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Great EU shopping sites

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  • 12-12-2020 6:32pm
    #1
    strandroad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,676 ✭✭✭


    Any tried and tested quality shopping sites in the EU now we might want to bypass or eliminate UK shopping?

    To start, I can recommend La Redoute www.laredoute.com. It's a French site with excellent quality homewares and textiles, think bedlinen, curtains, blankets, cushions etc. a really good selection in natural materials: thick, lovely bedspreads, woven blankets etc. They also like running offer campaigns every once in a while, ranging from 30 to 50% off. Offers women's fashion too but I haven't tried.

    Free shipping on all orders above €89 so if you're planning on furnishing a new room etc it really pays off to bookmark what you want and get the lot at 50% off. It normally takes them a couple of days to deliver, but I had some pieces take up to two weeks to arrive in Covid times. They ship partial orders to reduce the wait.

    Any other good sites to start using?


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    #2
    Muahahaha
    Registered Users Posts: 19,615 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    Great idea for a thread OP and that French site is already in english which is handy. Have bookmarked it and will return to see if there are any discounts after Xmas.

    Havent ordered from them but someone on another thread said Komplett in Holland are quite good for electronics.


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    #3
    strandroad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,676 ✭✭✭strandroad


    Muahahaha wrote: »
    Great idea for a thread OP and that French site is already in english which is handy. Have bookmarked it and will return to see if there are any discounts after Xmas.

    Yes, the English version is already there, I should have mentioned that! They always have something going on, right now if you see a "private sales" tag it means that it's 40% off on this item if you register for an account or subscribe to a newsletter.
    Muahahaha wrote: »
    Havent ordered from them but someone on another thread said Komplett in Holland are quite good for electronics.

    That's a good tip, Amazon is particularly brilliant for electronics like memory cards, robot vacuums etc. I know that i can go directly to manufacturer sites but it's handy to have a list to compare.


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    #4
    gingernut79
    Registered Users Posts: 961 ✭✭✭gingernut79


    Was having a look at this last night and can add a few clothing / fashion sites;
    Esprit
    Zara
    Promod
    H&M


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    #5
    migrant
    Registered Users Posts: 162 ✭✭migrant


    Amazon.de & Amazon.fr . I use both.


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    #6
    strandroad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,676 ✭✭✭strandroad


    I've been putting my school French to good use recently!

    Aboutyou.ie is another good site, and it's in English. It's a clothing site similar to Zalando, a little smaller but with good selection of brands and Zalando style advanced filters and detailed photos so it's easy to find what you need. Run from Germany, I think. I only ordered once but delivery was prompt and the item was exactly as presented.


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    #7
    Jmccoy1
    Registered Users Posts: 186 ✭✭Jmccoy1


    Springfield, a Spanish clothing company for men and women. Have bought a few things from them.

    https://myspringfield.com/ie/en?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid-ecom&utm_term=springfield%2520clothes&nc=367335307&comm=yes&tc=brand&cn=ps&gclid=CjwKCAiA57D_BRAZEiwAZcfCxa8GyOL-BAdVkxE5fUO8FRkXV6VtT2gGHcdri8XnHIXvO-23wEn1ZxoC-J8QAvD_BwE


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    #8
    Muahahaha
    Registered Users Posts: 19,615 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    migrant wrote: »
    Amazon.de & Amazon.fr . I use both.

    https://www.hagglezon.com/ is a great site for comparing Amazon prices across Spain, Germany, France and the UK. Its amazing the way the same item can be 20% less on one Amazon site over another.


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    #9
    strandroad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,676 ✭✭✭strandroad


    Jmccoy1 wrote: »
    Springfield, a Spanish clothing company for men and women. Have bought a few things from them.

    https://myspringfield.com/ie/en?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid-ecom&utm_term=springfield%2520clothes&nc=367335307&comm=yes&tc=brand&cn=ps&gclid=CjwKCAiA57D_BRAZEiwAZcfCxa8GyOL-BAdVkxE5fUO8FRkXV6VtT2gGHcdri8XnHIXvO-23wEn1ZxoC-J8QAvD_BwE

    That's a good one, thank you. I remember their shops from somewhere, but it didn't occur to me to look them up online.

    Gap.eu is another one, their physical presence in Ireland is minuscule (are they still in Dundrum?) but the site has it all. It ships from Germany (EDIT: apparently only from UK now so you might want to disregard this recommendation) and it's always 30-40% offers, site wide or through their newsletter. No need to buy anything at full price, there's an offer coming one way or another.


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    #10
    SouthWesterly
    Registered Users Posts: 6,521 ✭✭✭SouthWesterly


    strandroad wrote: »
    That's a good one, thank you. I remember their shops from somewhere, but it didn't occur to me to look them up online.

    Gap.eu is another one, their physical presence in Ireland is minuscule (are they still in Dundrum?) but the site has it all. It ships from Germany and it's always 30-40% offers, site wide or through their newsletter. No need to buy anything at full price, there's an offer coming one way or another.

    Bought some of their stuff in Portugal. Good quality.


