Maltese love to shop online... from overseas

Nico van Leeuwen

Sep 9th 2011, 23:37

If you think London is cheap... check out the prices if you order from Germany... Also, Germany has the best postal service in the world (DHL) Shipping from Germany is cheaper than from any other country. If the product is language neutral, be smart and order from Germany. The savings are amazing...

M Grech

Sep 8th 2011, 19:18

Agree with the exorbitant prices in Malta plus a price tag should be clearly visible on items which are on display. Simply put, I would even buy fruit over the internet rather locally should I have that option!.

Amalia Camilleri Bonello

Sep 8th 2011, 19:11

Can anyone be blamed? Everything from toys, to book, DVDs, clothes etc is way more expensive in Malta. After living in the UK for almost 7 years I got the shock of my life as regards prices. I wanted to buy a Lego set for my son - price 72 euros from a leading toy shop in Malta. E-bay- same set with a free one, original Lego, new, packaged - 24 GBP. Disney toy laptop - Malta 72 euros; Uk- 36 GBP. Monsoon dress for my daughter- 18 GBP. Malta - 36 euros. Kinect game from Malta- 55 euros. Play - 28GBP. Sorry, my choice is online purchases from abroad, both for price, and choice. Worth the short time waiting for the item to arrive.

Ms F Goodwin

Sep 8th 2011, 13:12

A lot of shops in Malta don't display prices on goods, contrary to the clear requirement in EU law. The result of this is that retailers can make up the price on the spot, overcharge you if you look foreign or they just plain feel like it. I can never be sure if I'm getting fair value shopping in Malta, especially considering that electronic goods and clothing are already more expensive here than in the rest of Europe even without the unethical and illegal practices of some retailers.

I don't think that's the main reason for this trend though. It's just the case that this is only a small country and naturally the range of goods is small compared to what we might find overseas. This is a reason to be thankful for EU membership, as we are free to shop online from a range of countries without excessive taxes.

Joseph Vassallo

Sep 8th 2011, 12:20

I think most comments have gone off at a tangent. This statistic is not relative to the exorbitant prices being charged by local outlets for same-same goods. It is relative to the size and proximity from the outlets, which is why Luxembourg is experiencing the same phenomenon (non-phenomenon actually). I tentatively call it Murphy's Law; let me try to explain...

If 100 UK persons (or other large country where travel-cost/time is a factor) need to buy "Y" product, it is understandable that 90% will opt to order it online (on the strength of suitable guarantees/expectancy of customer service) to be delivered (usually within 24 hours). BUT....

If 100 Malta persons (or similar small location) need to buy "Y" product, it is understandable that 90% will walk to the store (or take a short ride) and take it home with them, having first inspected it. I make no reference to customer services.

It is not about how much is "purchased" but about how much is "purchased online". It makes perfect sense that only 10% of the Maltese opt to buy online LOCALLY. Local purchases are made by personal visits to stores, where I can quickly visit the store and inspect my purchase. In this statistic, goods bought locally (not online) are not taken into account rendering the result distorted. It is the effect of Malta's convenient distances.

I emphasise that I agree with comments on local price structure that siphons extra hundreds of Euros on sales of such things as laptop Pcs, TV's, washing machines, clothes dryers, refrigerators, cookers etc. I just reviewed prices for electric kettles and compared my local supplier's prices with those of Tesco UK. Malta prices start at €29 whereas UK prices start at £11 (practically 3-times the price). About 5 years ago in UK, I paid £550 for a large popular-brand two-door ("American style") frost-free fridge-freezer complete with water-filter/softener and ice-maker/dispenser; the nearest comparable thing to it in Malta was priced at LM1,500; both were store prices. Frustrating but true.

