Online shopping in Hungary

klsallee wrote:

I want to support my local stores. I believe in supporting small, local businesses. But....

Yes, agreed...... but I'm finding local stores aren't really competitive when compared to many online operators.  I can actually get stuff delivered from Germany cheaper.  I've even taken to picking up stuff in the UK, packing it up and sending it by parcel service to myself (and therefore not paying the HU 27% VAT but 20% UK).  I can get a 15kg box sent to Hungary, insured for say, £200, for less than £30 (about 30 EUR).  On some goods, this can be worthwhile.

Mrs Fluffy reminded me the other day, when we bought our boiler, we did it online because we saved 100K HUF by shopping online. 

I just looked at getting a new fridge and went to Electroworld (about as useless as Media Markt).  Saw the fridge, went home, Google'd the model and found I would save myself 30K HUF by getting it online.  And that's even paying for delivery as well!

Another site: www.arukereso.hu

SimonTrew wrote:

In Hungary, online shopping is quite rare.

The van that delivers my orders has quite a few other packages and boxes in it when I get mine. So, from that, I would not call on-line shopping here rare. And those were all for orders made at Hungarian companies. Orders I get from abroad come via DHL or post office.

There is not much of a central "Amazon" like system in Hungary. Which I actually prefer. I rather like shopping directly at a company's own web site.

And do consider that Budapest is different, and not representative of the rest of Hungary. Not living in Budapest, I can not always walk (or even drive briefly) to a store that has what I need. They often simply don't have it in stock. And it is either have them order it (takes at least a week to get since they often only have weekly deliveries to the store) or order it myself on-line (take about 2 days to get). And it is often cheaper to order it on line (including shipping).

Rawlee wrote:

Deliverymen are long over their capacity

What you say is all true.

Which is why I tip lavishly on the delivery men*. They deserve it.

* The human level, not the corporate level.

klsallee wrote:

What you say is all true.

Which is why I tip lavishly on the delivery men*. They deserve it.

I dont, at all. Because that is not going to improve working conditions for them. Like with truck drivers. They were exploited, and now that their compulsory exams mean they can freely work in all the EU, they were gone faster than a gold necklace in the ghetto. Trucker wages are growing, and companies must value their drivers, lest they want them gone the next day.

The wages must rise, for everybody. And the black income that tip reperesents actually harms this process, as people who get tips will be more content with their working conditions, if they get an other 10-20% from underhanded sources.

Regardless, to say something on topic, online purchasing is very good, so long as both parties are honest. Warranty is better enforced online (for some odd reasons), but the stupidity of the average consumer also causes large expenses for traders. If you buy something in a shop, and later return it, both times you physically go to the store, and you only waste your own time. Whereas with online purchases, while the returning of the product is your expense, the company must also pay back the transportation cost for when you received the product. So for the consumers' stupidity or rashness, someone else pays, and this is not fair.

Example: someone I know ordered a coffee maker online. The company delivered it the next day. Said person asked the courier if she can pay with card. Courier said no. Then she sent the package back. Company had to pay 2 transportations costs (sending there and back). Company offered no card payment in the first place. Does this sound fair to you?

For this reason, some stores actually try to go against the law, and try to hold back payments or even deny payment, or simply try to say they dont offer warranty.

Also, the way online stores follow costumer regulations is terrible. Missing, or incorrect language manuals is the main problem. My sister bought a washing machine from the largest online store. Came with only russian manual. We translated it ourselves, but this would never happen in a normal store.

So buying online carries just as much risk, as buying in the store. In my opinion, if I can choose what I want in an online store, then the general attitute of the store staff is irrelevant, as I dont need their assistance, which is really the only downside of shops.


BTW, use google translate on smartphones. It can translate printed text live through the camera. Great to use in a shop. Saved my life in Barcelona in restaurants.

klsallee wrote:

Which is why I tip lavishly on the delivery men*. They deserve it.

They're paid what the market decides their work is worth. Do you think it's your fault they didn't spend more time developing more marketable skills and looking for better opportunities? If you have money to give away, I'd suggest donating to organizations that target disadvantaged groups, treating the cause, not the symptoms, e.g. http://www.bagazs.org/en/our-mission/ .

atomheart wrote:

If you have money to give away, I'd suggest.

Ah. An unsolicited "education" lesson. Because in some mind's eye I must be ignorant....

FWIW, the why, how and for what reason I choose to spend my money is my business. And I stress "business". Not yours. 

klsallee wrote:

FWIW, the why, how and for what reason I choose to spend my money is my business. And I stress "business". Not yours.

It's certainly your business. Not mine. If you share your opinion/conviction, however, others might reply with theirs, heck, they might even disagree with you or make suggestions. From that point it's again your decision what to do, take offense, try to school the other party, or, continue debating the subject even if your position is firm, because it's fun, it's a good thought experiment, and some of you might see the problem in a different light and change his mind. 

atomheart wrote:

If you share your opinion/conviction, however, others might reply with theirs

Which is no problem. Everyone has a right to an opinion and to express it.

But it crosses a line when replies try to educate.

For example, I find high fixed salaries can rather result in a uniform glacial lethargy as seen in civil servants. While tipping is the most direct form of interpersonal market capitalism. Good service gets a tip. Bad service does not. After all, CEOs get a "tip" of sorts for good performance in the form of numerous bonuses and stock options. So I can choose to do the same for the lowest persons in the company ladder. I would not, however, "suggest" you read a book on economics to prove my point, because that would be insulting.