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    #11
    gingernut79
    Registered Users Posts: 961 ✭✭✭gingernut79


    strandroad wrote: »
    That's a good one, thank you. I remember their shops from somewhere, but it didn't occur to me to look them up online.

    Gap.eu is another one, their physical presence in Ireland is minuscule (are they still in Dundrum?) but the site has it all. It ships from Germany and it's always 30-40% offers, site wide or through their newsletter. No need to buy anything at full price, there's an offer coming one way or another.

    I stand to be corrected here, but I'm almost certain GAP ships from the UK, up to quite recently you were billed in sterling ( even with prices in Euro on the site itself), and I couldn't find any trace of a non-UK customer service address, and defintely on the .eu website.


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    #12
    ACitizenErased
    Registered Users Posts: 11,638 ✭✭✭✭ACitizenErased


    strandroad wrote: »
    That's a good one, thank you. I remember their shops from somewhere, but it didn't occur to me to look them up online.

    Gap.eu is another one, their physical presence in Ireland is minuscule (are they still in Dundrum?) but the site has it all. It ships from Germany and it's always 30-40% offers, site wide or through their newsletter. No need to buy anything at full price, there's an offer coming one way or another.
    They're on Opera Lane in Cork City


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    #13
    strandroad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,676 ✭✭✭strandroad


    gingernut79 wrote: »
    I stand to be corrected here, but I'm almost certain GAP ships from the UK, up to quite recently you were billed in sterling ( even with prices in Euro on the site itself), and I couldn't find any trace of a non-UK customer service address, and defintely on the .eu website.

    Interesting, I definitely recall tracking some items coming from Germany and posting a return to Germany but they could have multiple warehouses and sorting offices!


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    #14
    AutoTuning
    Closed Accounts Posts: 423 ✭✭AutoTuning


    strandroad wrote: »
    That's a good one, thank you. I remember their shops from somewhere, but it didn't occur to me to look them up online.

    Gap.eu is another one, their physical presence in Ireland is minuscule (are they still in Dundrum?) but the site has it all. It ships from Germany and it's always 30-40% offers, site wide or through their newsletter. No need to buy anything at full price, there's an offer coming one way or another.

    They’re on Opera Lane in Cork too.

    Of the international brands, I ordered some jeans from Levi’s store and they shipped quite quickly and from Germany, not the U.K.


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    #15
    AutoTuning
    Closed Accounts Posts: 423 ✭✭AutoTuning


    For audio gear, music gear etc www.thomann.de has always been brilliant.


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    #16
    strandroad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,676 ✭✭✭strandroad


    It might be a little niche, but yogabox.de is an excellent site for yoga related supplies, mats, blankets, accessories etc. Very functional and hardwearing designs, and much cheaper than fancy brands that sometimes buy from them wholesale and slap their name on the same items. The site has an English version which is a little wonky but good enough to understand.


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    #17
    gingernut79
    Registered Users Posts: 961 ✭✭✭gingernut79


    strandroad wrote: »
    Interesting, I definitely recall tracking some items coming from Germany and posting a return to Germany but they could have multiple warehouses and sorting offices!

    CS confirmed that gap.eu and even the orders from German GAP ship from UK.


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    #18
    strandroad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,676 ✭✭✭strandroad


    gingernut79 wrote: »
    CS confirmed that gap.eu and even the orders from German GAP ship from UK.

    That's good to know, I'll edit the post.


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    #19
    CelticRambler
    Registered Users Posts: 6,720 ✭✭✭CelticRambler


    For "all kinds of everything" purchases, there are two sites targeted primarily at the French market - Cdiscount.com and RueduCommerce.fr - that offer delivery to a pick-up point of your choosing. This wouldn't be international shipping, but if you or a relative happen to be travelling to France and have the luggage capacity to bring things back, it could be handy. I've most recently bought a food dehydrator from Cdiscount (and a deep-fat fryer before that); and have bought camera gear from Rue du Commerce, in all cases more cheaply and more conveniently than Amazon (sometimes more convenient because I didn't want the items delivered to my home address while working away)


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    #20
    Brian2011
    Registered Users Posts: 438 ✭✭Brian2011


    Zalando.ie and Zooplus are both German based


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    #21
    westyIrl
    Registered Users Posts: 510 ✭✭✭westyIrl


    Muahahaha wrote: »
    https://www.hagglezon.com/ is a great site for comparing Amazon prices across Spain, Germany, France and the UK. Its amazing the way the same item can be 20% less on one Amazon site over another.

    Agreed. Its a good idea to check prices across all amazon platforms. I've got used to https://www.heidoc.net/amazon/amazon_global_check.php?asin=. You just have to get the ASIN code of the product (its the 8-10 char alphanumeric code contained within the address URL).

    At the same time I have the Keepa price browser addon which shows the price history of the item in a nice container within the product page. If you want to track the price of the item and receive an email when the price drops to the price you specify. Great tool for pricey things you're not in a hurry with.