Something else I find frustrating in Malta is the fact that everything comes in boxes that have been opened and without the manufacturer's seal and sometimes with accessories missing which one is then directed to buy separately. Why are boxes opened? Do importers smuggle goods inside them or are we buying goods that have been returned to the store under the distance buying protection act in other countries? In UK, for instance, if goods are sold with an open box (not necessarily taken out of the box, even), the price is discounted, sometimes substantially or sold as refurbished with even greater discounts.

About a year ago, I bought a 22" monitor in Malta (€155 against UK price of £98) and found that the HDMi cable had been removed and re-packaged for separate sale. It took me some time to convince the outlet that I was entitled to the accessory because the included documents advised me so. Do I want these hassles when I am paying good money? But things have started to change even if they have a long way to go yet.

Mr Peter Korsten

Sep 8th 2011, 12:02

Apart from the crazy high prices you pay in Malta (for computer equipment, the cheapest is still minimum 10% more expensive than what you can get from any site in the EU), it's also the lack of availability of the products you want.

When we tried to get an Isofix child seat for our child, it simply wasn't sold in Malta. The official importer didn't carry it, because it was considered too expensive. Mind, in total I paid something like Lm 40 including shipping. For the life of my child, I don't think that's too excessive.

And with a couple of notable exceptions, customer service tends to be something that local retailers don't seem to be bothered with, so rather than going to a high street shop, I simply buy on-line from abroad.

Mr Chris Grillo

Sep 8th 2011, 10:39

Just a few examples to illustrate my point....all purchased these last 7 months!) Obviously ALL products were new!

Nintendo Wii (purchased from London) 40Stg. (Malta? 175Euros!!!!)
Original NIKE Dri-Fit Juventus away shirt (purchased in London) 20Stg (Malta? 75Euros!!!!)
3 pairs of Lonsdale trainers (25Stg total!) (Malta? Varying from 40Euros to 60Euros each!!!!)
iPad from London 379Sterling , (Malta? 690Euros)
BCRich Eagle Bass guitar (from Germany) 125Euros (Malta? 479Euros!!!!)
Amazon Kindle 3 (purch from London) 65Stg (Malta? 139Euros!!!)
10 pairs of Sandals (purch in UK) 24STG!!!! (Malta? I gave up after I reached a 100euros!)

Just SOME of the many items I purchased from abroad, and very well delivered by Maltapost, with utmost care and courtesy! And the thing is, I still have international warranties for ALL items I bought. I do not buy anything except groceries from Malta anymore, and if that were possible, NOT EVEN THAT! I do most of our shopping at the new brand of supermarkets (no ads!), where the products are good and low in price.

These days it is clear from the internet that the items that we buy in the shops cost FAR LESS from Amazon, Play and Ebay. Yeah, I know, I'm screwing our economy, but it is ME who puts the PLATE on OUR TABLE.

We don't even frequent the cinemas anymore! A family of four watching a movie will amount to nearly 50 euro... for half that price I wait a couple of months and buy it on blu-Ray from Play.

But most of all, what really really bugs me, is the total lack of customer service here. The surliness of most of the salespersons (mostly girls!) in Paola is abso-effing-lutely DISGUSTING! We are made to appear as if we are morons and that we are living thanks to them, instead of their being grateful.

Malta? thanks, but no thanks. Only fate put me here...

JJ Debono

Sep 7th 2011, 17:56

We always shop on line mainly e-Bay, we bought real genuine leather jackets and tough walking boots and many other items for even*less the what shops are charging in Malta and Gozo, the Quality is A1 where as the shops locally seem to get sub-standard quality from mainly the Italianmarket for double the price, honestly shopping on line is the in thing now a days as sometimes it is even free delivery and the post office seem to do a good job over here by delivery the items on time with no hasstle. Why pay more to local shops when one can shop on line in the privacy of his own home. Thats it no more and no less just be honest.

