €5. I expected something good for my nephew. I brought it home and it had a packet of crisps, a bottle of Cadet orange and a measly plastic toy that broke an hour later.

This is just one bad example!

Nightmare situation there B.

I wont be considering there for my magic cone needs in future. Thanks for the heads up.

RayCon

Have to agree with the OP regarding The Art and Hobby shop. I was in the Dundrum Branch not too long ago with my 3yr old and wanted coloured paper and a safety scissors .... 1 packet of 20 sheets of coloured paper and a safety scissors later and my wallet was €12 lighter !!!:eek: I know , I know - I could have walked , and should have walked .. (especially as you can pick the same items up in the €2 Euro shop for eh ..... €2 - although there's no €2 Shop in the "upmarket" Dundrum Centre :rolleyes:) but I did the typical "don't want to disappoint my 3yr old" and handed over the money. I chalked it up to experience - it cost me €8 to learn : NEVER shop in any branch of The Art and Hobby Shop.

rubadub

Raiser wrote: »

I wonder how many more of their products are retailed to the unsuspecting and trusting Consumer for double what other seemingly more honest retailers are selling them for???

These shops are always very expensive, seems they have a low turnover because of it too, I often look in the one in dun laoghaire shopping centre just for the shock value!

But I do not get the "honest" remark, it came up in another thread too, they are doing nothing dishonest, I see no deceit going on, the price is there and you decide to pay or not. If you went home and the paint was half full or something then you have a case.

RayCon wrote: »

the €2 Euro shop for eh ..... €2 - although there's no €2 Shop in the "upmarket" Dundrum Centre :rolleyes:)

+1 for the €2 shops, go in with €10 and you would come out with a very happy 3 year old.

Raiser

rubadub wrote: »

These shops are always very expensive, seems they have a low turnover because of it too, I often look in the one in dun laoghaire shopping centre just for the shock value!

But I do not get the "honest" remark, it came up in another thread too, they are doing nothing dishonest, I see no deceit going on, the price is there and you decide to pay or not. If you went home and the paint was half full or something then you have a case.

I don't know, "honest" is probably a poor choice of words - I'll always have no respect for any individual or organisation whose sole reason to be is to rip-off the unwary or stoopid.

rubadub wrote:

+1 for the €2 shops, go in with €10 and you would come out with a very happy 3 year old.

I'm the furthest person you'll ever meet from being a brand snob - but I have grown wary or these shops also over the years - through bitter experience.

Some ones that spring to mind - there are many more!

Candles with a high plastic content that when you blow them out you get a face full of molten plastic + wax splatters (True I swear)

Glass candle holders that spontaneously crack into 10,000 lethal shards if a candle burns in them.

A retracting dog lead that explodes with a spring that could take your eye out.

I now suspect that a lot of what they stock is factory seconds, or stuff returned to retailers/factories as being faulty, poorly made, defective or just plain fcuking dangerous.

I reckon you may as well know for your own safety and that of your kids.

- To be honest they'd have to pay me €2 to persuade me to take half the stuff.

Cabaal

Soundman wrote: »

So what you are saying is that if we can get away with selling something for more than face value or what it is worth because someone is willing to pay whatever then it is just fine to do.

Nothing illegal about selling something about its normal lower price,

How come then, using your logic, that Ticket Touts get such a bad wrap? After all it is just supply and demand surely going on what you are saying? They bought the tickets at the correct price, but because people NEED these tickets and they are willing to pay over the odds which is what the "Touts" are asking, it morally reprehensible.

I'm not understanding your logic here.

honk05 has already explained this, your mixing up law and morals they are not the same thing as people morals differ wildly

Cabaal

Degsy wrote: »

You know that not only are you adding NOTHING to the thread,you're dragging it off topic?

Its relevant to the thread as the OP did state we are in a depression,

Of course if you have an issue with my post you should report the post and let a mod deal with it instead of back seat modding

Degsy

Cabaal wrote: »

Its relevant to the thread as the OP did state we are in a depression,

Of course if you have an issue with my post you should report the post and let a mod deal with it instead of back seat modding

I'm not back seat modding,i have a pain in my hole with you splitting hairs and dragging things off topic.

RayCon

Raiser wrote: »

I'm the furthest person you'll ever meet from being a brand snob - but I have grown wary or these shops also over the years - through bitter experience.

