sterling/euro differences in shop prices.

[Jister]

Look , these tags were probably printed 3 months ago whwn the exchage rate was completely different.

And why can't they cross out the old price and put in the new one? Or, just put up signs around the stores saying that because of exchange rate fluctuations reduce tags by 10/20/30% etc.

I accept there may be higher costs due to freight, VAT, wages etc. but a 500ml of MADE IN LIMERICK Ballygowan costs 35P in ASDA in Newry and its around double the price in Tesco in Newcastlewest county Limerick where the stuff is made or 4 times the price in the corner shops in Newcastlewest.

Thats just price gouging. Same goes for stuff like Kerrymaid thats way cheaper in the north than in Kerry.

I can handle an average price variation of 10-15% to cover VAT, wages etc. but its more like 40% across the board, groceries, clothes, electrical etc.

 

[CatherineB]

If an Irish store prices in euro & sterling are they oblidged to accept sterling as a cash payment.?

Of course not, since it isn't legal tender. Dual price tagging is for convenience when the clothes are being sold in the Uk and Ireland..and other countries, see Vero Moda/Zara etc price tags. It would logically be slightly more expensive if each item had to be tagged for each country.

Warehouse, Karen Millen and a few others have introduced a 10% exchange rate bonus discount off everything in store on top of their extensive sales and the Mosaic group (karen Millen, Coast etc) are planning on a spring quarter price slash in euro anyway..apparently almost parity.

I work in retail, I can tell you starting wage in Dunnes is €9.22, €9.40 in M&S, €9.11 in Boots, €9.30 in Karen Millen, €10 in Brown Thomas and 9 or above in most other places. €8.65 (bang on minimum wage) in Topshop (presumably the rest of Arcadia also). €9 in Penneys also. Dunnes pay time and a half Sundays and bank holidays, so do M&S, Topshop pay time and a third, BT's pay double. Not sure about the others but I'm fairly sure Debenhams and Arnotts pay time a half Sundays. Most British retailers don't.

 

[gipimann]

I was in a couple of shops in my local shopping centre today, and took a look at their new Spring stock to see what the prices would be like...

Next:
Trousers - £43, €68
Top - £22, €33

Dorothy Perkins:
Trousers - £25, €40

So no change there then for Spring 2009 anyway!

 

[olddoll]

I was in M & S today and the sterling price section of the price tag was removed on a large number of men's suits.

One blouse I looked at there cost £29.50 / €45.00

 

[Megan]

A pair of ear rings in Dunnes Stores today priced at €6 and £4. They were made in China.
Dunnes Stores are an Irish Compny.

 

[theoneill]

With sterling in freefall can we expect to see a 15-20% reduction in prices on the high street in the near future?

 

[NOAH]

Dream on prices are going up full stop

 

[fitzg]

I've seen a pair of shoes in Clarks that are €90 in stores here and £54.17 on the Clarks UK website

 

[sue_flaherty]

I was in M & S today and the sterling price section of the price tag was removed on a large number of men's suits.

One blouse I looked at there cost £29.50 / €45.00

I noticed that today with new stock of womens clothes in - no UK prices anymore.

 

[shesells]

I saw an offer on jumpers in Tesco. 2 for £12 or €18! Hardly a current exchange rate!

 

[ramble]

This is a temporary phase, if the pound stays low the prices in the UK will go up because most of the clothes are made in Asia and paid for by the retailer in euro or dollar. the stock in the shops now has already been paid for at exchange rates from months ago. Unfortunately most of the stock in Irish shops is routed through the UK because thats traditionally our main trading partner and they are a much bigger market than us. Our economy is much more closely tied to UK than europe and if we weren't in the Euro we would be forced to devalue. It looks like a lot of the UK high street is in serious trouble so enjoy Monsoon, top shop and the like while you can because they may not be around much longer. I was in UK last week and most of the shops had their winter stock at 70% off, they sold very little before christmas and will not make it up on sales at 70% discount.

 

[mell61]

I was looking to get the Wii Tomb Raider underworld game, and priced it locally at Eu42.99 in HMV. Was due to head up North so decided to check price online (at HMV's own website), and it was £17.99, i decided to buy online and shipping was £2.50 - its gone onto my visa at €21.68. So basically they are charging double locally.
With price differentials like that, why would I consider using the local branch? I don't mind an extra 10-15% on things like games / cds, as they are a luxury product, and I'll pay for the convenience of 'here and now', instead of waiting for a package to arrive, but 50% difference!