Mr Joseph Calleja

Sep 7th 2011, 17:07

As I mentioned many times before, Maltese citizens are not as gullible as in the past. We are better educated, better traveled and we refuse to jump when they tell us to jump. Now we learned to say why instead of how high. We are tired of paying what the retailer demands because of government supported monopolies. The pharmaceutical industry is a very good example. It even has the government all tied up in knots.Thanks to the internet we can shop the whole world over and get better products for a lot less money. Why pay X amount of money for a product in Malta when you can get the same exact product for half the price online, and that includes some medicines, although one has to be very cautious about buying medicines online? Shopping smartly is as close as your computer. Most companies, especially US companies offer you a money back guarantee, although you still have to be cautious and do a bit of research before ordering online. Is the government too blind to see what is going on? .

Mr wayne scicluna

Sep 7th 2011, 17:03

Got a HTC Desire when they first came out for 430 sterling. It came out in Malta 2 months later, operator locked for 750 euro!!!!!!!

Mr Daniel Vella

Sep 7th 2011, 16:55

The paradox is that the more people will buy online from foreign suppliers, the more, local prices will rise. Because of a concept known as cost absorption. If I am paying EurX/day in rent i need to get back the amount spent from sales. If sales levels are low, i will have to load each sale with a higher portion of rent in order to cover my costs. Now in Malta its not only rent that we pay but many other bureaucratic costs too. Take for example medicines. We are so special that each medical product has to be certified in Malta. All these are costs which have to be absorbed and paid by the consumer. If I were the government i wouldn't be too happy about this news as it means that on the whole operating in or from Malta is not competitive at all.

J. De Bono

Sep 7th 2011, 16:28

If only we could get our water and electric from overseas. Clothes, electrics even books I buy online as you have to be daft to purchase anything in Malta, I understand this damages Malta long term however what does one expect with the living standard in Malta plummeting and costs sky rocketing. We all know about the massive difference in electronics, tvs, mobiles but its not only there. Pair of Lacoste shoes here €102, went online and found them for €50 with posting. As someone below said hopefully we can start getting groceries online too... doesn’t anyone notice especially with UK products the price printed on the box/packet is a far cry for what you pay for it in store. Shops might as well start closing now and just starting delivery services as with our current government that seems the way forward.

marc pace

Sep 7th 2011, 15:18

a blackberry bold from malta it will cost you abt 500€ frm amazon including postage and a cover and screen protector less than 150€
a panasonic 37'' lcd plasma 6th generation frm malta 2 years ago it cost abt 1000€ frm sicily it was 499€

j brincat

Sep 7th 2011, 14:47

Isn't it obvious!

Everything here is dearer and worse still customer care is unheard of!

(jb)

Charles Spiteri

Sep 7th 2011, 14:41

I bought a 42inch Sony LCD tv from the UK for half price that it cost in Malta. It still got its international warranty. Got it for 960 sterling when in Malta the same model was 2250 euro
Charles

Mr Martin Saliba

Sep 7th 2011, 14:41

Repair of hitach drill.
Malta - Lm 42.00 parts only + charge for labour.
UK - Stg. 7.02 wich consisted of Stg 2.02 for parts and Stg 5.00 postage.

Mr Kevin J Vella

Sep 7th 2011, 14:36

"or it may be the result of lower online prices when compared to the high street,” one of the EP experts explained when contacted.

Dear EP experts, it is that and it is the poor quality and shoddy service given by local stores. As many commentators here are saying the extortionist pricing policies by local merchants are being rejected in favour of greater choice, quality and savings.

I wonder why local 'businessmen' haven't realised this

J Tabone

Sep 7th 2011, 14:29

i will start buying my groceries online soon. im sure they will cost me less =)

Patrick Sacco

Sep 7th 2011, 14:22

The only things I buy from Malta are food, clothes and bare necessities.

All the rest via online shopping.

