RIP OFFS IN NEWRY

binosusan · 17-11-2009 2:41pm #1

anyone notice this past year newry has become so expensive that prices are almost the same in supermarkets and some stores compared to the south?
kfc in newry only take cash and give a very low exchange rate like last week i was in kfc,newry and the exchange rate there was 80p while the banks gave you 89p. a difference of 9p. is this rip off or what. also noticed that they dont take credit cards. while the kfc in lisburn did take credit cards. work the math.
newry is making money from the exchange rate differences by charging more to people who pay cash. ive always used a tesco credit card where im not charged on exchange rate but given the same market rate. sometimes better than the shop's exchange price. i also found the same in the outlet where food outlets like subway dont take cards only cash. i withdrew pound from the atm once using by atm card and my bank charged me 3p less than market rate. when the going rate was 94p to a euro. while the same day my credit card gave me 93.88 to a euro.

binosusan · 17-11-2009 2:52pm

ive found sainsburys in newry double their prices and then reduce to half price which is actually the same price plus their profit. i was in lisburn and belfast last weekend and there is a huge difference from prices in newry or shops close to newry. sainsburys in lisburn had a huge queue at 12pm on sunday which was due to open at 1pm had to open earlier due to the queue. toys r us in lisburn is so much cheaper than smyths. branded items in asda in belfast cost only half compared to branded items in sainsburys. asda has so much value and reduce their price because they hardly get the flow from the south. shops in newry know that even if they dont reduce their price and put a 50% off sign and add a tiny 'UPTO' to it the southerners will flock to their shops seeing it as a bargain.

binosusan · 17-11-2009 3:05pm

how many of us actually check our sainsbury's bill before leaving the shop? most of us dont. my wife does every time we shop in the north and found sainsburys tend to overcharge by 3 to 4 pounds every single time we shopped in newry. we bought 4 items that cost 30p each and were charged 1 pound for them. we got our refund immediately ofcourse and customer service didnt even go looking if that was the price on the shelf. i guess they know they are overcharging. on my bill a pack of sweet buns cost 30p and another of the same pack cost 1 pound. does the scanner have 2 prices? this is not the first time its every time for the last 3 years. we are all in a hurry laughing at our bargain trolly not looking at the items on the bill cause once we reach home there is no way we are coming back to sort out 3 or 4 pounds. be careful ,they know we are all from the south and anything goes.

binosusan · 17-11-2009 3:18pm

the cheapest place to shop is the lisburn town centre. its way cheaper than newry and has all branded shops . the best shop i found was the pound supermarket. anything and everything was a pound. ive been to the pound store in newry "the quays' and believe me it is nothing compared to the cheap stuff they sell in newry pound stores. its as big as a tesco supermarket. it has everything from household goods to baby food (heinz) and bottles and medicines. anything that a cash strapped family can afford with excellent quality . not the chinese junk we get here in our euro stores. a pack of panadol is only 1 pound so forth. its crazy that newry has caught the southern flu as well. do we have so much money? do we not know when people rip us off? the british are ripping us off too. BEWARE. USE CREDIT CARDS NOT CASH. tesco doesnt have transaction charges for conversion anywhere in the world . ive used mine in dubai, uk, india, bahrain , in flight etc no charges whatsoever and best conversion rate. plus you get points back in vouchers. now how good is that ?

Slow Motion · 17-11-2009 3:22pm

Was in Newry a few weeks ago and was thinking something like this would happen. Price is dictated by what the market will bear. The answer is simple and people will cop on pretty quick now that they are prepared to travel further afield to do their shopping. They will just continue a little further up the road. They are already driving an hour + to get to Newry another 10-20 minutes for better prices will not be too much of a hassle! We have cottoned on to the concept of shopping around and I think people will continue to do so. I find it very short sighted of the shops you have mentioned OP and they will see their custom falling off accordingly I have no doubt!

binosusan · 17-11-2009 3:32pm

i believe so too, it is demand that brings up the price , it is also demand that made the QUAYS shopping centre to charge parking fees. ridiculous 1 pound an hour.