 

[colm]

I was about to order some books from the book people (on line) until I realised their rate of exchange is, on average, double.

They said it's down to size population & postage, but they already factor that in as they charge more for postage, or you have to order a heck of alot more to get free delivery.

They won't let me order through the UK site, so I guess they won;t be getting my business until they review their pricing.

Well done. More of this attitude will soon get rid of these rip offs.
They way the English high street stores are disappearing you would think they would get the message

Also remember most of these items are imported from UK , which incur additional costs like .........Transport , handling , clearance fees , warehouse storage fees ,nad many other costs too

Which are factored into the price before the exchange rate

So do the stuff that go to newry transported, handled, stored etc. differently to the stuff in Dundalk?

Exactly!!

Ok but remember wages are way higher here .........

Minimum wage UK is £4.77 PH 18-21 yrs - £ 5.73 over 21

Arent the majority workers in these department store at peak times under 21 ?

What has this got to do with the current exchange rate????

Dream on prices are going up full stop

They will eventually fall. With people having less disposable income they will get more price consious & the retails will have to compete more.

The argument about the tags being printed montha ago is not valid. If sterling suddenly gained 20-30 pence do you think there would be any delay in replacing the price tags???

 

[TLC]

In Debenhams today Jasper Conran Jeans marked €62 other price £40 needless to say I didn't buy them - I'll wait & either get them in the UK or online. Talk about rip off - also they were not included in the Debenhams sale which isn't great!

 

[loukkcat]

I know it's ages since anyone posted on this, but experienced the worst exchange rate rip off yesterday two days ago....

I had a £20 gift voucher for M&S.. When I went to use it in Dublin, I was told that it was worth €21.70 - an exchange rate of €1 = £0.93. I thought this seemed a bit low.

I used it to buy three packets of tights, which came to €30.75, so I had to pay €9 towards the price. When I came home, I took off the € price stickers to reveal the £stg ones underneath...the total I would have paid in sterling would have been £22.50. This means an exchange rate of €1 = £0.73 was used. That's a 20% difference between what they use on gift vouchers - complete farce and rip off. I don't even know if it's legal, but I presume they can do whatever they like!! Had I been in the UK, I would have ended up paying £2.50 towards my purchase, in Ireland, I had to pay €9. Makes no sense.

I emailed their customer service department to complain, but as you can imagine, have heard nothing back in reply!!

 

[BeeLazy]

While browsing about M&S and Euro/Sterling difference I came across this topic. I was feeling very aggrieved by the price difference I found while shopping in M&S - a store I rarely shop in as we don't have one locally. I now feel a bit better about the huge difference as I had only thought about the 8% currency difference and hadn't taken into account the 6% VAT difference and the very big wage cost difference between here and the UK if what is reported in this topic is correct UK £5.73 or €6.19 as opposed to ROI €8.65 or 33%, VAT 6% and Exchange Rate diff 8% which would need a 50% mark-up to make the Sterling/Euro price equivalent. Is Ireland really 50% dearer to do business in, in comparison to the UK or are my calculations completely off the wall? A very sobering thought indeed.

 

[poundhound]

Bought my godson a buzzlightyear toy in las Vegas last month. It cost $25, around €20.
A couple of weeks later in Liverpool, the same toy was £20, about €23. not much difference.
However, last week I seen the same toy in smyths for €59.99!!!!

Can't wait for the government to start their "buy Irish" campaign leading up to Christmas.
Newry anyone?

 

[Fatphrog]

I was looking at Aqueous Cream in Boots in the north today. £3.97 for 500g own brand. In Boots Dundalk, 500g made in Dundalk brand, €4.04 for 500g.

 

[BeeLazy]

Well the 7cent difference is made up of the 6% extra on the VAT and the 9% difference on the currency so Boots Dundalk are spot on and they haven't included a premium of 33% for the wage difference either. It would be good if the stores put up a notice showing people how the differene is calculated between the ROI and N. Ireland.

 

[DB74]

The difference in rents payable should also be taken into account - far dearer to rent here than in the North I would have thought.