James Mifsud

Sep 7th 2011, 14:17

i'm one of the many who buys most of what he owns online - and especially from foreign companies - we're definitely a victim of economies of scale, our geographic location (extra shipping costs) and the greedy local businessmen

however things have greatly improved for the consumer - the euro has allowed us to better compare like with like and it's harder for local retailers to fudge their markups by blaming it on exchange rates etc. and online shopping has made it more democratic

however with all the negativity regarding the local scene i'd like to point out companies like a local computer store who advertises price matching policies and in my experience have kept that promise when matching even play's prices so kudos to them.

on a separate note - i'm concerned at the number of ps3 games from play.com that have got lost in the post in the past year - way too many to be a coincidence

E Lentini

Sep 7th 2011, 14:16

Believe it or not even from LIDL some items are 1euro more expensive than Italy. Go on to LIDL.it and find the Canvas Stretcher Frame costing 8.99 in Malta and in Italy 7.99 and also Ladies slippers 4.99 in Malta and 3.99 in Italy. Like cars and many other thing here in Malta. With our wages we surely afford to pay more that Italy. Uzguuuuuurr!!

E Lentini

Sep 7th 2011, 14:11

Conclusion: We all purchase online because items are cheaper. And including postage costs and some times even VAT and duty......But cheaper.

Luke Duncan

Sep 7th 2011, 13:59

Its because the maltese business man should be a bit wiser and not a miser!

Its sheer ignorance to keep prices which are sky high when you know that the same product can be purchased online from abroad at a cheaper price! And most of these business man are the ones that have started their business in the 90's and don't know a thing or two about technology and how the world is evolving with it.

But thanks European parlament, now that the government have a clearer picture where the majority of the money are being spent regarding shopping, now they can find some ways and means (AND THEY WILL!!!) to invent some absurd new form of tax on online shopping.

j brincat

Sep 7th 2011, 13:52

Mhux ovvju! If everything here comes dearer and customer care is non-existent.


(jb)

Mr Ismael Azzopardi

Sep 7th 2011, 13:36

Ok so it seems people are debating whether Malta is cheaper than the internet not. Well, I mostly shop online because of the following reasons:
1. More choice.

I'm well aware that there are certain companies that are doing their utmost to bring the vastest choice possible in Malta. Well many of them do succeed because they are serious companies, those that don't do not succeed because they probably want to make money easily. I don't want to generalize, but I'm just sayin'

2. Better customer service despite the distance.

I'm sorry but I have to say this, in Malta all they care is that you buy their goods. Period. But then again. I don't want to generalize, but I'm just sayin'

3. Many times it's cheaper.

Damn right it is. Well most of the times, because I have to admit that several stores here in Malta are aware what the internet is and know that they can't laugh in our faces anymore, so they do offer competitive prices. Then there are those companies that still abuse and will definitely rip you off if you buy from them. One good example is the car industry. When it comes to buying cars and parts (not mechanics and technicians - they charge reasonably... most of the time) it's the mother of all rip offs! I don't know what is it with Play saying Malta doesn't allow their electronics to come to our country, can anyone explain that?

4. I'm too lazy.

And fuel is too expensive. So I'd rather stay in thank you. i.e. It's more convenient.

I'm sure there's more but hey, I'm just sayin' ...

M Buhagiar

Sep 7th 2011, 13:21

SAMSUNG GALAXY SII

Malta: 649 euro (from well known computer shop)
Online: 449 euro

difference speaks for itself.......

Mr robert micallef

Sep 7th 2011, 13:15

I can understand the "anger" at Maltese shops for the high prices but this is happening world wide. When you own a shop thats a very large cost and plus this you need the staff. People who sell online have no such costs as all they need is a good web site (2000 euro) and some marketing. i know because i have both. i sell products at 100 euro in the UK and they should be sold for 500 euro. I am not allowed to do this by the manufacturer but then British shops sell here in Malta so before they stop me they have to stop the foreign ones. what i do not really appreciate is when people buy online and then they recieve defective goods. When they contact the seller they get refered to the Malta agent like me. ofcourse we try to help but many people do not understand who things work im afraid. if your product is defective we are asked to send it abroad and this of course we need to pay the courier and then we have to bring over the new one for replacement. People have to understand that we cannot suffer these costs. When we buy from our suppliers we are given a straight 3% discount to cover warranties but we cannot cover products which are not bought from us unless the supplier gives us the ok.