    Jim


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    #22
    AutoTuning
    Closed Accounts Posts: 423 ✭✭AutoTuning


    It would be great of Parcel Model could activate a few other delivery addresses on the continent

    e.g.: France, Benelux and Germany would cover a lot. I'm sure there must be some easy way for them to facilitate it through the UPS network that they're part of.


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    #23
    strandroad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,676 ✭✭✭strandroad


    CelticRambler wrote: »
    For "all kinds of everything" purchases, there are two sites targeted primarily at the French market - Cdiscount.com and RueduCommerce.fr - that offer delivery to a pick-up point of your choosing.

    If you're in France CelticRambler would you or your family have any more French sites to recommend? It's close enough and French translates well even if there's no English version out of the box!


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    #24
    CelticRambler
    Registered Users Posts: 6,720 ✭✭✭CelticRambler


    I am in France, but I'm not a huge shopper (neither online nor in bricks-and-mortar shops) so I tend to buy what I need from "the best place, considering all the circumstances". As I've been off work over the last couple of months, I've been catching up and re-stocking, so a bit more active than usual. In addition to Amazon (.fr & .co.uk) and eBay, and apart from the dehydrator, my other recent purchases have been
    - spices in 1kg bags from a catering wholesaler concept-epices.fr (cheaper than Amazon)
    - 1500 tulip and crocus bulbs from bulbi.nl (not available on Amazon);
    - 200 plant pots from www.pots-plastiques.com (not available on Amazon);
    - a mini-digger from AliExpress (but negotiated and paid for off-platform) (not available on Amazon);
    - a dozen heavy-duty plastic mats from equipement-chantier.fr (not available on Amazon);
    - a drum of hydraulic oil from www.agrizone.net (cheaper than Amazon)
    ... you get the picture! :cool:

    Most likely my next purchase(s) will be on the French equivalent of DoneDeal - LeBonCoin but I would warn anyone to be very wary of trying to buy anything on there - the French frequently don't understand that stuff should be cheaper you sell it secondhand, regardless of how much you paid for it!


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    #25
    strandroad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,676 ✭✭✭strandroad


    Oh I know bulbi.nl as it happens. They have a huge selection of flower bulbs, some really unusual ones if you need them.


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    #26
    Muahahaha
    Registered Users Posts: 19,615 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    westyIrl wrote: »
    Agreed. Its a good idea to check prices across all amazon platforms. I've got used to https://www.heidoc.net/amazon/amazon_global_check.php?asin=. You just have to get the ASIN code of the product (its the 8-10 char alphanumeric code contained within the address URL).

    At the same time I have the Keepa price browser addon which shows the price history of the item in a nice container within the product page. If you want to track the price of the item and receive an email when the price drops to the price you specify. Great tool for pricey things you're not in a hurry with.

    Jim

    The Keepa extension is fantastic. Im generally never in a rush to buy items so I just set a price target on Keepa and it alerts me when the price drops below it.

    Since installing it last year Ive numerous alerts set up and from seeing them come in I would say in general on Amazon prices go in cycles where they drop below their lowest every 3 to 4 months. The Keepa extension is great at helping you buy an item at its rock bottom price, its saved me a nice bit of money over the last year.


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    #27
    westyIrl
    Registered Users Posts: 510 ✭✭✭westyIrl


    CelticRambler wrote: »
    - a mini-digger from AliExpress (but negotiated and paid for off-platform) (not available on Amazon);

    Not a common sentence that....What weight can I ask?


    Jim


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    #28
    westyIrl
    Registered Users Posts: 510 ✭✭✭westyIrl


    Muahahaha wrote: »
    The Keepa extension is fantastic. Im generally never in a rush to buy items so I just set a price target on Keepa and it alerts me when the price drops below it.

    Since installing it last year Ive numerous alerts set up and from seeing them come in I would say in general on Amazon prices go in cycles where they drop below their lowest every 3 to 4 months. The Keepa extension is great at helping you buy an item at its rock bottom price, its saved me a nice bit of money over the last year.

    I'm up near the 1000 items due to lockdown. Think the best score was £150 starrett dial calliper for £4.86. I bought 10. It's the uncommon stuff that price can really fall off a cliff. Hold off too long though the price rockets back to usual. Its addictive enough.


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    #29
    CelticRambler
    Registered Users Posts: 6,720 ✭✭✭CelticRambler


    westyIrl wrote: »
    Not a common sentence that....What weight can I ask?

    :) No ... it's amazing what you end up buying when you start looking for a garden fork!

    Out of several weights available I chose a 1t machine; nothing fancy, but it digs trenches, rips out small trees by the roots, and (assuming the attachments work, haven't tried them yet) drills post-holes and breaks concrete.


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    #30
    seanmack
    Registered Users Posts: 27 ✭seanmack


    This site I used this Christmas. French I think.
    https://www.vertbaudet.com/en


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    #31
    Sheep Shagger
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 6,247 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sheep Shagger


    Whilst based in the UK , the white company have said they will refund any duties should they get applied when receiving a delivery.

    https://www.thewhitecompany.com/row/help/brexit-information


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