Buying from the EU

bayhota

I’m looking to buy something from a store in the European Union (Denmark), they make watches and they have many retailers through the world including the UK, that stock their items.
The item cost is €200, but when I check out and because I live in the UK they are looking to charge me £170. Even If I pay by PayPal, I should be saving around £25 for the item for the item with the currency exchange. Whilst i understand that if they have distributed the items to UK online merchants to sell at a price, then they couldn't sell below that price from their own online store, to UK buyers....

Can they do this?

And is there any laws they are breaking

marliepanda

There was a very long thread in a similar vein, with a few arguments on each side but the general gist overall was yes. They can charge you what they want.

You said you can buy this item in the UK, how much is the UK price compared to the £170.

bayhota

Its roughly the same, a wee bit more expensive when you include the postage. Is any links to other similar questions?

bris

Technically it's price fixing which is of course illegal in the EU.


Regardless, a lot of manufacturers will set prices and punish retailers for going against the grain. The practice is rife in the fashion industry. The big names hate their items being sold cheaper because of the reputation they want to maintain.

Keep_pedalling

I found this when buying a German Nomos watch. Nomos set their on line store prices so they do not undercut their high street suppliers prices, but the main problem for UK buyers is the changes in exchange rates, because they set their prices once a year so although the Euro Pound pricing may has been equal at the time they did it the strong pound has left the UK prices looking rather expensive.

You can of cause purchase from one of their retailers in mainland Europe and pay the lower price.