Peppi Grech

Sep 7th 2011, 13:14

Mhux ovvju li Malta is more expensive. L-ewwel nikru hanut xi 3000 euros jew aktar fix-xahar,nimpjegaw xi tnejn minn nies jew iktar allura that should be around 1500 euros monthly wages plus d-dawl u l-ilma bi prezz' commercial' tal-hwienet jekk m'inhiex sejjer zball . Allura min fejn ser jigu dawn il-flus kollha f'suq ta' approx 400 000 ruh?!!!

Mr Joe B Edwards

Sep 7th 2011, 12:47

This is the fault of the majority of Maltese retailers and their inability to be more competitive.

Recently I bought a book from Agenda's online shop with a discount + free home delivery which made the book cheaper and the service better than of Play or Amazon. I was surprised at how good the service was and this is what the Maltese companies need to do - rather than cry and bitch they should COMPETE and become better. In fact now Maltese companies are not limited to selling in Malta - they can sell to the world with an online shop and good postage deals.

I am looking forward to better Maltese retail services especially on the Internet and good riddance to those that refuse to change.

Now the majority of my purchases are online, but that does not mean I do not buy from Maltese shops.
Maltese shops should all go online if they want to compete and offer international sales.

Mr Ernest Vella

Sep 7th 2011, 12:40

How can Malta Shops pretend that I buy a DVD from there shop for 15 Euros were from the internet the same DVD is bought 7 Euros

Mr Etienne Galea

Sep 7th 2011, 12:25

Wonder why!

Laurence grech

Sep 7th 2011, 12:21

why you ask??? obvious.. Things from overseas are CHEAPER then in shops in malta.. keep putting the prices up .. and no one will buy ..

Mr T Zahra

Sep 7th 2011, 12:18

Of course more Maltese are shopping online if most of the retail shops apply mark ups of 150% - 200% on their items...an example of a Sony Vaio laptop priced in Malta at € 1300 and the exact same lap top from greece purchased on line cost just € 750...why???

Ms B Cassar

Sep 7th 2011, 11:57

One thing I can't stand of local retailers is their continuous down grading of online retailers just to justify their ridiculous high prices. The moment I prove them wrong they still try to come up with more ridiculous reasons as if they can ever convince me. In 6 years of online shopping (u miskin tal-posta :) ) I have been always covered and when there was a problem with the seller I always got refunded back immediately by paypal or ebay. I have always been satisfied whereas for some local suppliers............... no comment i.e. if you complain with them you are always the liar and at a loss. They never do any mistakes..... yeah rite!

Melvin Tonna

Sep 7th 2011, 11:46

Baxxu l-prezzijiet u nixtru minn hawn tinkwetawx.

Karl Grech

Sep 7th 2011, 11:43

I have been buying most items online, especially when it comes to technology. Bought LCD TVs from Amazon and got them delivered via DHL within a week. Most of all I saved EUR400 on 2 TVs. I also bought a netbook and a laptop and got the same service and saved more euros. I will find it very hard to buy any technology items in Malta again.

Roderick Spiteri

Sep 7th 2011, 11:35

One thing i can say...

We had an apartment which was in a shell form. we didnt want to wait a lot to finish it up and furnish it fully.
after we saw what the local market had to offer, and the ridiculous prices, we thought we will never manage!

we went to Poland for a week... where we bought ALL the appliances at THEIR local high end prices, including microwave, oven, cooker, dishwasher, refridgerator, extraction hood... we also bought all the tiles for 2 bathrooms, high end parquet for all 150 sq meters apartment. toilets, showers, L-shaped 7 seater sofa and a LOT of other items... packed them in a container and shipped them to Malta.