Some ones that spring to mind - there are many more!

Candles with a high plastic content that when you blow them out you get a face full of molten plastic + wax splatters (True I swear)

Glass candle holders that spontaneously crack into 10,000 lethal shards if a candle burns in them.

A retracting dog lead that explodes with a spring that could take your eye out.

I now suspect that a lot of what they stock is factory seconds, or stuff returned to retailers/factories as being faulty, poorly made, defective or just plain fcuking dangerous. .

For the record - coloured paper can't explode or cause serious injury ....

Raiser wrote: »

I reckon you may as well know for your own safety and that of your kids.

What a condescending post - jeez , I don't know how I managed to be a parent to 13yr old and a 3yr old up to this point in my life without the help of your insightful posts :rolleyes:

TheDoc

The last couple of threads I've seen Cabal post on has been anal fixations and hair splitting and random off topicness : /

This is a good thread and I think can help educate people on where NOT to shop.

An example for myself is recently trying to pick up a graphics card for my pc. I've noticed any walk in shop in Ireland has a **** range of cards at outragous prices.

I was looking for an ATI Radeon 4870HD with vapor core, and after hitting up harveynormam,pc world, currys and a number of individual pc stores, the lowest price offered was 230 by an individual outlet.

This card retails for €130 on a number of irish based online stores.

I get similar questions in my job regarding pricing etc, since alot of our competitors are located close by. You have to take into account overheads for products pricing like wages, bills, rent VAt, import duty etc. I work in an airsoft shop, and we are one of the cheapest in europe, but cant compete with Asia because of the bulk and low overheads they have, and its a funny arguement I hear from airsofters occasionaly that we are "ripping them off". In that case they have no merit.

However when other retailers are charging an extra €100 euro for the same rifle I would sell, the customer should easily see that profiteering and money hungering.

This threads aim is to make people aware of certain places that will rip you off on products, where you can easily buy elsewhere. However not alot of people may now. Its shocking the amount of people who are not aware of the hundreds you can save on pc parts by shopping online. Granted I know its not supporting an irish business, I do not feel the need to when they cannot offer a good range of products, yet price their low- middle level items are hi end prices.

Cabaal

Degsy wrote: »

I'm not back seat modding,i have a pain in my hole with you splitting hairs and dragging things off topic.

This is a discussion forum, I am simply posting what is legally allowed within business's in Ireland when it comes to selling an item, I'm sorry if you dislike reality and actual facts in respect of this.

A shop can legally sell an item for whatever amount extra over another shop, its not illegal plan and simple the fact that within your morals you see it wrong does not mean its morally wrong for everyone else.

In addition bricks and mortar shops will generally sell higher then online because they have higher overheads thats a fact of life sadly.

Bottom line is as a consumer your only basic responsibility before buying an item is to use that gray matter of yours between your ears to shop around, if you don't want to shop around then that's your fault.

Anybody however that refers to shops as illegal etc because they sell higher priced items needs to be brought back to reality.

TheDoc wrote: »

The last couple of threads I've seen Cabal post on has been anal fixations and hair splitting and random off topicness : /

Got a problem with my posts then please report then, I wouldn't personally recommend dragging a thread off topic by having a go about other users you don't happen to agree with.

An example for myself is recently trying to pick up a graphics card for my pc. I've noticed any walk in shop in Ireland has a **** range of cards at outragous prices.

I was looking for an ATI Radeon 4870HD with vapor core, and after hitting up harveynormam,pc world, currys and a number of individual pc stores, the lowest price offered was 230 by an individual outlet.

This card retails for €130 on a number of irish based online stores.

I actually very happy for you as you fulfilled your basic consumer responsibility by shopping around, I'm glad you bought the item for a much lower price then your first saw.

But on the other side of things on-line shops won't always be the cheapest all the time, take for example last year I bought a Satnav it was 120e on komplett and 120e in Halfords.

However even if it was 130e in Halfords it was still cheaper then komplett as you must remember to factor in shipping costs

I get similar questions in my job regarding pricing etc, since alot of our competitors are located close by. You have to take into account overheads for products pricing like wages, bills, rent VAt, import duty etc.

I fully agree with you, people forget this completely when they complain about higher prices in shops.

Its a basic fact costs are higher as they have to cover these costs, however this doesn't stop people from comparing bricks and mortar shops and on-line shops as exactly the same when they are not.

