The case for NOT supporting local business

Wanderer78 · 25-10-2020 12:42pm

Augeo wrote: »

Local londis is 200 yards from a Tesco & there's a centra in between them. The londis is thriving so it can be done.

it can be done of course,but it can also come at a cost, and labour tends to be who loses the most

jelem · 25-10-2020 12:52pm

Tig98 wrote: »

A friend was buying a laptop and priced Harvey Norman vs the locally owned equivalent. The local shop was legitimately 200e dearer and he said to the lady herself who owned it that he could get it much cheaper in Harvey Norman, she said that's the price you have to pay to support local.

Supporting local is well and good, but doing so shouldn't make a fool out of yourself either. I understand independent traders cant offer such competitive prices but they should make an extra push with the services they provide to draw and keep a customer base

You lack knowledge on computers, as even the large brand names
provide little support and hence the "local" shop cannot offer "service".
when it is a windows fault the unit does not work the "shop" cannot help.
with part failures it is faster if purchased from on-line such as mentioned "amazon"
to get "fast" results.
Not all on-line is good and having experience purchasing from china\usa\eu\russia etc.,
the worst experience was from an irish "on-line" Big Name.
rashers and milk Local all other larger items that can and do go wrong
should be "on-line" and "world market".
nothing as bad as being told have to wait" x weeks" for "irish shop" to get delivery from eu.
get cheaper including delivery and quicker by on-line purchase, local shop is just
reseller so obvious price hike.

25-10-2020 12:56pm

Wanderer78 wrote: »

it can be done of course,but it can also come at a cost, and labour tends to be who loses the most

Yes, making a career out of working in local londis is less than wise.

Wanderer78 · 25-10-2020 12:58pm

Augeo wrote: »

Yes, making a career out of working in local londis is less than wise.

what if its your only choice?

3DataModem · 25-10-2020 1:00pm

Wanderer78 wrote: »

You may in fact being undermining your own employment situation by doing so

I'm looking forward to my future amazon wear house job

None of the jobs in Ireland are warehouse jobs. All in technology, networking, etc.

Tig98 · 25-10-2020 1:02pm

Augeo wrote: »

Yes, making a career out of working in local londis is less than wise.

Different strokes, different folks.

Not everyone has the opportunity of formal education, and at the end of the day life is about fulfillment not your bank balance...

Wanderer78 · 25-10-2020 1:04pm

3DataModem wrote: »

None of the jobs in Ireland are warehouse jobs. All in technology, networking, etc.

patience, tis early days yet! would any amazon products, purchased by irish buyers, passthrough irish based warehouses?

Vieira82 · 25-10-2020 1:36pm

Augeo wrote: »

I buy shoes reduced on line that are still 200/300 Euro..... From the factory often. No fooking way am I driving into Dublin to try and find them for 400+.

Most of my clothes I'll get in BT sale or Kildare Village..... Local menswear outlets are stocking awful stuff.

I shop in the local supervalue instead of Aldi or Lidl or Tesco as its a nice shop and the bottom line compares favourably.

Local restaurants, yes. Most definitely in the ones with good menus and settings etc.

Basically I shop local if the outlet is priced competitively with decent stuff that I want.

This example is pure and simple bull****. You cannot buy from the factory. You are buying from someone that bought from the factory their excess stock. Those shoes are 100% not made in Europe and had a cost of probably a couple of Euros. I know this because I work with shoe factories from around Europe.

You are just blatantly lying and you have no idea how retail works and how it works in a globalized world where European shoemakers struggle to make a living in a market filled to the brim with third world countries products

So no, you're not buying local or cheap you live in a illusion and actually being ripped off by that "factory seller"

A cost of an European made pair of shoes is around 39€ add to that a retail margin of x3 a comfortable margin and you get a pair of high quality brogues for 120€

So if you're buying European or Irish (which I know you aren't) you are being ripped off.

If you're buying from a "factory" in a third world country you're being even more ripped off.