Total cost including the shipping of the container was such that we saved up on thousands of euro! Thousands!!

some examples:
A whirlpool toploader washing machine - Malta €680, Poland €175
A dishwasher top economy Bosch - Malta €760, Poland €180
Kolo Toilet - Malta cheapest toilet €150, Poland €20 (and it works in just the same way)
Parquet - Malta cheapest in Quality €11 per meter, Poland high end parquet (with a big choice of styles and colours) €7.50 per meter.
L-shaped 7 seater sofa which converts into a bed for 4 - Malta couldn't find a sofa like that for less than the range of €6,000 - €8,000, Poland €750

Most of the items, we bought on internet. we just spent the week in poland picking up the items and packing the container.
How's that for price and alternative choices?

G Zammit

Sep 7th 2011, 11:34

Let me start by immediately stating that I have vested interest in Klikk Computers. I read with interest this article and the comments up to now and have decided to air some issues. Although I am speaking on behalf of our company, I am also linking our main competitors web links with ours so to avoid any unfair competition.

I honestly believe that in our section, (IT Hardware), we do our best to remain competitive compare to our main competitors and even compared to UK or other European countries. We compare prices daily and cut (sometimes selling at losses) prices to remain close to prices abroad. It is a fierce competition, but ultimately healthy for the client.

This is very hard to do given our limited population and the fact that most products we purchase are obsolete by the time they arrive here. We are daily squeezed between a rock and a hard place - Should we purchase more to get a discount and risk ending up with overpriced products in the next week? Shall we provide more selection? Our suppliers call us daily with offers of 100 laptops (same model) in order to cut a few dollars or pounds ... can we take that offer? Sure we can, but we won't sell the 100 of the same model for at least 1 week or 2 and in the meantime the price was lowered again from abroad.

We (and our main local competitor) have launched some initiatives which really show our intent :

http://www.scanmalta.com/pricematch
http://www.klikk.com.mt/challenge

This has been taken by many of our customers with success.

There is obviously the issue of the delivery - our prices all include delivery to Malta whilst the prices abroad do not include that.

There is also the issue of servicing - 10% of our servicing is to laptops bought from abroad. Basically they have nowhere to service it. We obviously treat the client as if he bought it from Malta, and sometimes this has the benefit of the client purchasing the next laptop from our store.

And finally there is the ECO tax - an unfair €39 tax irrespective of the price. As an example, in Malta we have the cheapest price for iPad in Europe. The cheapest iPad would sell for €459 - a good €20 cheaper than Italy. But we have to sell it at €499 because of the Eco Tax. This means that the government makes more money that us (on this model) and we have to source it, pay it, get it delivered and insured and then also pay rent and salespersons to sell the product.

This is an honest opinion - I intend no disrespect to customers who buy from abroad. We are also customers when we purchase goods we need personally, so I do understand some points stated here. It is just an eye opener of what we are up against being in Malta.

Obviously, this does not take anything from the argument that we Maltese shops, should always strive to improve and offer better service or products. We know our role and we try, as best we can, to improve constantly.

Raymond Farrugia

Sep 7th 2011, 11:09

Perhaps the EU should look into the (often times) high cost of postage and transportation costs to Malta charged by the international carriers, sive DHL, UPS etc. It's a rip off. Perhaps an MEP can investigate the matter and put the case forward.

Dennis DeMenace

Sep 7th 2011, 11:05

Whenever I can I always buy online from overseas,have to,when we were still using the Lira I needed a part for my car, from here the price was LM79 from UK it was 15 Ster. and it was the same original part. And all my family now buy from overseas,25%,50% and even more cheaper than here so save money and buy from the internet. And as the Maltese Motto says "Kull Sold Jodd"

Jesse Galea

Sep 7th 2011, 10:59

All of you always conmplaing and winging about Malta! In Malta we find lots of cheap stuff and worth buying. I'm a very frequent online shopper, not becuse the things I buy are cheaper from abroad...but because I'm a working mother and don't have a lot of time for myself to shop...therefroe it is more convenient for me to shop online. I hope that lots of Maltese business will offer this online service. I'll be the first to buy!!