This threads aim is to make people aware of certain places that will rip you off on products, where you can easily buy elsewhere. However not alot of people may now.

Its shocking the amount of people who are not aware of the hundreds you can save on pc parts by shopping online. Granted I know its not supporting an irish business, I do not feel the need to when they cannot offer a good range of products, yet price their low- middle level items are hi end prices.

I don't believe necessarily singling out a shop here or there is a very productive practice at the end of the day, what we should be doing however is encouraging people to just shop around and compare prices and actually learn to do this in general if they want to make sure they get the best prices.

Yes shopping around takes abit of time but its a more valuable skill to learn then simply avoiding one or two retailers and using the third because you saw them mentioned on a thread on boards.ie.

Raiser

Reported with the below text:

This Guy is on Boards long enough to understand that he is spoiling a thread through persistent and mindless off-topic nonsense, axe-grinding and arguments aimed solely at one other poster.

- If you read the post its all petty point scoring - "I did this you did that" repeatedly taking up the whole page etc.

- Please edit/delete your posts and take it to PMs.....

Donny5

Cabaal wrote: »

IF however your too lazy or stupid to shop around then you deserve to pay the stupidity tax of paying extra for an item or service that can be obtained cheaper elsewhere.

That's perfectly true, and this thread is for consumers to share their experiences of retailers they found overly expensive.

Soundman wrote: »

How come then, using your logic, that Ticket Touts get such a bad wrap? After all it is just supply and demand surely going on what you are saying? They bought the tickets at the correct price, but because people NEED these tickets and they are willing to pay over the odds which is what the "Touts" are asking, it morally reprehensible.

Nothing wrong with touting, in my opinion. It may be against the promoters Terms of Service, though.

Anyway, my "rip-off" isn't really a rip-off, but anything you ever see in Army Bargains on Capel Street is always, in my experience, overpriced compared to the online option, or even other outdoor retailers in town. I avoid them.

Mailman

long term parking at the airport.
charge per day went from €7.50 to €8.50 on 1st September.
That's over 13% increase in price overnight in these deflationary times.
That's charge is per day or part thereof so if you are out of the country for 30 hours you are paying €17 for parking.
I'm going to avoid parking in the long term car parks from now on and will take the bus or will bum a lift in future.

Anyone know of any cheaper parking around the airport?

jkmanc1974

Heard a good one on the radio this week ref one of the shops in Knock, Co Mayo, charging 3.50 for an ice cream, what that about!!!!

Brgds
Johnny

Rockshamrover

jkmanc1974 wrote: »

Heard a good one on the radio this week ref one of the shops in Knock, Co Mayo, charging 3.50 for an ice cream, what that about!!!!

Brgds
Johnny

That's not really rip off.

When you factor in the cost of road haulage, ice cream storage, light bulb's for fridges and global warming. This turns out to be excellent value for money.:D

Donny5

Rockshamrover wrote: »

That's not really rip off.

When you factor in the cost of road haulage, ice cream storage, light bulb's for fridges and global warming. This turns out to be excellent value for money.:D

It's also not naming and shaming if you don't name them.

Trampas

Mailman wrote: »

long term parking at the airport.
charge per day went from €7.50 to €8.50 on 1st September.
That's over 13% increase in price overnight in these deflationary times.
That's charge is per day or part thereof so if you are out of the country for 30 hours you are paying €17 for parking.
I'm going to avoid parking in the long term car parks from now on and will take the bus or will bum a lift in future.

Anyone know of any cheaper parking around the airport?

It is €7 going by their website

http://www.dublinairport.com/to-and-from/car-parking/long-term.html

a bit less

ejmaztec

Just spotted this stuff in the new Listowel Spar Express Esso petrol station @ €4.70, :eek: and no, surprisingly enough, I didn't buy any.

Even our local robbing SuperValu only charges €2.76. Tesco charges €2.59.

Fighting Irish

Cabaal wrote: »

Since when are we in a depression?

Nobody is ripping anyone off, at the end of the day you as a consumer DO NOT HAVE TO buy from the shop in question, your job as a consumer is to shop around this is your only basic task before buying an item.

IF however your too lazy or stupid to shop around then you deserve to pay the stupidity tax of paying extra for an item or service that can be obtained cheaper elsewhere.