So yes you're just "waffling" about stuff you have no knowledge about

jetfiremuck · 25-10-2020 2:30pm

Look at the gougeing that we get when buying a car here ffs. treated like crap at purchase time with exceptions. It was and still is cheaper to buy in the UK , get a better spec and service history than here..........so should be all head to our local SIMI garage with a 500g jar of Vaseline......I dont think so.

jelem · 25-10-2020 2:40pm

Vieira82 wrote: »

This example is pure and simple bull****. You cannot buy from the factory. You are buying from someone that bought from the factory their excess stock. Those shoes are 100% not made in Europe and had a cost of probably a couple of Euros. I know this because I work with shoe factories from around Europe.

You are just blatantly lying and you have no idea how retail works and how it works in a globalized world where European shoemakers struggle to make a living in a market filled to the brim with third world countries products

So no, you're not buying local or cheap you live in a illusion and actually being ripped off by that "factory seller"

A cost of an European made pair of shoes is around 39€ add to that a retail margin of x3 a comfortable margin and you get a pair of high quality brogues for 120€

So if you're buying European or Irish (which I know you aren't) you are being ripped off.

If you're buying from a "factory" in a third world country you're being even more ripped off.

So yes you're just "waffling" about stuff you have no knowledge about

lol You just the person needed to force irish to buy overpriced goods.
you touting for job in bord failte or other -
ive bought from hong kong expecting medium quality and been surprised by the high quality level.
just watch for brexit and how EU will pile on more tax if not irish government do it themselves.
ireland will have to pay more anyhow to make up for eu loss of uk payment..
You fail to point out free trade is a fake statement.
It is Get what you can and "island" ireland with government taking high tax is the
cause.

Vieira82 · 25-10-2020 2:46pm

jelem wrote: »

lol You just the person needed to force irish to buy overpriced goods.
you touting for job in bord failte or other -
ive bought from hong kong expecting medium quality and been surprised by the high quality level.
just watch for brexit and how EU will pile on more tax if not irish government do it themselves.
ireland will have to pay more anyhow to make up for eu loss of uk payment..
You fail to point out free trade is a fake statement.
It is Get what you can and "island" ireland with government taking high tax is the
cause.

Ahahaha

high taxes in Ireland? When you can, feel free leave the rock you're under a smell the world outside

Never ceases to surprise me how much the Irish love to spit on their own country with an innane will based on nothing.

Don't ever move to France, Germany or Spain, you'll get a heart attack when you see your tax liability

jelem · 25-10-2020 3:21pm

Vieira82 wrote: »

Ahahaha high taxes in Ireland? When you can, feel free leave the rock you're under a smell the world outside

Never ceases to surprise me how much the Irish love to spit on their own country with an innane will based on nothing.

Don't ever move to France, Germany or Spain, you'll get a heart attack when you see your tax liability

You fail to advise of the "benefits" available in those countries which are not here.
i have lived in many countries on this plkanet and my eyes have not been fitted with
irish "under the rock" mental ability glasses.
the loyal irish "rose tinted glasses" you have are being removed slowly by the
citizens slow removal of FG and FF jackboot influence on citizens education
by refusing to give them a majority to continue in their little\narrow minded ways.

Vieira82 · 25-10-2020 3:36pm

jelem wrote: »

You fail to advise of the "benefits" available in those countries which are not here.
i have lived in many countries on this plkanet and my eyes have not been fitted with
irish "under the rock" mental ability glasses.
the loyal irish "rose tinted glasses" you have are being removed slowly by the
citizens slow removal of FG and FF jackboot influence on citizens education
by refusing to give them a majority to continue in their little\narrow minded ways.

Just need to mention one... a working, practically free National Health System.

would gladly pay more taxes for that

everything else you wrote is just a complete enraged ramble, good for you for loosing your cool, now, let's go back on topic.

AndrewJRenko · 25-10-2020 5:27pm

JustAThought wrote: »

Drive the length of Ireland off the motorways - it is full of desolate bleak barren villages and run down town riddled with abandoned and empty units. If you want busy villages with local shops and part time jobs for your families and teenagers and little sweet shops to drop into and pick up a newspaper & have a chat & buy a something for an occasion for yourself or your kids then you should support local businesses. There is more to the economy and creating and sustaIning communities than getting a bargain price. Look at the miners towns in the uk - when the main businesses went everything collapsed and while generations have had to emigrate or live with no hope. There was a famous book in the 60’s written about the decline of rural Irish towns, the loss of the youth to no opportunities or local employment and the exodus of young and families from villages and areas that had nothing left open in them - this is exactly that over again.
‘No-one shouted stop’.

