Ordering online from other countries?

mrsfive

So...when you order online from other countries do you need to pay a tax? If so, how does that work? I am moving to Cork Co. from the US (Chicago) at the end of October indefinitely.

Do any of you fly to London just to shop? Dublin is about 3 hours from my house, I'd imagine there would be better shopping there vs. Cork?

Thank you for helping me out, I'm clueless!

Katherine

Tayla

There is no customs tax on any items bought within the EU so you will not have to pay any duty from London.

Most of the British chain stores allow Irish customers to pay in pound sterling instead of Euro which means that we can get clothes etc. much cheaper by buying online rather than paying the Euro equivalent (which has a big mark up) in the Irish shops.

It's pretty good because we don't have to worry about extra taxes if we buy from anywhere in Europe.

If you're ordering from outside the EU, for example the U.S, You will pretty much always be charged customs duty if the store ships your order using UPS or FEDEX, in my experience it is very rare that you will get charged customs duty if the item is shipped via USPS so it's always worth asking the store will they ship it to you that way.

If you have to pay customs duty for items ordered from outside the EU then it depends on the postal service how you will have to pay.

If it's FEDEX they will usually give you the item and send you the bill later.
If it's UPS they will make you pay before they give you the item.
If it's USPS then your order will come through 'An post' the Irish national postal service, as I said already, it's rare to be charged customs duty from them but if you are they will make you pay in advance of giving you the item.

I'm not from Cork but I have family there, I think the shopping in Cork is nearly as good as Dublin to be honest.

mrsfive

So what British chain stores are good to order from? I am unfamiliar. I've much preferred to order online here in the US, it's hard to get out often with 4 little ones.

Thank you so much for your reply

Tayla

If you're looking for clothes what kind of age group are you talking about?

For all other things Amazon.co.uk is brilliant for here, you probably already know yourself that Amazon sell everything and it's free delivery here if you spend over £25

I always order online, online shopping has ruined me, I hate hate hate shopping now in shops, If I walk in and don't instantly see something then I walk out, I don't have the patience anymore.

I notice you said you have 4 little ones, I have 2 myself and to be honest there isn't a huge amount of choice for kids clothes online which is a pity. I'd prefer to be able to order a years worth of clothes for them from one store but I find I have to buy little pieces here and there from a few different sites.

Loads of Irish parents actually order kids clothes online from the US store Gymboree!

mrsfive

I ADORE AMAZON! Big puffy heart Amazon! Do we have to pay the conversion difference on Amazon from pound to euro?

I am 29, and I still consider myself young (right? haha) and dress young, I like to shop at Nordstrom here. I like karmaloop.com

I am not a huge fan of Gymboree and I think I'm in a minority there, but I really love Gap Kids for my kids.

Twee.

The big chain stores here (and online delivering) would be the likes of Topshop, New Look, Zara, Asos, Warehouse. You'll find most of these in Cork (as far as I remember!), and can also buy online. Ireland would have most of the stores London would have, and Dublin is very good for shopping IMO. Can't comment on Cork, been a while since I've been there.

Acoshla

Cork shopping is great, I would never go to Dublin just to shop, when I lived in Cork I shopped in Cork, when I lived in Galway I shopped in Galway. I live 1.5 hours from Dublin now and I still would never go there to shop. Mahon Point shopping centre in Cork has lots of shops and is very child friendly, lots of mums there all the time. Great shops in the city centre too.

Online I shop from Awear, Dorothy Perkins, Asos, boohoo.com, and anywhere else in the UK that I fancy.

Toto Wolfcastle

Cork is very similar to Dublin for shopping. There are all the usual shops like Topshop, New Look, H&M, Gap, River Island, Miss Selfridge, Zara, Oasis, etc. There are some nice smaller shops around the place too. I wouldn't be bothered travelling to Dublin to shop really. I live close to a large shopping centre in Dublin that has pretty much everything you'd need and I don't see it as being much better than Cork.