In respect of prices and shops, at end of the day a shop is not breaking any laws by selling an item for say 10e that can be obtained elsewhere for 7e, just like I can buy an item for 10e and resell it for 40e...if someone buys it then happy days for me.

I've been saying this for years

kkcatlou

I've 2 to add!!!

I had a £20 gift voucher for M&S.. When I went to use it in Dublin, I was told that it was worth €21.70 - an exchange rate of €1 = £0.93. I thought this seemed a bit low.

I used it to buy three packets of tights, which came to €30.75, so I had to pay €9 towards the price. When I came home, I took off the € price stickers to reveal the £stg ones underneath...the total I would have paid in sterling would have been £22.50. This means an exchange rate of €1 = £0.73 was used. That's a 20% difference between what they use on gift vouchers - complete farce and rip off. I don't even know if it's legal, but I presume they can do whatever they like!! Had I been in the UK, I would have ended up paying £2.50 towards my purchase, in Ireland, I had to pay €9. Makes no sense.

I emailed their customer service department to complain, but as you can imagine, have heard nothing back in reply!!

Also, I recently ordered a suite of furniture from Cost Plus Sofas. They wanted €1550 for it, but as I saw it online in the UK for €1250, they gave it to me for that. (It's the Maria snuggle sofa plus one seater by the way). My Mam saw the exact same set in Michael Murphy's in Newbridge for €3,600 a few days ago!! Almost three times the price.

How do places like this expect to stay in business in a recession....and who are the stupid people willing to pay these kind of prices??

b4nd1t

I have to say Cabaal that I would technically say this is a depression when Ireland now has a net migration again and that most peoples experience that once they have lost their job, it is impossible for them to get another one. During previous "recessions", people have managed to find some kind of work.

And therefore with this economic background, yes people are being fleeced in many shops and this thread is to garner consumer awareness in order to help stretch euro's in a time of need. And although people do have a choice, it is still not desirable to have to travel for miles and spend hours of preciously short time to find goods at a fair price due to some retailers having an unfair economic advantage over consumers that isnt present in other consumer friendly countries. ie poor infrastructure in dublin means that we have to put up with rip-off convenience stores instead of better value offering supermarkets.

This is of especial importance nowadays due to a more mobile populace who can travel more frequently through the EU and make big purchases in places where it is offering better value for money. ie €100 for a pair of shoes in clarks when I can pick up 3 or 4 pairs of good quality shoes in BATA in many european countries.

I have 2 rip offs to beware,

H&M St Stephens green, has clothes and a crazy euro/stg exchange rate,... 29.99€ v 20GBP !!!!!

Centra Fairview... Blossom Hill Rose... €10.49 !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Asda price 4 GBP!!!!!!!!!!

I'd say that unless NAMA is stopped and the speculators in property who have driven commercial rents to exorbitante levels for some crappy properties are made to suffer their losses... things like the above will only continue and lead Ireland to further ruin...:mad:

mcaul

kkcatlou wrote: »

I've 2 to add!!!

I had a £20 gift voucher for M&S.. When I went to use it in Dublin, I was told that it was worth €21.70 - an exchange rate of €1 = £0.93. I thought this seemed a bit low.

I used it to buy three packets of tights, which came to €30.75, so I had to pay €9 towards the price. When I came home, I took off the € price stickers to reveal the £stg ones underneath...the total I would have paid in sterling would have been £22.50. This means an exchange rate of €1 = £0.73 was used. That's a 20% difference between what they use on gift vouchers - complete farce and rip off. I don't even know if it's legal, but I presume they can do whatever they like!! Had I been in the UK, I would have ended up paying £2.50 towards my purchase, in Ireland, I had to pay €9. Makes no sense.

I emailed their customer service department to complain, but as you can imagine, have heard nothing back in reply!!

Also, I recently ordered a suite of furniture from Cost Plus Sofas. They wanted €1550 for it, but as I saw it online in the UK for €1250, they gave it to me for that. (It's the Maria snuggle sofa plus one seater by the way). My Mam saw the exact same set in Michael Murphy's in Newbridge for €3,600 a few days ago!! Almost three times the price.

How do places like this expect to stay in business in a recession....and who are the stupid people willing to pay these kind of prices??

M&S in Ireland charge Irish vat of 21.5% also, you can't expect retailers to change pricing everyday. Only 3 weeks ago, th sterling rate was €1.22 / £1 from the banks.

