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Guest
It sounds like a bad Irish joke but our business is actually competing with itself as a result of politicians inability to grasp the fundamentals of retail business.
We are launching an online store in the UK over the next few weeks which will undercut our Irish store simply because of the VAT difference between Ireland and the UK which currently stands at 6.5%. Our margins and costs are the same in both countries. Even allowing for shipping (which has tumbled in price), our Irish customers are better off buying from our UK store because of the VAT difference.
Politicians need to wise up and look at what is really happening in the retail sector. They need to slash VAT rates in the December budget and kick start the retail sector. Otherwise businesses like us won't hang around too long and just move lock, stock and barrel to our near neigbours who are at least are pro-retail.
Gerry
We are launching an online store in the UK over the next few weeks which will undercut our Irish store simply because of the VAT difference between Ireland and the UK which currently stands at 6.5%. Our margins and costs are the same in both countries. Even allowing for shipping (which has tumbled in price), our Irish customers are better off buying from our UK store because of the VAT difference.
Politicians need to wise up and look at what is really happening in the retail sector. They need to slash VAT rates in the December budget and kick start the retail sector. Otherwise businesses like us won't hang around too long and just move lock, stock and barrel to our near neigbours who are at least are pro-retail.
Gerry