Shopping online really is the way to go, especially if you're living far away from from the main shopping areas. If you wanted to tell us what part of Cork you're moving to I could tell you how near it is to civilisation! For online shopping I'd recommend ASOS, Mina UK, Yumi Direct and Modcloth. You might have heard of Modcloth as it's American but shipping charges can be high and you might get stung with customs charges.

mrsfive

My husband told me to stop being concerned about where I will shop. I can't help it, I am female!

We are moving to Kinsale. I went to one store downtown when I was there earlier this year and I asked for a US 10 size shoe and they said they didn't go up to 10! She said I would have to shop at a large size shoe store

Thanks again for the input

Toto Wolfcastle

I was in Kinsale yesterday for the first tine in years. It's a nice little town and I'm sure that they have some nice shops but you'll definitely need to go to Cork city to shop or else order online. What struck me about Kinsale was that a lot of the shops weren't open at 10 in the morning. There's a Fat Face there which might be worth a look at for clothes. As for shoes, have a look at www.schuh.ie to see what kinds of shoes are available in your size. Schuh is in Cork city but you can also order online.

Acoshla

I think US 10 is a 9 here, you might get them in the city alright but most places go up to an 8.

Twee.

US 10 is a UK 8 as far as I remember! I'm a 7 and was buying shoes in NY in an 8.5/9. Lots of stores do 8s and 9s, half sizes are difficult to come by compared to the US in my experience.

Pythia

Acoshla wrote: »

I think US 10 is a 9 here, you might get them in the city alright but most places go up to an 8.

No, I think a US 10 is more like a 7.5. I am a 10 in the US and between a 7 and an 8 here.

Acoshla

Actually yeah, ye're right. I used to take a US 10 when I was an 8, but I've gone back to a 7 now, got myself all mixed up!

Tayla

mrsfive wrote: »

I ADORE AMAZON! Big puffy heart Amazon! Do we have to pay the conversion difference on Amazon from pound to euro?

No we don't have to pay the difference, Yay

mrsfive wrote: »

I am 29, and I still consider myself young (right? haha) and dress young, I like to shop at Nordstrom here. I like karmaloop.com

I frickin' love Karmaloop!!!

mrsfive wrote: »

I am not a huge fan of Gymboree and I think I'm in a minority there, but I really love Gap Kids for my kids.

I'm not a big fan of Gymboree either but I know a lot of parents are, Next directory would be the main kids store here, I think that there is a Gap store in Cork too!

mrsfive

Yes! Fat Face is where the sales girl told me I'd have to go to a large size shoe store. Ah, well, it's ok. I am glad to see now that ordering online isn't a big deal.

Bobblehead Panda wrote: »

I was in Kinsale yesterday for the first tine in years. It's a nice little town and I'm sure that they have some nice shops but you'll definitely need to go to Cork city to shop or else order online. What struck me about Kinsale was that a lot of the shops weren't open at 10 in the morning. There's a Fat Face there which might be worth a look at for clothes. As for shoes, have a look at www.schuh.ie to see what kinds of shoes are available in your size. Schuh is in Cork city but you can also order online.

mrsfive

AH! That is wonderful! I was telling my husband I would miss Amazon so much, this is great news. Amazon and I don't have to part ways after all :D

Tayla wrote: »

No we don't have to pay the difference, Yay ]

Toto Wolfcastle

Fat Face is just a normal clothes shop, it doesn't specifically sell bigger clothes or shoes. In fact the selection of shoes in the one in Kinsale isn't great.

Rachel123

mrsfive wrote: »

My husband told me to stop being concerned about where I will shop. I can't help it, I am female!

We are moving to Kinsale. I went to one store downtown when I was there earlier this year and I asked for a US 10 size shoe and they said they didn't go up to 10! She said I would have to shop at a large size shoe store

Thanks again for the input

I'm from Kinsale, for shopping you really do need to go to Cork, but no need to go to Dublin, we have most of the same shops as they do! Next is great for kids clothes, and as for shoes try Schuh