Newry Shoppers

mpindundalk

I really can't argue with you there i think its a disgrace also! however i do believe in what i said earlier and just to recap the local authority also did this during the boom so maybe its a personal preference on there behalf or maybe not and also note that a lot of people at the top in the local authority are from up north anyway so i seems like there just lookin after there own turf?

so maybe we should be doing the same

thats just my opinion

Ann22

I shop in Newry 'cos I can afford to buy nice branded food there and fill my trolley, here I've to count the amount of dinners I need for the week and buy the cheapest own brands I can find or I've an empty purse for the week:(. In Sainsburys I can afford to throw a few extra bits in my trolley without looking in horror at my receipt(and the staff are so helpful and friendly), never mind Iceland which is mega value. I bought something for my oh in the Quays last week (won't say 'cos it's for xmas and he might read this:o)that cost me €27 (£25) in Newry, here it would've cost me €94. It was on special down there but still, there are always great bargains to be had. I can't get down to shop this week so I'll be going to Dunnes, just had to write a list of essentials..No lovely treats in the fridge this week:(.

Drummer Mummer

I know everyone wants the best prices for items bought but when a shop or factory closes down in the South how many people bemoan the fact all the jobs are lost, when shopping North of the border just adds to all our economic woes. I appreciate money is tight but it will get tighter the more people go on the dole, God help us all. And the up and coming Budget, I dread to think how most of us ordinary folk will cope!

Stephentlig

no matter what way we go at the moment whether we be in the south or north, we are still getting a bad deal.

when we shop in the north we run our local businesses out of money
and when we shop in our local area, the prices are too high and we run own pocket into the ground also.

the first one ( shopping in the north ) seems like the easy way out, but such a quick fix, that gives us the illusion that we are saving a pretty penny is fallacious because we are going to have to suffer the hangover of such eventually and the hangover ( if we dont stop it ) will be a bad one I fear.

therefore I think we should all just shop down here, scrimp and save and sit it out, until its all over, but also getting unto our local businesses to really get those prices of theirs down.

You'd have to be mad to not go North.

I'm no politician or economist or anything like that, but it strikes me as pretty odd that there is such a huge saving to be had 15 minutes away.

Surely the republic would be able to do this also. I know we have a higher VAT rate, but that should be adjusted accordingly.


If shops like Harvey can have a new sale every weekend, why can't they just adjust their prices permanently and give the "we're having a sale" bollocks a rest?


I'm sure there are many stores in the republic very capable of selling products at better prices, but instead choose to play the sympathy card with Joe Soap and try to guilt him into shopping there.

petes

Ann22 wrote: »

I shop in Newry 'cos I can afford to buy nice branded food there and fill my trolley, here I've to count the amount of dinners I need for the week and buy the cheapest own brands I can find or I've an empty purse for the week:(. In Sainsburys I can afford to throw a few extra bits in my trolley without looking in horror at my receipt(and the staff are so helpful and friendly), never mind Iceland which is mega value. I bought something for my oh in the Quays last week (won't say 'cos it's for xmas and he might read this:o)that cost me €27 (£25) in Newry, here it would've cost me €94. It was on special down there but still, there are always great bargains to be had. I can't get down to shop this week so I'll be going to Dunnes, just had to write a list of essentials..No lovely treats in the fridge this week:(.

Ding dong.

Ally Dick

Talking to a local businessman in Navan who's business went to the wall. He said that the ground rent he was being charged for his premises was way to high, and he had to set his prices to a certain figure to make any money. He was trying to petition his landlord to drop the rent but he got nowhere and he had to close up. I think that's half the problem with higher prices in the Republic. Greedy landlords, or landlords who bought shop space at a high price and have set the rent high. That and the fact that the shop employees have to get a higher wage in the Republic to pay the higher mortgage that they have on their own house. I can't see any way around this. We're trapped in a high price bubble that started because of the property bubble

TravelJunkie

The tesco's in the long walk shopping centre in Dundalk is very good value for money. You'll find it's more value than Sainsburys in Newry. The only reason to go North is for the alcohol really. I used to go for AWear but now the one in dundalk has brought its prices down.
Maybe everyone from Dublin should shop in Dundalk!!!

mpindundalk

Short term gain means long term pain:(
Northern ireland is now out of bloody recession because were spending YES what little money we have for christ sake even the polish or any of our european counterparts know the value of keeping the money you earn in there own country they have been working here for years and sending the money home.(fair play to them)
My friend had a business that went belly-up he told me how hard he had it with all of his over heads and during that time his life was up-side down.I take my hat off to people who own a business right now because there very brave to risk everything in this storm that is just getting worse.