The bigger problem for these villages and towns is the preponderance of one-off housing that create a car-bound lifestyle with NOTHING within walking distance. If they did a bit of proper town planning and had people living within walking or cycling distance of the town centre, they would be much more likely to use the shops in the town rather than driving to the out-of-town retail parks.

Dempo1 wrote: »

O God, I'm reminded of a men's wear shop in a Midlands town (no names) absolute chancer. Customer would arrive, needing shirts, owner would say I've the very thing, run out the back of the store, into Dunnes, get a few discounted shirts, run back over, remove packaging etc and mark up price x 2, he didn't only do this with shirts, trousers etc. He even got his hands on rental suits and sold them as new. Finally caught out when the wife queried hubby about one set of shirts, hubby purchased, she wondered why Dunnes Stores branded label on the inside, went to the dunnes stores to verify and check prices. I'd didn't witness what happened next but I believe there was an entertaining screaming match on the street outside menswear shop shortly afterwards. It was the talk of the town for weeks after with more disgruntled customers arriving. Shop thankfully now closed, Revenue were involved.

So no-one else ever noticed the Dunnes labels on shirts for years? Are all the townies in-bred to the point of mental deficiency or what?

25-10-2020 5:53pm

The OP's post is typical of someone in the public sector.

When we are subjected to their propaganda campaigns for pay increases, all we hear the importance of setting a benchmark to 'avoid a race to the bottom' , to support local towns and villages, criticizing big business that refuse to recognize unions.

However when it comes to their spending, they are first online to save a euro with Amazon or first to jump on a Ryanair flight. Never a 2nd thought given to local towns or workers if it saves them a euro.

Wanderer78 · 25-10-2020 5:55pm

salonfire wrote: »

The OP's post is typical of someone in the public sector.

When we are subjected to their propaganda campaigns for pay increases, all we hear the importance of setting a benchmark to 'avoid a race to the bottom' , to support local towns and villages, criticizing big business that refuse to recognize unions.

However when it comes to their spending, they are first online to save a euro with Amazon or first to jump on a Ryanair flight. Never a 2nd thought given to local towns or workers if it saves them a euro.

is the op a public sector worker?

screamer · 25-10-2020 6:04pm

It’ll all be well and good until all our local shops are closed. Then you’ll have people moaning they’re gone. I buy clothes locally as I like to see what I’m buying. I don’t believe in this fast fashion crap and would rather pay more for something of quality that lasts well. Yes, it is more expensive but so be it, this cut everything to the bottom line is why we are so dependant in China and other Far Eastern countries for crap. Filling our world with crap and wrecking the environment. Some things are worth paying extra for, but greed always wins.

27-10-2020 12:24pm

Vieira82 wrote: »

Ireland has plenty of artisans and crafters. Really good talented people with very small businesses. Most of them do not have a shop even, they have their stock in craft shops or do craft markets and events to put their goods out there.

Ireland also has plenty of gougers, people looking to charge over the odds for something they've deluded themselves into believing is worth far more than it actually is. Plenty of markets also who don't accept anything other than cash, so you can bet your ass the taxman won't be seeing a penny of it.

Vieira82 wrote: »

Keep in mind going for the cheapest option is not good either. There is always a fair price for anything. IF you are buying something at a very cheap price it means that if you're not paying for it someone else is.

Tug at the heart strings all you want, people will vote with their wallets 90% of the time. If you're an artisanal leatherworker who's charging nearly €50 for a wallet that's available for €1 in Penney's, then your business model is a joke and completely unsustainable, and you should maybe look for another field of work.

If, however, your €50 wallet is miles better than the Penneys one and completely different in practically every way, then your comparison isn't valid and it renders the rest of your post redundant.

Wanderer78 wrote: »

....again, how can smaller shops compete against such monopolies?

Convenience, is the short and simple answer. You flaunt the things that the big boys don't or can't do. I buy my dog food online, because lugging around 15-20kg is a pain in the neck (literally). Last time I ran out, I popped into a B&M shop near me and discovered they do local, same day deliveries. I've started buying from them now.

