Buying stuff in UK from abroad

ddraver
ddraver Posts: 26,662
edited February 2011 in MTB general
Hi Guys

I'm sure this is actually very simple but I ve managed to tie myself in knots about it!

I'm shortly moving to Holland where I will be paid in Euros. Now I'm sure that i will wish to spend as much of my wages on bike bits as I did in the UK. How do I work out if it is cheaper in real terms to buy stuff from CRC or wiggle say, at the exchange rate available at that time, or from the European equivalent. Obviously there are issues with postage and stuff but if we stick to just the price for now...

Is it as simple as converting the price in pounds to Euros and comparing?

Many Thanks
DaveK

(I know both CRC and wiggle will convert to Euros automatically but presumably they are just using the current exchange rate to do so...?)
We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    What exactly are you asking?
  • captainfly
    captainfly Posts: 1,001
    It depends on how you are paying for it, if the shop accept euros then it is the price they charge, if you are using a credit card to exchange from euros to pounds then it will be their rates and charges, if you are using paypal it agin will be their own exchange and charges. Contact the retailer if you are unsure.
    -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
    Mongoose Teocali
    Giant STP0

    Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:
  • MountainMonster
    MountainMonster Posts: 7,423
    Just convert everything based off the current exchange rate. No need for anything else, don't understand how it could be any more complicated than that. Factoring postage in is the main part though. You may save a bit of cash on the part itself, but depending on the price of postage it may not really be worth it to buy from an out of state company.

    I live in Austria, and I normally order stuff from CRC as the prices are drastically cheaper than Austria. Even with postage I still save quite a bit extra.
    My London Road
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,662
    MountainMonster wrote:

    I live in Austria, and I normally order stuff from CRC as the prices are drastically cheaper than Austria. Even with postage I still save quite a bit extra.

    OK I see - this is what happens when I think too hard about things! :oops: I was starting t think I'd need to work out what percentage of my income it was and how it varied and bleurrgh!
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • getonyourbike
    getonyourbike Posts: 2,648
    ddraver wrote:
    MountainMonster wrote:

    I live in Austria, and I normally order stuff from CRC as the prices are drastically cheaper than Austria. Even with postage I still save quite a bit extra.
    I was starting t think I'd need to work out what percentage of my income it was and how it varied and bleurrgh!
    :? :roll: :D
  • MountainMonster
    MountainMonster Posts: 7,423
    ddraver wrote:
    MountainMonster wrote:

    I live in Austria, and I normally order stuff from CRC as the prices are drastically cheaper than Austria. Even with postage I still save quite a bit extra.

    OK I see - this is what happens when I think too hard about things! :oops: I was starting t think I'd need to work out what percentage of my income it was and how it varied and bleurrgh!

    Haha, no need for all that work. At the end of the day, regardless of earnings, your just dealing with the price of the parts. If it's 100 Euros somewhere where you are, but 60 pounds in the UK, you've got a nice savings!
    My London Road
  • rainerhq
    rainerhq Posts: 70
    ddraver wrote:
    . How do I work out if it is cheaper in real terms to buy stuff from CRC or wiggle say, at the exchange rate available at that time, or from the European equivalent. Obviously there are issues with postage and stuff but if we stick to just the price for now...

    Visit also actionsports.de. Prices are much cheaper than CRC or Wiggle and shipping to Holland or UK is 5,99 €

    http://www.actionsports.de/index.php
    "Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride"
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,662
    In my defence, Geology is the non-mathematical Science... :oops:
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • Jack 123
    Jack 123 Posts: 118
    CRC has a option that you can convert automatically to euros or dollars or what ever else you want. Action sports is good as well and bike24 is good I like wiggle as well and you should really check out ebay.de much better prices then the UK ebay just a little tricky if you don't speak German.
  • spannerchucker1
    spannerchucker1 Posts: 12
    I live and work in Spain getting paid in euros but I still buy most of my stuff from the UK companies unless it works out drastically cheaper here than in the UK. A quick search on the net usually gives me the best price and even with postage factored in it very often works out cheaper. Also, if you have a problem, I find it easier to work it out with the British companies, mostly because my Spanish isn't good enough to argue..... yet!
  • GHill
    GHill Posts: 2,402
    MountainMonster wrote:
    Just convert everything based off the current exchange rate.

    You probably won't get a rate quite that good, but it's a decent approximation.

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