DubDani · 17-11-2009 3:49pm

KFC have no obligation to take Euro. According to their manager they have no interest in dealing with euro money, as it causes them too much hassle. That's why they set the exchange rate so low. Up until a few weeks ago it was 0.68, which was really taking the piss. :eek:

Re. Sainsbury. One of their managers is one of my neighbours, and he told me that they only use one pricing system for Sainsbury throughout the UK, and that all the prices are set and entered by the HQ. It doesn't make a difference if you shop in Newry or London or Manchester. All the same price. According to him it would cost them more to differentiate prices depending on location then they would ever be able to make out of it.

Some drug stores on the other hand are def. more expensive in Newry then they are for example in Belfast.

DubDani · 17-11-2009 3:53pm

binosusan wrote: »

i believe so too, it is demand that brings up the price , it is also demand that made the QUAYS shopping centre to charge parking fees. ridiculous 1 pound an hour.

So far it is only a trial, and not a permanent charge. They might still revert back to free parking after XMAS. They might even be forced by the council who are not too happy about it.

But the Buttercrane Centre will introduce charges from early 2010 as well. Rate has not been set afaik, but will probably same as at the Quays.

binosusan · 17-11-2009 3:58pm

no wonder sprucefield shopping centre was jampacked last weekend. parking is free and stocks on the shelf.

binosusan · 17-11-2009 4:07pm

DubDani wrote: »

KFC have no obligation to take Euro. According to their manager they have no interest in dealing with euro money, as it causes them too much hassle. That's why they set the exchange rate so low. Up until a few weeks ago it was 0.68, which was really taking the piss. :eek:

why dont they offer credit card system then? all other kfc's do in the north? newry is the only one that doesnt have it. is it so much hassle having a machine there? if that was the case then macdonalds wouldnt be taking credit cards either. kfc overcharges customers in newry because they can get away with it. not because handling euro is a hassle. they dont take coins only notes. change is given in pound. whoever the manager or owner is he is trying to make money while its flowing.

DubDani · 17-11-2009 4:14pm

I don't know. I am a bit in two minds about all the currency rates stuff. IMO you should just get some local currency of you are in a country that doesn't accept your currency. How difficult can it be to stop at a cash machine and take out £20?

Hardly anyone in the republic takes £ (best example would be the Toll Bridge on the M1), so why should they all go out of their way to take Euro now? To some of the bigger retailers it makes maybe financial sense, but to other low volume shops it most likely won't.

Overature · 17-11-2009 4:17pm

binosusan wrote: »

anyone notice this past year newry has become so expensive that prices are almost the same in supermarkets and some stores compared to the south?
kfc in newry only take cash and give a very low exchange rate like last week i was in kfc,newry and the exchange rate there was 80p while the banks gave you 89p. a difference of 9p. is this rip off or what. also noticed that they dont take credit cards. while the kfc in lisburn did take credit cards. work the math.
newry is making money from the exchange rate differences by charging more to people who pay cash. ive always used a tesco credit card where im not charged on exchange rate but given the same market rate. sometimes better than the shop's exchange price. i also found the same in the outlet where food outlets like subway dont take cards only cash. i withdrew pound from the atm once using by atm card and my bank charged me 3p less than market rate. when the going rate was 94p to a euro. while the same day my credit card gave me 93.88 to a euro.

why you go KFC?

binosusan · 17-11-2009 7:11pm

i got to kfc once a year and is usually outside ireland. cause we get more value for money. ireland is the most expensive place for a kfc bucket in europe.

Sofiztikated · 17-11-2009 7:31pm

They don't have to take Euro, and of course they give change back in STG, as that is their currency. Same as if someone uses STG in a shop here (if accepted) and change is given back in Euro.

It's only recently that McD's and the like have started taking credit cards, and in all honesty, why use a CC in KFC, just use cash. You do know if you go to a bank machine, it gives you this paper that you can exchange for goods and services rendered?