Same with every other type of shopping discussed so far in this thread. Amazon are no use to you if you need a shirt for a meeting tomorrow, or when your wipers are banjaxed on your car and it is raining out, or the kids need some bonjela for their teeth. But, by that same token, neither is your local shop if they pull the shutters at 5.00pm on the dot.

screamer wrote: »

It’ll all be well and good until all our local shops are closed. Then you’ll have people moaning they’re gone. I buy clothes locally as I like to see what I’m buying. I don’t believe in this fast fashion crap and would rather pay more for something of quality that lasts well. Yes, it is more expensive but so be it, this cut everything to the bottom line is why we are so dependant in China and other Far Eastern countries for crap. Filling our world with crap and wrecking the environment. Some things are worth paying extra for, but greed always wins.

You're deluding yourself if you don't think that the vast, vast majority of the clothes you're buying locally aren't also made in Asia by the same 12 year olds who are making sh1t for Penneys.

kippy · 27-10-2020 12:29pm

Heebie wrote: »

The ones you got are probably knock-offs that cost $10 to make.

Most of these things cost that price or less to make. Knock off or not.....

Supporting local where feasible/possible is a good thing however price does come into it. Of there's not much in it I'll go local if I can. Sometimes local though is national.

27-10-2020 12:31pm

Wanderer78 wrote: »

what if its your only choice?

It's only your only choice if you have no interest whatsoever in bettering yourself, learning new skills or earning more money. To resign yourself to working 40+ years in an entry level retail job requires a satisfaction with entry level pay and benefits for 40+ years ......... that's a decision, pure and simple.

Open the Pubs · 27-10-2020 12:35pm

salonfire wrote: »

The OP's post is typical of someone in the public sector.

When we are subjected to their propaganda campaigns for pay increases, all we hear the importance of setting a benchmark to 'avoid a race to the bottom' , to support local towns and villages, criticizing big business that refuse to recognize unions.

However when it comes to their spending, they are first online to save a euro with Amazon or first to jump on a Ryanair flight. Never a 2nd thought given to local towns or workers if it saves them a euro.

Agreed.

27-10-2020 12:39pm

Vieira82 wrote: »

This example is pure and simple bull****. You cannot buy from the factory. You are buying from someone that bought from the factory their excess stock. Those shoes are 100% not made in Europe and had a cost of probably a couple of Euros. I know this because I work with shoe factories from around Europe.

You are just blatantly lying ................................

So if you're buying European or Irish (which I know you aren't) you are being ripped off.

If you're buying from a "factory" in a third world country you're being even more ripped off.

So yes you're just "waffling" about stuff you have no knowledge about

You are talking through your hoop, Northampton shoe manufacturers have their own factoy shops. All of the shoes I am referring to are hand made in England.

What you claim to know to be true is your own blinkered view and experience of retail......... I have bought several pair of hand made in England shoes from the manufacturers factory stores based in Northampton, England.

Vieira82 wrote: »

This example is pure and simple bull****

It's fact

Vieira82 wrote: »

You cannot buy from the factory.

Yes, yes I can

Vieira82 wrote: »

You are buying from someone that bought from the factory their excess stock.

No, no I'm not

Vieira82 wrote: »

Those shoes are 100% not made in Europe

Made in England........... Barker, Joseph Cheaney, Loake 1880

Vieira82 wrote: »

and had a cost of probably a couple of Euros. I know this because I work with shoe factories from around Europe.

You don't seem to know anything about made in England shoes

Vieira82 wrote: »

You are just blatantly lying

No, you are blateantly talking sh1t about things you know nothing about

Vieira82 wrote: »

So if you're buying European or Irish (which I know you aren't) you are being ripped off.

If you're buying from a "factory" in a third world country you're being even more ripped off.

I'm buying hand made in England shoes from the factory shops

Vieira82 wrote: »

So yes you're just "waffling" about stuff you have no knowledge about

lol, you need a humongous slice of humble pie

Vieira82 wrote: »

A cost of an European made pair of shoes is around 39€ add to that a retail margin of x3 a comfortable margin and you get a pair of high quality brogues for 120€

I don't buy such brogues............ you won't get goodyear welted stuff for that price unless it's made in India. the shoes you describe aren't high quality, they are disposable crap that are in sh1t after a season of wearing them.