Its time to stand up and be the proud irish nation that we once were!!!

mpindundalk

mpindundalk wrote: »

Short term gain means long term pain:(
Northern ireland is now out of bloody recession because were spending YES what little money we have for christ sake even the polish or any of our european counterparts know the value of keeping the money you earn in there own country they have been working here for years and sending the money home.(fair play to them)

I would have to take a wild guess and assume they're not sending their money home so they can be patriotic or care about their country. They're sending the money to Poland because, much like in NI, the euro goes a hell of a lot farrer than it does over here.

whelan1

ye just had a latvian apply for a job i have going on my farm he says he needs money too send home:eek:

Stephentlig

whelan1 wrote: »

ye just had a latvian apply for a job i have going on my farm he says he needs money too send home:eek:

and if they are not spending it here then I suggest you hire someone else ;)

Arthur Daley

Stephentlig wrote: »

and if they are not spending it here then I suggest you hire someone else ;)

You think things are bad here? Unemployment in Latvia is 20%, so I doubt they're living it up on whatever they're sending back there.

Stephentlig

Arthur Daley wrote: »

You think things are bad here? Unemployment in Latvia is 20%, so I doubt they're living it up on whatever they're sending back there.

your post is only evident that the problem does not just exist in Ireland but is one on a more global scale.

Its none of our business what they spend it on Arthur, its where they spend it that effects us the most.

May I just end with the sincere desire to express my concern for statistics that have no relative links or other evidence to back them up. Even if you do provide such evidence my previous points would still ( I feel ) be valid ones.

Darksaga87

hellboy99 wrote: »

Valid points you make, but you can't ignore the fact that there is a major difference in prices and seeing as we are 15 minutes from Newry it's a bit of a no brainer.

Here's one example:

I bought a TV in Curry's last year, in Curry's here in the town it was €1100 and up north the same TV was £800.

Before I went up north to get it I went into my local Curry's to ask if they would match the price or give a discount, I got told no to both, the sales guy wouldn't even throw in a HDMI cable for free , so up north I went of course.

Going into the northern store was like walking into a different business, staff were all very friendly, the sales guy I dealt with gave me a HDMI cable worth £40 for free, I bought a few other bits bringing the total to just over a £1000 and at the till he gave me a 10% discount. Is it any wonder people are going up north and businesses are losing out here.

And that is why Currys is no longer in Drogheda. The reason you did not get a discount is because the store was making no money and they could not afford to discount. everyone went up north and then complained when they could not get any deals there, if someone has no money then they cant afford to sell you something at a near loss.

I understand the counter argument that if they gave discount, more people would go there. But i can tell you, at the height of it, you would have gotten a large serious discount. Then one day, it was put a stop to.

positron

Last year, I was looking for a second hand car (been saving for years for this, and the previous rust-bucket kinda died).

Best price from authorised dealer in Drogheda (salesperson with an attitude)= 21k.
Same car imported from UK + VRT + flights + ferry + fuel + professional sales staff = 10k.

I am a poor private sector commuter PAYE with negative equity and pay freezes, and on top being shafted left right and center by corrupt or incompetent government and administration, and then there was this 110% price difference. I bought in the UK - please don't hate me!

I know a car is different to groceries. I do most of my shopping here in Drogheda, but I will make at least one trip to Newry pre-Christmas - I just can't afford to shop here for major items, never mind the unpleasantness..!

Ann22

After posting here yesterday, I nipped over to Dunnes in Muirhevna Mór to do a wee bit of shopping. As they closed at 9 I only had about 20 mins to run around. I have to say, I got a fair bit of shopping for €99, pity I didn't have more time to browse. There were some good deals:). I felt I had to say this after ranting earlier on, credit's where it's due.

lmnop

Ally Dick wrote: »

Talking to a local businessman in Navan who's business went to the wall. He said that the ground rent he was being charged for his premises was way to high, and he had to set his prices to a certain figure to make any money. He was trying to petition his landlord to drop the rent but he got nowhere and he had to close up. I think that's half the problem with higher prices in the Republic. Greedy landlords, or landlords who bought shop space at a high price and have set the rent high. That and the fact that the shop employees have to get a higher wage in the Republic to pay the higher mortgage that they have on their own house. I can't see any way around this. We're trapped in a high price bubble that started because of the property bubble

Have to agree with this....but i will be one of those shoppers heading up to Newry soon but I wont do all my xmas shopping up there. Only the things that I feel i am being overcharged too much for south of the border. Bought an x box in Newry last year and i think it was between 60 and 80 euro cheaper than in Drogheda.
I do believe we should support local businesses - but haven't we been doing this throughout the year? As xmas is so expensive these days you cant blame anyone for heading up to Newry - i think spending a bit here and a bit in Newry is fair enough.

havana

I'm going to belfast next week for a spot of shopping. Making a couple of days of it and staying over. I did debate it in my head, what with all this talk of shopping local. But then i realised, what i need to buy from small business here i will still buy. What i will be buying up north I'll be getting in the large uk chains as i would have down here.

I wonder how many people who say 'buy local' actually do? To my mind buying your meat in tesco instead of the independent butcher, or your clothes in debenhams instead of small boutique, is hardly buying local.

borderlinemeath

I work in retail in Drogheda and it sickens me that so many people are willing to spend their few quid north of the border.