Its also common sense to check your receipts, as with so many different offers on, well, offer, some things do slip through the net. Same happens here.

Oh, and the next time you're up there, invest in some paragraphs. Makes for easier reading.

The_Conductor · 17-11-2009 9:03pm

binosusan wrote: »

asda has so much value and reduce their price because they hardly get the flow from the south.

You reckon?
I did a reccie of the carpark. There were cars from as far south as Cork and Kerry there (though Dublin predominated, with Louth and Cavan coming up close behind).

Thankgod I had a full tank of diesel from home- its about 20% more expensive over the border......

Tipsy Mac · 17-11-2009 11:31pm

Asda, Sainsburys and Tesco all charge the very same in Northern Ireland as they do in the UK stores they operate in, the price on their website is the price you pay. I'd avoid using Euro notes in any of the shops as you will only end up getting ripped off, either use a credit card or take sterling out of an ATM.

okidoki987 · 17-11-2009 11:41pm

when the going rate was 94p to a euro. while the same day my credit card gave me 93.88 to a euro.

Check your credit card bill as I'm nearly sure that exchange rate also includes a currency conversion charge which all the credit card companies charge.

They don't have to take Euro, and of course they give change back in STG, as that is their currency. Same as if someone uses STG in a shop here (if accepted) and change is given back in Euro.

+1

It costs the shop money to change the Euro into Sterling in a Bank so all they are doing is making sure they don't lose anything by offering it to their customers.
As said already you could withdraw £20 from an ATM yourself.
No shop in ROI takes Sterling so why would you expect a shop in NI to take Euro?

binosusan · 19-11-2009 9:56am

smcarrick i meant the asda on shore road, belfast. i did a reccie of the car park there last week and mine was the only car with irish plates.

The_Conductor · 19-11-2009 10:11am

binosusan wrote: »

smcarrick i meant the asda on shore road, belfast. i did a reccie of the car park there last week and mine was the only car with irish plates.

Ahh- it was Lisburn I visited.

In short- the further north you go- the less likely you are to be mobbed by compatriots from the south, and the less likely price gouging is to occur?

binosusan · 19-11-2009 10:11am

okidoki987 wrote: »

Check your credit card bill as I'm nearly sure that exchange rate also includes a currency conversion charge which all the credit card companies charge.

i think i know when im charged conversion charges on my credit card as i worked in a bank for 2 years . tesco credit cards do not have conversion charge as they reduce a very small amount while converting . eg. if the market rate is 90p to a euro i would get 89.5p while a shop gives you 87p. tesco have never charged me anything than just convert the money. i know other banks charge you for converting but tesco clearly doesnt. someone also said halifax does the same. plus i get money back from tesco for shopping with the card. i couldnt ask for more.

hellboy99 · 19-11-2009 2:47pm

Both Asda and Sainsburys (Sainburys at the Quays is a rip off, between giving the lowest rate around, 0.84p and them charging for the carpark) have been slowly creeping their prices up on alot of items over the last two weeks. I was talking to one of the staff in Asda and she too noticed it and said that is was due to the increase in southern shoppers and the shop trying to cash in on it hoping that no one will notice :rolleyes:

Iceland is still better value but you have less choice.

Victor · 19-11-2009 3:07pm

binosusan wrote: »

kfc in newry only take cash and give a very low exchange rate like last week i was in kfc,newry and the exchange rate there was 80p while the banks gave you 89p. a difference of 9p. is this rip off or what. also noticed that they dont take credit cards. while the kfc in lisburn did take credit cards. work the math.