Anyway, I'll not wait for an apology for the claim that I was lying.

these aren't made in Europe no?
https://www.cheaney.co.uk/cheaney-berkeley-wholecut-oxford-in-black-calf-leather-p1

cheaney-berkeley-wholecut-oxford-in-black-calf-leather-p1-1119_medium.jpg

Cheaney don't have a factory shop ?

WELCOME TO THE CHEANEY OUTLET
Here you will find what remains of our end of season & discontinued stock. Limited size availability. To quickly search for what we have available use the "Department" filter from the left hand menu to get started

https://www.cheaney.co.uk/outlet-c89

Will I find the links for Barker, Lobb, Crocket & Jones, Loake 1880 range, Church etc for you?

um7y1h83ge06nx · 27-10-2020 12:50pm

I dislike businesses relying on "shop local" to keep them in business, they need to do more than that.

I do a mix of online, local and big chain shopping.

Some items you really need to buy online. Pc components and accessories are way over-priced in the likes of Curry's for instance with a poor selection. Books are another thing - I do be shocked at the prices differences between the likes of Easons and independent retailers in comparison to the Book Depository, which is where I buy 90% of my books. Sometimes the difference can be around 50%.

Some local/Irish retailers are great though. We like hot sauce in this house and a few months back I put in an order with Mic's Chilli, based in Wicklow. His prices are at the top end of what I would be willing to spend but the quality is fantastic. In my first order they threw in a free bottle of sweet chilli sauce. Recently they had a 30% off sale so I ordered a few more bottles. Last time I thought the freebie might be for my first order but second time around they gave me a free hot sauce. Granted these are probably items that are not shifting but fair play to them and if they don't increase their prices I'll continue to buy from them.

The biggest and most expensive item I ever bought online was a ride-on lawnmower from Italy (GGP in Italy manufacture a lot of the big brands that are sold in Ireland). Delivery was €20 and I saved about €500 in comparison to buying in Ireland. Granted, some assembly was required (about 2 hours I would say taking things slowly) but it was worth it.

Another shout-out would be to our local village butcher. No more expensive than the big chains and the quality is great. When we switched from Lidl "premium" mince to his we couldn't get over the difference, very noticeable.

ELM327 · 27-10-2020 12:50pm

I'm probably the person/demographic that the OP hates the most.
Myself and the mrs both work in fintech for MNCs based here.
We do most all our shopping online where possible. I have aspergers so I hate interacting with people. Therefore clicking "buy" on amazon is a lot easier than walking into mcilhenneys. Even if Amazon (or other online source) were slightly more expensive I'd pay for the privilege.

I even bought my last car (tesla) online direct from the manufacturer. I could have had it delivered to my door but I opted to go and collect for the adventure/photo ops.

This is the way the world is going. Online. The days are gone of being price gouged in the local village by the shopkeeper, hardware store owner, butcher etc who'd smile at you as you come in, shake your hand at mass, donate to the lads/ladies local gaa team, but rip you off by charging 50-75+% margin.

Mitch Connor · 27-10-2020 12:57pm

I try to buy in my local village. Mainly because I want to still exist in 15 years. I want to be able to go to the local cafe for a hot chocolate, or to the local garage for a fill up, or restaurant for a meal. I buy a few pieces for the house or presents for family in a local shop as well - as I want the area it is in ( a nice little shop/cafe/garden ) to be vibrent for years to come.

If there are items I can buy local, and easily, I generally will.

On top of that I buy a lot of stuff online - pet foods, electrical and entertainment items etc.

I shop local, when I do, because I want to contribute to the society and community I have chosen to live in. I want places to go, I don't want a run down local village with boarded up shops etc. That would make where I live a worse place to live.

um7y1h83ge06nx · 27-10-2020 1:19pm

Shop local depends on how local you define it to be. I live about 2km from a small village and a 12 minute drive from a large suburb of Limerick city. If I just focus on the businesses in the village

New cafe - fantastic to have it here, used be a pub/restaurant (which we supported) before that went under. Pity with the Covid restrictions but will aim to try this out.

Spar Shop/Petrol Station - only use this if I'm stuck for diesel or essentials like milk. Not a huge stock and typical small shop prices. Popped in there once as we were out of peppers and needed some for what we were about to cook, they didn't have any. We prefer doing big shops in the Lidl 12 minutes away.