A Zammit

Sep 7th 2011, 10:55

A simple example from my personal experience:

The alternator of my car went bust. Phoned the sales shop from where I purchased the car and the guy on the phone quoted 750euro of which I must submit 25% deposit and a delivery date of 15 days. As soon as the phone conversation ended, I went on the Internet and pressed the “I’m feeling lucky” button.
The result is that I bought the alternator online for 220euro including transport and delivery at the door in just 24hours.

Whenever possible I always buy online from a foreign website. Purchasing from Maltese stores is the norm for those who do not know of any alternatives.

M Buhagiar

Sep 7th 2011, 10:38

Samsung Galaxy S II
Malta: 649 euro (local website)
Online: 449.95!!
difference speaks for itself...........

Joanna Sant Magri

Sep 7th 2011, 10:10

A lot of Maltese probably shop online from foreign websites for lack local of local alternatives. I think this is changing gradually.

As someone already commented there are many hidden charges when you buy from foreign sites such as play.com - inflated exchange rates and hidden delivery charges. They quote 'free delivery' but the price is already inflated. Apart from that, there's no way you can effectively contact or interact with customer care from sites such as play.com and amazon. So it's practically impossible to get help or advise before or after buying something from these sites.

I think that this idea that shopping from Malta is more expensive than abroad is a myth. You will find cheap and expensive stores, traditional brick-and-mortar or online everywhere - locally as well as abroad.

Over the past year or so, I came across quite a number of new online stores focusing on the Maltese market. For example, I just came across www.yoyo.com.mt being advertised on timesofmalta.com this week. We need more online stores like these. I just couldn't believe how good their prices are - for a moment I thought that they were selling second hand stuff but it's not the case. Given the option I prefer to buy from such stores as there's the comfort of local customer care, and that's probably why many other consumers abroad shop from online stores operating in their own country.

D Farrugia

Sep 7th 2011, 10:04

It is a pity though that we still cannot buy from certain websites because they have an authorised dealer in malta. The reason mainly that they give you is that the credit card needs to be registed in the same country from where they allow you to purchase , for eg they tell you that they ship only within the UK and if you happen to use a UK address and pay with a VISA , they still don't let you!! Within the EU this should not be allowed cause this is happenning because their items in Malta are far more expensive that the ones online.

Victor Vella

Sep 7th 2011, 10:01

If the Editor allowms me to make another comment,recently I went to purchase some skirting for my house, I choose a type from the display board, which was obviousley supplied by the manufacturer.The answer was that the type I chose was not available and there was a hobson choice as they only stocked one type.When I showed my irritation at this the shop keeper (who is supposed to be there to serve his clients) turned to me with a semi agressive voice and said " Wht do you expect ? do you think I should stock all the choices for you to come and choose" to my repky that yes I expected the full choice he replied forget it the market is limited so the choice is limited.in a take it or leave it attitude.To this I replied that I would be leaveing it and got my requirements from UK at a higher price due to shipping , but I got what I wanted and not what the shopkeeper chose for me and others when he made his order.

