Shop local, really?

jamesbil

"Shop local" they say, "It's better for the economy" they say. Just whose economy they dont say...

I run a furniture and craft business so am well aware of how important it is to support local business. However do you ever feel that some local places are pulling the proverbial?

I was recently looking for a large piece of perspex/acrylic for a project.
So I gave a local plastic company a call.
€310 for the size I wanted, too much.
So I gave a Dublin company a call.
€180 plus shipping brought it to €220, still a bit expensive.
So I gave a uk company a call.
£90 = €110 plus shipping would bring it to €180.

Rip off Ireland? Deffinately rip off local!

its the same for all those supermarket ads on the tv super-value if you believe in local you know where to shop

i always reply ALDI lol

ben.schlomo

Deleted User wrote: »

its the same for all those supermarket ads on the tv super-value if you believe in local you know where to shop

i always reply ALDI lol

You reply 'Aldi' to indecipherable sentences?

skelligs

Is it the same mm? - And did you try manufacturers rather than re-sellers?

365plastics in ashboune would be a place I'd try. They'll also cut to size.

At the end of the day, there's not a huge market for special size acrylic sheets here.

geeksauce

Went to buy an item online a couple of years ago and it was €90 delivered within 4-5 working days from the UK. I knew of a shop down town close to where I worked at the time that sold the exact same item so thought I would call in there the next day to buy it and try 'shop local'.

Me: Hi im looking for a garmin watch just wondering if you have it in stock at the minute.

Shopkeeper: Yeah its €125

Me: Oh right can you do anything on that price?

Shopkeeper: Let me guess you can get it online for less? (in a not very nice tone)

Me: Well yeah I can get it delivered for €90, so a €35 difference, could you meet me halfway on the €35 at €108?

Shopkeeper: It's people like you that are putting small businesses out of business.

Me: People like me?

Shopkeeper: Yeah a**holes that buy online rather than support their local economy.

Me: I wanted to support my local economy, that's why I came in here today, but when my local economy is charging me over 30% more for an item and won't negotiate the price it becomes very hard to support them.

Shopkeeper: Why don't you either give me the €125 or get out.

Me: See you later!!

Shop was closed about two months later, I still think it had more to do with his attitude than anything else.

brian_gall85

If that was his attitude then I'd doubt he would have stayed in business even if he was €35 cheaper.

jamesbil

Horrible attitude!
Seems to be a thing, YOU should be grateful for bringing YOUR money into THEIR shop! Customer service in this modern age has gone out the window.
Ever gone into a shop and the person is too busy playing on the phone to even greet you?

Local businesses need our support more than ever, just some dont seem to want to work for it.

Crimsonforce

Small thing, went to buy some veg and in particular asparagus
in Supervalu 6.99 for the group of 15 sticks or so

It's only 1.29 in aldi I said . She said sorry that's eh price.
I told her to kindly remove it from my total......

More than 4 times the amount... And we wonder whilst aldi lidl are doing so well...

endacl

Crimsonforce wrote: »

Small thing, went to buy some veg and in particular asparagus
in Supervalu 6.99 for the group of 15 sticks or so

It's only 1.29 in aldi I said . She said sorry that's eh price.
I told her to kindly remove it from my total......

More than 4 times the amount... And we wonder whilst aldi lidl are doing so well...

If you knew they were a quarter the price in aldiddley, why did you go to SV?

Actually, when you saw the price, why did you take them to the counter? Just to let the cashier who doesn't set the prices know that you knew asparagus was cheaper elsewhere.

Actually actually.... If you planned ahead, you could grow your own. It'd be practically free!!

Crimsonforce

endacl wrote: »

If you knew they were a quarter the price in aldiddley, why did you go to SV?

Actually, when you saw the price, why did you take them to the counter? Just to let the cashier who doesn't set the prices know that you knew asparagus was cheaper elsewhere.

Actually actually.... If you planned ahead, you could grow your own. It'd be practically free!![/

They were not priced. We said well they couldn't be more than a few euro took them to the counter and got the price.
I didn't know the price
Yes they are growing out the back garden in the veg patch as we speak.
I hope I covered all your questions.

Shelflife

Cant blame people for shopping around, I do it myself but will always try to shop local. As a retailer myself I believe what goes around comes around and sometimes its better to pay a slight premium as its more beneficial in the long run.