Butcher - Fantastic! As I mentioned earlier, no more expensive than the big chains and the quality is much, much better. Love their smokey homemade burgers and they always have good offers. Buy the majority of our meat here.

Post Office - very handy to have and would use this as my main post office. The post office is part of the post mistresses house and parcels that cannot be delivered are kept in her garage until they are collected.

Chipper - Only used it once and really was not impressed. Poor quality and standard enough prices.

Small hardware shop - only used it once or twice, not much stock. Would use the co-op shop in the next town or the big builder providers in the city.

Pharmacy - Used it a few times but when I was working in the office it was easier to buy close to there instead. Working from home now I will use this instead if I need something.

AndrewJRenko · 27-10-2020 1:30pm

Augeo wrote: »

It's only your only choice if you have no interest whatsoever in bettering yourself, learning new skills or earning more money. To resign yourself to working 40+ years in an entry level retail job requires a satisfaction with entry level pay and benefits for 40+ years ......... that's a decision, pure and simple.

This misses the point. Even if the individual does upskill and upgrade, the minimum-wage job is still there, for the people who clean our toilets and our offices, mind our children and our parents and more.

These are the people who will never have a hope of owning a property in Ireland and will live precarious lives.

ELM327 wrote: »

I'm probably the person/demographic that the OP hates the most.
Myself and the mrs both work in fintech for MNCs based here.
We do most all our shopping online where possible. I have aspergers so I hate interacting with people. Therefore clicking "buy" on amazon is a lot easier than walking into mcilhenneys. Even if Amazon (or other online source) were slightly more expensive I'd pay for the privilege.

There are other places to buy online other than Amazon. Do you really want to make Bezos richer with every purchase, while he denies basic rights to workers in US and UK?

ELM327 · 27-10-2020 1:32pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

This misses the point. Even if the individual does upskill and upgrade, the minimum-wage job is still there, for the people who clean our toilets and our offices, mind our children and our parents and more.

These are the people who will never have a hope of owning a property in Ireland and will live precarious lives.

There are other places to buy online other than Amazon. Do you really want to make Bezos richer with every purchase, while he denies basic rights to workers in US and UK?

To be honest I dont use amazon that much. I dont even have prime, so I use herself's account if I want to buy anything. I was using amazon as a proxy for online shopping in general.

The J Stands for Jay · 27-10-2020 1:36pm

Rubberchikken wrote: »

I buy groceries local in so far as I shop in local Tesco and nearby supervalu with quick trip to Aldi once a week for couple of small items.
We buy our meat in butchers, have done so for a couple of decades.
Coal from the local Co op store and that's about it. Virtually everything else is online simply because I'm fed up going from shop to shop for items they never seem to have, virus or no virus.

Tesco isn't local.

ELM327 · 27-10-2020 1:39pm

McGaggs wrote: »

Tesco isn't local.

Do the people that work there commute from mars or something?

27-10-2020 1:41pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

This misses the point. Even if the individual does upskill and upgrade, the minimum-wage job is still there, for the people who clean our toilets and our offices, mind our children and our parents and more.

These are the people who will never have a hope of owning a property in Ireland and will live precarious lives..........

Yes, the entry level job is still there for someone to get entry level experience before they move on.

We all did entry level jobs, well most of us did anyway.

We are all living precarious lives.

Jimson · 27-10-2020 1:44pm

Wherever I get the best deal I shop.

I'm not going to pay 250 euro for an item in DID when I can get the same item on Amazon for 180.

Same with clothes, way cheaper online and a much larger selection than whats in the stores. The return policy on clothes is excellent now wherever you buy them online.

The only thing I really shop local is independent butchers for meat and not the supermarkets. Support the local pub as well of course.

ELM327 · 27-10-2020 1:49pm

Augeo wrote: »

Yes, the entry level job is still there for someone to get entry level experience before they move on.

We all did entry level jobs, well most of us did anyway.

We are all living precarious lives.

+1 I worked in mcdonalds years ago. We all start out in those types of jobs but it's not meant to be a career.

NSAman · 27-10-2020 1:51pm

If you don’t shop local, please DO NOT go looking for sponsorship/prizes for your raffle/sports club/drama group/ local initiative. Go to where you purchase..I.e. ask amazon / Etsy/etc....

kippy · 27-10-2020 1:52pm

ELM327 wrote: »

+1 I worked in mcdonalds years ago. We all start out in those types of jobs but it's not meant to be a career.

