Amazon.UK alternatives

helsinkiguy · Post by **helsinkiguy** » Tue Aug 26, 2014 3:30 pm

I used to shop quite a lot from Amazon.co.uk until they offered free shipping to Finland. Since, the offer is no more, have you experienced similar online stores with reasonable prices and most importantly that ship free to Finland?

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Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Tue Aug 26, 2014 4:43 pm

helsinkiguy wrote:I used to shop quite a lot from Amazon.co.uk until they offered free shipping to Finland. Since, the offer is no more, have you experienced similar online stores with reasonable prices and most importantly that ship free to Finland?

No free lunches. You pay for "free" shipping in the product price. Would you carry parcels without pay?

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Tue Aug 26, 2014 5:10 pm

For books I use bookdepository.co.uk

Beep_Boop · Post by **Beep_Boop** » Tue Aug 26, 2014 6:07 pm

For anything other than books, eBay.co.uk

harryc · Post by **harryc** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 8:32 am

helsinkiguy wrote:
I used to shop quite a lot from Amazon.co.uk until they offered free shipping to Finland. Since, the offer is no more, have you experienced similar online stores with reasonable prices and most importantly that ship free to Finland?

No free lunches. You pay for "free" shipping in the product price. Would you carry parcels without pay?

It is probably the reason they stopped - but I got some really fantastically great prices (often a third or half of FI prices) on ALL kinds of stuff from AZUK - and paid 0 for shipping: food, appliances, kitchen utensils and pans and pots, health care and vitamins, toys, games, books, DVDs - just about whatever. It went on for some years so couldn't have been that much of a loss if even. Anyhow glad for the 100's and 100's of € saved while it lasted.

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 9:49 am

harryc wrote:It is probably the reason they stopped - but I got some really fantastically great prices (often a third or half of FI prices) on ALL kinds of stuff from AZUK - and paid 0 for shipping: food, appliances, kitchen utensils and pans and pots, health care and vitamins, toys, games, books, DVDs - just about whatever. It went on for some years so couldn't have been that much of a loss if even. Anyhow glad for the 100's and 100's of € saved while it lasted.

I'm wearing my £26.26 jeans now. ordered them in 25.9.2013, sent 26th, got them 27th. Couriered from UK to my door almost exactly in 24 hours with super saver. Not to mention ~£75 discount I got from the jeans themselves... how on earth that could be profitable business?

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 10:22 am

Well, the question is, you go to Stockmann, and the same jeans are on "sale" at 175,- you just wonder...

onlybo · Post by **onlybo** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 10:44 am

I recommend www.ebay. co.uk

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 11:07 am

Pursuivant wrote:Well, the question is, you go to Stockmann, and the same jeans are on "sale" at 175,- you just wonder...

Have you been in Stockmann lately? If ever a store were in trouble that one is... It's kind of sad to see it slide downhill but there seems to be no vision, no direction and I'm talking about their so-called "Flagship" store. The shelves and the rails are half empty, parts of the store are STILL being renovated - the shoe department looks like a bargain basement - vast tracts of retail space are eerily void. Not many shoppers except maybe in Herkku which is probably the only place where they are making money. It was a big mistake putting most of the eateries on the top floor hence the Street Gastro campaign... but why would anyone go to a department store for street food when you can get great food in the street like the event today on Kasarmikatu. I went in yesterday to ask if they're getting the new Surface Pro in tomorrow and they said they won't be stocking it... more sales assistants than customers in the electronics department. Women's clothing is a blur of sameness (at least during the "Russian Period" it was a bright and brashy bling-bling place to be). Anyway I saw a black jacket that I thought might be OK for wearing to work, but it wasn't in my size and the assistant said "we only have that one" which got me wondering what kind of inventory they are stocking this autumn: one item of each reference and tough if it ain't in your size. The ground floor is still packed with brands that no-one can afford. Total spend in Stockmann yesterday (ie since last spring) zero.

As for the book shop... During the summer I ordered a mathematics book online for one of my kids (they didn't have it in the store) and it had a 5-week delivery date. No problem I had it shipped direct to his student flat. Five DAYS later I got notification of the delivery so he had to make a special trip back to Hameenlinna just to pick up the book from the Posti. Grrr.

M&S opens almost next door in October. Debenhams is opening it's first store next year...

They've lost the plot.

It'll be interesting to see who takes Penttilä's spot but I think it might well not be a Finn. Everyone reckons they'll rebrand Seppälä as Lindex and then start shutting down stores... They should've rebranded Hobby Hall years ago. What a mess!

harryc · Post by **harryc** » Wed Aug 27, 2014 9:27 pm

I'm wearing my £26.26 jeans now. ordered them in 25.9.2013, sent 26th, got them 27th. Couriered from UK to my door almost exactly in 24 hours with super saver. Not to mention ~£75 discount I got from the jeans themselves... how on earth that could be profitable business?

So who is holding the gun to their head saying they have to do all that - and then make a loss? I long ago (45 years as manufacturer, importer and retailer) learned that even though there's no free lunch as you say, there are NO GIFTS either!! Please always remember that!

btw

ordered them in 25.9.2013, sent 26th, got them 27th

Don't get misled by 'courier' - I know a sales manager-type at DHL and he has told me there is no correlation between what you and I pay for such and a 'volume shipper' - they often get better prices than normal 1st class post prices!!!!

harryc · Post by **harryc** » Thu Aug 28, 2014 7:41 am

exactly, to test their Super saver I bought 20 Kgs of Rice for £30 and it came by DHL till my door. Let alone the commodity, DHL's charge for 20 kgs should be in hundreds

Please note my post that AZ will have paid entirely different prices than what you can imagine (and pay) for 'courier' service.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Thu Aug 28, 2014 11:14 am

I find even with shipping ebay.de and amazon.de were competitive. In UK if I manage to find an online store thats an actual stire, its 50/50 though they usually have decent customer service. But still, even with postage and the chance of paying VAT and charges, buying from the US is still sometimes more viable. Its all depending what you're after.

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Thu Aug 28, 2014 11:55 am

Everyone I know with a dog orders mutt-food from ZooPlus in Germany. Delivered to the door which is great because my local Posti is on the top floor of Iso Omena which is just not practical for collecting large packages.

Honest · Post by **Honest** » Thu Aug 28, 2014 12:31 pm

Upphew wrote: I'm wearing my £26.26 jeans now. ordered them in 25.9.2013, sent 26th, got them 27th. Couriered from UK to my door almost exactly in 24 hours with super saver. Not to mention ~£75 discount I got from the jeans themselves... how on earth that could be profitable business?

Because the true cost of producing that jeans is not more than 5 euros.

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Thu Aug 28, 2014 1:50 pm

Honest wrote:
Upphew wrote: I'm wearing my £26.26 jeans now. ordered them in 25.9.2013, sent 26th, got them 27th. Couriered from UK to my door almost exactly in 24 hours with super saver. Not to mention ~£75 discount I got from the jeans themselves... how on earth that could be profitable business?
Because the true cost of producing that jeans is not more than 5 euros.

True. But what pays of branding and advertising?

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