KFC - is that hte new Bank of Scotland brand?

binosusan · 19-11-2009 6:50pm

Victor wrote: »

KFC - is that hte new Bank of Scotland brand?

kentucky fried chicken, dont know if they have a bank in that brand. they should the way its been run here:)

binosusan · 19-11-2009 6:59pm

hellboy99 wrote: »

Both Asda and Sainsburys (Sainburys at the Quays is a rip off, between giving the lowest rate around, 0.84p and them charging for the carpark) have been slowly creeping their prices up on alot of items over the last two weeks. I was talking to one of the staff in Asda and she too noticed it and said that is was due to the increase in southern shoppers and the shop trying to cash in on it hoping that no one will notice :rolleyes:

Iceland is still better value but you have less choice.

proves my point why newry is a rip off. demand is high so why not rip the southerners off. how many of us convert the price before we buy it? if we did our trolleys would b empty. belfast and lisburn are way lot cheaper. asda is the cheapest in belfast for brand products.

MarysCross · 20-11-2009 6:04pm

I have had to attend meetings in Craigavon every few weeks and have started to do my grocery shopping In Sainsburys there instead of going to their branch in Armagh, there's about 20% difference on most things.

Honestly though, it all feels like a bit depressing!

I've seen a supermarket called Emersons beside the Sainsburys carpark in Armagh and might try that next time, I hate getting ripped off!

C0N0R · 20-11-2009 9:59pm

If your going shopping in the north bring both sterling and euro with you, that way if you know what the exchange rate is on the day you will always win. If the shop is offering you a bad rate give them the sterling, if there giving a good rate give them euro. I lived in newry for two years and i found that sometimes you could walk into debenhams, but something for say £1.50, give them a €50 note and get your sterling change and still be quids up on the bank rate.

As for complaing about shops giving a below market rate, get over it, i grew up in monaghan and spent alot of my time both sides of the border, whenever i gave anywhere sterling down here i always lost out on the rate, its common sense. If you give sterling to most shops down here the chances are they will not give you anything on it and if they do it wont be very much anyway.

I shopped in sainsburys newry and sainsburys sprucefield and i never noticed a difference in prices, nor was i ever overcharged in either.

maryjane007 · 21-11-2009 10:44am

binosusan wrote: »

the cheapest place to shop is the lisburn town centre. its way cheaper than newry and has all branded shops . the best shop i found was the pound supermarket. anything and everything was a pound.

how do i get to the town centre. ive only been to sprucefield. if anyone could give me a street even to put into the sat nav

oh and where is the pound supermarket?

thanks

medic143 · 21-11-2009 5:16pm

Try the Bow Street Shopping Mall into your Sat Nav for Lisburn, parking there 1.50 for 2 hours.

snubbleste · 21-11-2009 6:33pm

maryjane007 wrote: »

how do i get to the town centre. ive only been to sprucefield. if anyone could give me a street even to put into the sat nav

oh and where is the pound supermarket?
thanks

Poundland have opened in the Bow St Mall

They have 230g DairyMilk bars for £1 and loads of other deals
www.poundland.co.uk

maryjane007 · 21-11-2009 10:44pm

lovely cant wait to get up there thanks

workaccount · 22-11-2009 12:20am

DubDani wrote: »

Re. Sainsbury. One of their managers is one of my neighbours, and he told me that they only use one pricing system for Sainsbury throughout the UK, and that all the prices are set and entered by the HQ. It doesn't make a difference if you shop in Newry or London or Manchester. All the same price. According to him it would cost them more to differentiate prices depending on location then they would ever be able to make out of it.

I'd be surprised if they didn't have branch prices capability on their software system. Another case where you might need it is if a local competitor is doing a special offer. If your business sells that item then you will want to be competitive but only in that store. Also if you have just opened a new store there may be special offers on certain items specific to that store. That's just two examples.

Not much work involved in setting branch specific prices really. Where it would be just too much work is if you had 500 branches where each branch had it's own price for every item in the inventory (thousands in the case of tesco or sainsburys) - no way you could keep track of that. In my experience a business will not have that many branch prices.

If your computer system does not already have this capability there would not be alot of work involved in adding it in.

Thanks for the heads up OP. I haven't been to Newry and don't intend to go - I was in Belfast last Christmas. I will warn others though.

RIP OFFS IN NEWRY

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