Most people blame the government, they aren't helping but it's not all their fault, landlords, insurance, warehousing and transport all cost far more than in the UK.

I bust a gut day in day out trying to sell and achieve targets for people to walk out the door or argue that they can get it cheaper in Newry.

People don't understand that retailers are cut to the bone with staffing and overheads, my company hasn't cut pay or jobs yet but it's only a matter of time.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that if you are a family living on a small wage or even social welfare then every penny counts, but to spend upwards of €1000 on a telly or to go to sainsburys for a trolley full of drink is just greed. Dont patronise me with how you don't have the money!

Biggins

Good article here: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/no-letup-in-flight-of-shoppers-north-1930425.html

mikemac

borderlinemeath wrote: »

but to spend upwards of €1000 on a telly or to go to sainsburys for a trolley full of drink is just greed. Dont patronise me with how you don't have the money!

We're all in the EU now, it's one of the benefits.
Or disadvantages I suppose if you're looking for protectionism to maintain high margins.

I'm not saying your business is doing that but if you can find a better deal in the EU and no customs duty, then go for it.
The buyers in your retail business haggle for good deals and for credit terms.
A consumer is also only looking for the same good deal

borderlinemeath

I work for an Irish owned franchise of a UK brand, so my company are in a unique position that we buy a lot of our own branded goods from our UK counterparts but also a lot of stock from local suppliers.
We have "bought currency" a very competitive rate at the moment and have lowered our prices accordingly so we're not in too bad a position but I hate "having the argument" with the customers as they are convinced that they are being ripped off.

People are price matching to within a couple of quid, most of them not taking into account the cost of getting to Newry, parking, and sometimes currency exchange.

Also the advantage of shopping local is that if a product is faulty, breaks under manufacture warranty or needs repair that they have to return to their original retailer and I have turned away a lot of customers that think that they can avail of that locally.

Free trade is a state of mind, if people think that they are saving money by travelling up North then they will go but it will come back to haunt them. The day will come when all the UK multiples will pack up and leave, just as Currys did in Scotch Hall, they are not going to stay in the South to lose money, the currency fluctuates so it won't always be so rosy in the North.

Stephentlig

I suppose the evidence of what I said earliar is very clear. ever since the sterling came close to the euro, people went shopping up north and ( I suspect ) that this is what took england out of recession.

qwertplaywert

Stephentlig wrote: »

this is what took england out of recession.

Why do I suspect you have to be taking the piss?

Also, yet again you have refered to the Uk as ''England'':rolleyes:

borderlinemeath

Will be interesting to see what happens when the UK vat rate goes back up next year, will the UK retailers do a big price hike and will it effect the currency at all?

Stephentlig

qwertplaywert wrote: »

Why do I suspect you have to be taking the piss?

Also, yet again you have refered to the Uk as ''England'':rolleyes:

I'm not taking the **** but if I have said something stupid then please notify me of it in a more constructive and intelligent manner as opposed to a brainless one.

I'm a simple person, not an economist, so perhaps I should stay clear of the conversation, however I do like to get my point across and see it being challenged or corrected.

Forgive my poor subjective analysis of the united kingdom, I should take more care in how I post.

Stephen

positron

Are you saying (suggesting, suspecting?) a fraction of 4 million people shopping across the border in Norther Ireland took entire United Kingdom of 61 million people out of recession? Must have been a very fickle recession..!

borderlinemeath, you raise some valid points. There's no Warranty service when you buy north and warranty returns are your own responsibility when you buy there and bring it south of the border - for most brands. However, my personal experience is that of initial savings being so significant, and stuff doesn't breakdown that easy (touchwood), I don't mind the hassle of driving back with the faulty goods.

soups05

I work in dundalk in the retail sector. I do my shopping in tescos in dundalk which some seem to think is not shopping local as the money goes to the uk. however I can see in my own job that we are being ripped off here. my boss buys his stock in the north, 50p for a can of red bull that retails at €2.15 in the shop.
Thats just greedy.the same can retails in tescos for €1.43 last i checked. (€1.99 for 6 pack of kx ) we have southern kerrygold 1lb block 4.35. tescos charge 2.15 for the same product in the same town.
I may lose my job soon as the shop is so quiet, but i cant blame those who go to tescos, or go to the north.i blame my greedy boss who ripped off everyone in the good times and still does it now.some people are too busy counting thier money and laughing at us and don't seem to realise that customers are going elsewhere.
I have less hours this week due to cutbacks. I think i will head up north to do some shopping. spucefield here i come.

one more thing millineum(?) falcon from star wars cost me £75 but down here its €129. where do you think others will buy it?

soups05

Stephentlig wrote: »

we havnt any evidence to show that businesses are spending up there, so such an accusation of ours that harbours no evidence to sustain it is nothing but a mere strawman.

meant to qoute this in my last post, my evidence is twofold. I pay the invoices from the northern suppliers and most of our stock has a label giving the price in sterling.