For example I buy all my diesel from a local garage, they in turn buy groceries from me, short term win win, in the long term its better for the village if the garage stays open, otherwise we have a 30km round trip to get diesel. I could get my diesel cheaper 15km away but the benefits outweigh the cost savings.

sometimes people dont compare like with like,for eg, aldi sell carrots in 750g bags and they were on offer at 69c, we sell carrots in 1kg bags at a std price of 99c -- very little difference in price per kg and cheaper than aldi when they are at their std price, yet people assume that they are the same size and that we are 33% dearer.

quality wise its the same thing, lidl sold bags of (whites) potatoes 10kg at €3.49. We were selling roosters at €3.49, we have never in 20 years sold whites in our shop as the quality is very poor to say the least (described to me once as solidified water).

I had a lady come in to get a paper and told me she was in a mad rush as she had to go into town to get her shopping in aldi and tesco, two wees later she was in looking for a summer job for her son.

I also see people shopping on line for clothes as its "cheaper" but then are disappointed with the quality or fit and have to pay to return the clothes so they are down €7.50 and have nothing to show for it.

In summary there are times when the local shops cant compete with the multiples, but people need to look at the big picture as well, if you dont support the local businesses then you cant complain when they close and you now have to travel a 30km round trip because you forgot milk or bread.

You also lose the personal touch and local expertise when buying local as opposed to buying on line.

make sure that you are comparing like with like esp with regard to quality and remember sometimes its better to pay a little extra in the short term to avoid major costs in the long term.

ben.schlomo

Crimsonforce wrote: »

Small thing, went to buy some veg and in particular asparagus
in Supervalu 6.99 for the group of 15 sticks or so

It's only 1.29 in aldi I said . She said sorry that's eh price.
I told her to kindly remove it from my total......

More than 4 times the amount... And we wonder whilst aldi lidl are doing so well...

What did you expect the staff member to do when you told her Aldi's price?

eqwjewoiujqorj

ben.schlomo wrote: »

What did you expect the staff member to do when you told her Aldi's price?

I'd expect her to have the cop on to realise that there was a mistake in the price.

6.99 for asparagus !!

Not even when rip off Ireland was at it's highest.

Curlysue76

jamesbil wrote: »

Horrible attitude!
Seems to be a thing, YOU should be grateful for bringing YOUR money into THEIR shop! Customer service in this modern age has gone out the window.
Ever gone into a shop and the person is too busy playing on the phone to even greet you?

Local businesses need our support more than ever, just some dont seem to want to work for it.

I have gone into few shops in a town in the west where they don't even acknowledge you, even if you're the only protential customer in there. Have made decision that every time I get this rude service I will not give them my custom, I don't go into certain shops around town at all now because of this.

I will travel to the next town if I can't get what I need rather than give money to people that don't have manners to say hello when I go into their shop.

Usually in quiet clothes and shoe shops. Wonder why they're quiet!!

ben.schlomo

eqwjewoiujqorj wrote: »

I'd expect her to have the cop on to realise that there was a mistake in the price.

6.99 for asparagus !!

Not even when rip off Ireland was at it's highest.

If thats the price it scans it then thats what she has to deal with, she wouldnt have the authority to reduce it to the complainants desired ALDI price.

countrynosebag

I know this is a vicious circle but the local supervalue keeps running out of basic things, they do charge more, quite a lot at least half the time.
I would like to supoort them more but running out of basics is shortsighted, i do realise they need to keep orders tightly controlled.
I would not mind ordering in advance and having it put aside for me but when told i have to wait until enough people want this and that it is hard not to pick it up elsewhere and often I cannot wait. I can get a lift sometimes and so I shop then. Delivery services would make a difference in our rural areas. The local buses are not once a day from out here but simply stopped and I am having problems trying to get hold of rural transport to book.
I tried to ring citizens' advice but they are temporarily closed. I thought they may be able to get in touch for me. They are moving to another place and up stairs too. I am rather elderly and disabled so my access is not possible now.
The local services left seem to ever dwindle and soon some of us will actually be trapped, deliveries would make a huge difference but, as I mention it is important to get out as isolation is depressing really.

amkin25

Always will probably go for the cheaper option myself,but it's not a fair playing field either,dunno how anyone expects local business to compete for price with massive multinational companies,local business will eventually become totally defunct.

Crimsonforce

I don't mind paying that little bit extra on food and groceries to shop local BUT where the asparagus is 6.99 in a eurospar supermarket and 1.29 in Lidl.

I work in biz myself where we are constantly trying to compete with internet prices.
do i match them? no , do i come close? yes.

On such a small item , a four times higher price is crazy retailing..

countrynosebag

I agree that four times the price is silly.
I would have bought the item i wanted, if it was the quality i prefer, as soon as i saw it.
Many things are not priced and assistants are thin on the ground but i do try to enquire, if not i do take it to till and say oh first, could you tell me these prices?
This does annoy those behind me, but i have waited my turn. I think some appreciate that others are not well off and cannot be blase.

No Pants

Shelflife wrote: »

two wees later

Yours or hers?