This is not true for everyone....lots of people working 'entry level jobs' all their lives and/or late in live for many reasons.
Not everyone can progress through the jobs/pay scales and sometimes it's a personal choice.

ELM327 · 27-10-2020 2:07pm

Later in life I can accept. I may do similar for a few hours if I'm bored living off passive income at that point.

But there's no reason anyone should be tied to working in min wage jobs as a career in a country where education is free to those who need it and even subsidized

The J Stands for Jay · 27-10-2020 2:22pm

Darc19 wrote: »

It's not as simple as that.

Tesco is a classic example.

They buy over €300m of irish products for their UK stores every year. Having an operation here can pinpoint some items that will sell well in the uk.

Then you look at the beneficial owners

Tesco = pension funds = hundreds of thousands of people

Dunnes = one ultra rich family.

Good point. I have pension funds in Tesco. I believe Dunnes are an unlimited company and don't even file accounts.

Bowlardo · 27-10-2020 2:28pm

yes lets spend all out money on amazon who don't pay a red rex in tax in the great scheme of things.
Where possible you should shop local. end of story. more tax in the economy and a directly around the community.
Where do you thinks your kids are going to work for their summer jobs?
local SMEs that's where
Who do you think is going to paying the dole for the people in these shops if the closed down.

OP did paint a good picture of shops that are stuck in a time warp and if they are making no effort to move with the time then they probably do deserve to die a death

The J Stands for Jay · 27-10-2020 4:19pm

ELM327 wrote: »

Do the people that work there commute from mars or something?

I'm arguing against Tesco being chosen over Aldi and Lidl because they're "local". They both use Irish suppliers, but the profits leave the country.

GarIT · 27-10-2020 8:38pm

NSAman wrote: »

If you don’t shop local, please DO NOT go looking for sponsorship/prizes for your raffle/sports club/drama group/ local initiative. Go to where you purchase..I.e. ask amazon / Etsy/etc....

Amazon will actually donate to the charity of your choice if you use smile.amazon.com. I have mine going to the Movember org.

I do check Irish retailers online to see if they have a similar price before buying from Amazon, usually they don't.

I'd happily pay a premium to shop online. Saves me time and effort going searching through shops.

Many Irish business have lost my custom due to not answering emails or not having a functioning website.

And delivery charges, don't know why an Irish retailer needs to charge €10 to post a game when others do it for free.

Wanderer78 · 27-10-2020 9:46pm

Augeo wrote:

It's only your only choice if you have no interest whatsoever in bettering yourself, learning new skills or earning more money. To resign yourself to working 40+ years in an entry level retail job requires a satisfaction with entry level pay and benefits for 40+ years ......... that's a decision, pure and simple.

What a crook of sh1t, we don't live in a world of equal opportunities, we donâ€™t live in a world of equal abilities. our educational and training systems have failed many, and continue to do so, you will find many of these individuals stuck in low paid jobs, long term unemployment, within our prison systems, in our graveyards and some bodies have never been seen again. How dare you, blame these individuals for the outcome of their lives. you ll actually find in many cases, opportunities in life come from chosing the correct date of birth and parents, so chose wisely!

GarIT · 27-10-2020 9:49pm

Wanderer78 wrote: »

What a crook of sh1t, we don't live in a world of equal opportunities, we don’t live in a world of equal abilities. our educational and training systems have failed many, and continue to do so, you will find many of these individuals stuck in low paid jobs, long term unemployment, within our prison systems, in our graveyards and some bodies have never been seen again. How dare you, blame these individuals for the outcome of their lives. you ll actually find in many cases, opportunities in life come from chosing the correct date of birth and parents, so chose wisely!

I don't believe anyone was denied an education by circumstance in this country. Anyone unemployed for 9+ months can go to 3rd level institutions and keep their dole and HAP. The only thing denying people of an education in this country is not putting in the effort or other personal choices.

Wanderer78 · 27-10-2020 10:12pm

GarIT wrote:

I don't believe anyone was denied an education by circumstance in this country. Anyone unemployed for 9+ months can go to 3rd level institutions and keep their dole and HAP. The only thing denying people of an education in this country is not putting in the effort or other personal choices.

