French rip-off prices, garden refuse, donkeys, goats and anything else the thread drifts to

I like to read SF but don’t want to spend a lot of time on it. But this incenses me. Bought a cordless drill in B&Q whilst in UK. £85. Cost in Castorama: 199,99€! Both stores owned by Kingfisher Group I believe. I see this on Amazon time and again. Same with cars. Is it swings and roundabouts because fruit and veg and wine might be cheaper or is there something deeper amiss? How is it possible that a German or Japanese electric item is so much more expensive in France? Just interested in airing this. My French friends are incredulous but I never read of any reaction to the situation.

I don’t know what the reason is - but I do order tools from Amazon UK (and Amazon Warehouse) and have them delivered to France.

Perhaps difference in commercial cultures? In the U.K. the experience of competition means that things are sold for as low a price as possible that will still get a profit. In France it seems that the approach is to set prices to the highest point the market will bear.

1 Like

What do you do about plugs and guarantees?

Either chop plug off and replace or an adapter.

I do register for the guarantees and would sort them from a UK base if in the unlikely event it was bedded - the saving is worth it.

Changing plus would immediately nullify guarantee wouldn’t it?

1 Like

If paying twice the price it wouldn’t bother me. How often do you call upon a guarantee?

You could always use an adapter until the end of the guarantee.

1 Like

Is there an easy answer? Sometimes things are cheaper in the U.K., sometimes in France and often in Germany. It just depends on how much trouble you are prepared to go to. When I needed a new iPad I searched all over and the best deal was in France, ordered online through Leclerc and the other day I bought a Karcher vacuum cleaner on impulse in a local brico and was amazed to discover that the price I’d paid was €20. lower than I could find online anywhere.
At the end of the day I live in France and do most of my shopping locally and support the local economy. For more expensive items I do look further afield but that is one of the joys of living in thec21st Century.

5 Likes

Tools can be ludicrously dearer:

https://www.diy.com/departments/bosch-cordless-18v-2ah-li-ion-combi-drill-2-batteries-psb1800li-2/1131623_BQ.prd

vs

https://www.castorama.fr/perceuse-visseuse-a-percussion-sans-fil-bosch-psb18-18v-2-5ah/3165140821513_CAFR.prd

As far as I can see it is the same Bosch drill - PSB18 but approx 90€ vs 229

Barmy

2 Likes

True that I rarely claim on a guarantee, but I have used after sales services quite a bit within the warranty period and wouldn’t want to trudge back to UK for straightforward repairs. That to be is a big benefit from buying locally.

But if the French price is 2½ as much as the UK price that’s potentially a lot to pay for that particular privilege.

As far as I am aware… the fact that both stores are owned by Kingfisher Group… does not mean they both have to buy/sell exactly the same stuff…

Each Buyer will choose products and haggle prices according to his/her own judgement.

1 Like

True but it is still a reasonable question as to why the same Bosch drill (say) is so much more expensive in France.

1 Like

If a store gets a better deal with another Make of drill/product… that is the one they will push… they can sell at a low price and still make a good profit.

Depending on what their deal is with Bosch, they will purchase the drill/product at a certain price… and then sell-on… and the price demanded in-store will reflect this…

It works both ways it is all about supply and demand, take our campingcar as an example it is a Dethleff German built model, the cost of the same model but right hand drive is £15k dearer in the UK then France, when visiting a Dethleff dealer in the UK, I asked what he thought was the reason why, he replied the French buy more motorhomes than the Brits.
So could it be that the brits buy more power tools then the French.

Yes but almost everything is more expensive including the cheaper items and the obvious budget brands - eg the Ryobi cordless drill/screwdriver which B&Q sell at £42 Casto sell at 80€

Unless your argument is that French corporate buyers are really bad at getting good deals.

We often order spare parts direct from China.
Cheaper and quicker.

I am merely saying that a Buyer will buy-in what he reckons will sell to his clients… and his selling-price will use the price he has paid as the base and move up from there.

If the Buyer finds that customers are not paying his selling-price… he will either let the stuff go (eventually) at a cheaper/knock-down price to clear stock… or just let them lie and wait… :relaxed:

I purchased a Karcher here David…a supermarket offer…brilliant piece of kit…the supermarket doesn’t sell the bags or filters but my local bricolage does so I was well chuffed…x :slight_smile:

1 Like

Ipad - USA £263, UK £319, France £322 so guess where we got one from? All come with worldwide warranty.