As for Michael Murphy's - there's no possible way it was the same item of the same quality. Cost plus sofas, sell a basic quality of furniture primarily made in china. Michael Murphy's have for generations sold only high quality furniture and stand over every product they sell and have a phenomenal reputation in Kildare & Wexford for service, quality products and value.

I've no connection with murphy's but have been a customer of theirs for years as has my father and never have felt their prices being anything but fair - and virtually everything ever bought from them is still in everyday use!

b4nd1t

mcaul wrote: »

M&S in Ireland charge Irish vat of 21.5% also, you can't expect retailers to change pricing everyday. Only 3 weeks ago, th sterling rate was €1.22 / £1 from the banks.
!

In this economic environment.. YES we can expect them to change their prices daily!!!

Trampas

mcaul wrote: »

As for Michael Murphy's - there's no possible way it was the same item of the same quality. Cost plus sofas, sell a basic quality of furniture primarily made in china. Michael Murphy's have for generations sold only high quality furniture and stand over every product they sell and have a phenomenal reputation in Kildare & Wexford for service, quality products and value.

I've no connection with murphy's but have been a customer of theirs for years as has my father and never have felt their prices being anything but fair - and virtually everything ever bought from them is still in everyday use!

That is the same Michael Murphys who sold the products I bought to someone else when I went to collect them. Never would I go near the place again.

mcaul

kkcatlou wrote: »

Also, I recently ordered a suite of furniture from Cost Plus Sofas. They wanted €1550 for it, but as I saw it online in the UK for €1250, they gave it to me for that. (It's the Maria snuggle sofa plus one seater by the way). My Mam saw the exact same set in Michael Murphy's in Newbridge for €3,600 a few days ago!! Almost three times the price. QUOTE]


If you read the comments on furniture.ie abut cost plus, you'd avoid them. (same owners as Courts Furniture - remember them with their shoddy product & non existent service?)

http://www.furniture.ie/community/discussion/433/cost-plus-sofas/#Item_0

kkcatlou

[HTML]Also, I recently ordered a suite of furniture from Cost Plus Sofas. They wanted €1550 for it, but as I saw it online in the UK for €1250, they gave it to me for that. (It's the Maria snuggle sofa plus one seater by the way). My Mam saw the exact same set in Michael Murphy's in Newbridge for €3,600 a few days ago!! Almost three times the price. [/HTML]

100% its the same sofa...you don't have to believe me, but it is!! It's the Maria snuggle sofa in kensington design. It's also for sale in Kingsbury in Tallaght and available online from sofasandfurniture.co.uk. They obviously all get them from the same suppliers.



I agree cost plus sofas don't have the best customer service, but hey, for an extra €2,400 in my bank account I'll easily take crap customer service!!!

page28

Hi there......
Went to LV shopping center in Dublin today, went in to Burton's
Spotted a kool jumper....
Went over to check the price it was 28 Euro and the sterling price was
£17, bit of a difference I thought ...
Checked other prices but they were all removed. Went to River Island
spotted a pair of shoes for 84 Euro, came home checked on their site
and they were £64....
So off to Newry tomorrow....

Kalashnikov_Kid

page28 wrote: »

Hi there......
Went to LV shopping center in Dublin today, went in to Burton's
Spotted a kool jumper....
Went over to check the price it was 28 Euro and the sterling price was
£17, bit of a difference I thought ...
Checked other prices but they were all removed. Went to River Island
spotted a pair of shoes for 84 Euro, came home checked on their site
and they were £64....
So off to Newry tomorrow....

Waste of petrol for what it's worth, IMO

rcecil

I almost bought Tesco's advertising campaign about price reductions. Yes there were some. I used to alternate between Carrick and Enniskillen finding an average 30 % difference and a far wider selection and more specials in Enniskillen. Then the big media campaign. I noticed some ripoffs changed. Chocolate syrup dropped from 2;.23 to 1.11. Wireless keyboard dropped from 19.99 to 12.99. So I was full of hope that they had realized the error of their ways.

Nope. They still are 20% more dear in my basket overall with lots of little scams to boot. Here are some:

Filling empty spaces on advertised specials with lookalike products for double. Most people don't notice they were overcharged.

Advertising 1 litre sodas at a sale price when the 2 litre is far cheaper.

Damaged merchandise being sold at 10% off when most stores would do 1/2 price.