Again, what a crook of sh1t, our educational and training systems fail people, fails to address and even exasperates their underlining conditions and disorders of which are simply not compatible with the rote learning system, a glorified memory test!

smellyoldboot · 27-10-2020 10:31pm

Wanderer78 wrote: »

What a crook of sh1t, we don't live in a world of equal opportunities, we donâ€™t live in a world of equal abilities. our educational and training systems have failed many, and continue to do so, you will find many of these individuals stuck in low paid jobs, long term unemployment, within our prison systems, in our graveyards and some bodies have never been seen again. How dare you, blame these individuals for the outcome of their lives. you ll actually find in many cases, opportunities in life come from chosing the correct date of birth and parents, so chose wisely!

Self wallowing touchy feely ****e in fairness. By my own background, address and family background I was a prime candidate for a life of petty crime (or worse) drug abuse or eternal low income employment. But , albeit a little later in life than I should have, I got off my arse and fixed it. Bad choices are still choices that were made.

Endlessly feeling sorry for yourself and blaming the system, society or luck is a choice. Staying put in a poorly paid role you know is going nowhere is a choice. There are precious few nations on this earth that offer the same opportunities to drag oneself out of a rut and change your situation as this one. For all our problems we do that well. But nobody will drop it in your lap. You have to go and do it yourself. If you don't want to, or invent reasons as to why you can't, guess what, that's a choice too.

NSAman · 27-10-2020 10:50pm

GarIT wrote: »

Amazon will actually donate to the charity of your choice if you use smile.amazon.com. I have mine going to the Movember org.

All good and fine, but will Amazon support the local GAA Club? The local Drama Club? Etc...etc..

Most local businesses get hit up for requests MULTIPLE times a week for such things.

RocketRaccoon · 27-10-2020 11:23pm

My daughter wants a phone for Christmas. A local shop is selling it for €265, amazon have it for €140.

What sort of nut job is going to support local in a situation like this?

GarIT · 27-10-2020 11:25pm

NSAman wrote: »

All good and fine, but will Amazon support the local GAA Club? The local Drama Club? Etc...etc..

Most local businesses get hit up for requests MULTIPLE times a week for such things.

Yea they will no problem. You just have to register with them as a charity and then ask shoppers to select you as their chosen charity.

And personally I'm sort of against businesses giving to charity. I'd rather they lower prices than fund the GAA club.

GarIT · 27-10-2020 11:27pm

Jimson wrote: »

I agree somewhat what your saying but not everyone is not cut out for college or a desk job. Some people just don't have the I.Q for it and will fail miserably whatever course they try. I got 420 studying two months before the leaving cert. Another person who studied three years non stop might never get that or even close to it.They would probably fail no matter how much they studied doing a higher level subject instead of a pass subject.

Everyone has their different smarts. I think though it is a bit of laziness not at least pursuing an apprenticeship. I am not saying apprenticeships are easy whatsoever but a lot of people are better with their hands. I know id probably last six months in an apprenticeship myself and be fired. I work in IT and get 43K a tear while fully qualified people with a trade are getting way more.

You need to find what your good at and stick to it.

Yeah I wasn't necessarily saying everyone is capable of college, just refuting that people are denied college based on who their parents are.

And agree with the other points, there are many non academic ways to move on from a minimum wage job.

Tony EH · 27-10-2020 11:29pm

When did Irish people start calling shops "stores"?

*Dunnes aside.

tea and coffee · 28-10-2020 12:28am

RocketRaccoon wrote: »

My daughter wants a phone for Christmas. A local shop is selling it for €265, amazon have it for €140.

What sort of nut job is going to support local in a situation like this?

I'm not sure many people are saying that. There obviously is some market there for someone to sell it at that price.
But if the option is to buy on Amazon or buy Irish for a very similar price, then I think it is nice to buy from a (small/er) Irish business, and in many cases that seems to be possible.
Particularly now when small businesses that have to be shut, They simply can't compete with giants like Amazon coming up to Christmas as they're flipping well having to shut. For that reason alone, I'd like to use them- while also being pragmatic on price obvs. To do both is actually possible!

The case for NOT supporting local business

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