R Malia

Sep 7th 2011, 10:01

All of you, stop moaning... stop mentioning Play or zavvi.. it took me 5 mins to find cheaper items locally for a few items I searched.. If you search around you will find Malta is cheaper. here is an example of a few and there are more.

http://www.play.com/Games/PlayStation3/4-/20376458/FIFA-12-Special-Edition/Product.html?searchtype=allproducts&searchsource=0&searchstring=Fifa+12&cur=258&urlrefer=search
vs
https://exotique.com.mt/Games/Platform/PS3

http://www.zavvi.com/10417859.html
vs
http://targetechgroup.com/computers/2gb-ddr3-kingston-1333mhz.html (more powerful)


http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/17278636/Acer-Aspire-One-HAPPY-2DQb2b-Intel-Atom-N450-1-66GHz-1GB-250GB-10-1-inch-Windows-7-Starter-Android-2-1-Netbook-Hawaii-Blue/Product.html?searchtype=allproducts&searchsource=0&searchstring=Acer+Happy&urlrefer=search
vs
http://www.atoz.com.mt/cms/shopshow/7552-student_offer:_€329_netbook_10_0_acerone_10_0_lu_see0d_020_intel-atom-n450_1_66ghz_ddr2-1gb_bt_250gb_win7-s_blue-finish_mm-rdr_webcam_wlan300_6-cell.htm

Victor Vella

Sep 7th 2011, 09:52

In Malta all prices tags are High Street prices, and the servie is back alley service.Buying anything in Malta requires a risk about guarantee,the only place I have not encountered problems when the use of guarantee was required is at the lowest priced shop in Malta, yes I am refering to Lidl.They honoured thier commitment without hassle or problems.Why do I shop online from UK? Well a set of tyres cost me 50% less and a spare part for my washing machine 75% less, To all Maltese buisness men and women I say this,Gone are the days when you sould skin us alive and get away with it.

Moira Heath

Sep 7th 2011, 09:41

I think that the local retailers do not have faith in online stores, although some are taking to Facebook and they are reporting excellent feedback.

I am one of those who shops mostly online from abroad. To be fair I always try and look for an item locally before getting it from abroad but this is what kills me. Local websites are either living in the 90s when they used to display a static page showing only which brands are sold by the shop, or they have an incomplete catalogue which only shows a portion of their products, and to add insult to injury, they don't show the price. This shows that the local market is reluctant to expose its goods and prices to the world. Or maybe they don't want to invest properly.

If the websites do show the price, then it's always more expensive than getting it from abroad (and that includes p&p). Then I go to ebay/amazon/play and a quick search yields the product I want, for the best price, and in a matter of 3-4 days, I have it in hand. And all this without having to leave the house. What more can you want? It's a no-brainer really.

M Sammut

Sep 7th 2011, 09:22

Of course that people start buying more from over seas and I'm glad they and me do !
The Maltese seller just wanna make good profit out of us and customer rights do not exist here.
They're rude and they talk to you like you're asking them for a favour when you buy from them.
Hate this country full of incompetents !

julian falzon

Sep 7th 2011, 09:21

Malta is a rip-off full-stop. Tourists, who are used to much cheaper destinations such as Spain, Italy, Greece, N. Africa and elsewhere, simply don't come back. This is because selfish and naive 'business men' rip tourists off thinking they don't realise what is happening and to make matters worse, the initial price is too high to begin with! Locals and tourists alike are being taken for a ride. Can the government offer more incentives to foreigners to come and set up shop here in Malta? We need people with business in their blood, not a bunch of pirates who are penny pinchers but pound foolish!

Robert Cassar

Sep 7th 2011, 09:12

Of course we do because most (not all) of the so called Maltese retail outlets try to suck (for the lack of a better world) you dry when you shop locally. And yes I am aware that over here shops have a lot of logistical expenses/overheads but nevertheless the prices they charge are ridiculous to say the least. In a couple of years time 80 percent of the population will be buying their goods from abroad. As a side note - thank you Malta Post for doing such a great job!!!!

Lawrence Jay

Sep 7th 2011, 09:12

The restrictive choice of items available in Malta together with an inflated cost, makes one use on-line shopping.

Sites such as eBay, Play.com, Amazon and many others offer to the world an open market from which to buy.

As an example, Nokia mobile phones are in many cases 30% cheaper and you cannot tell me the reason for for this is purely shipping costs.

I am a great online shopper but would stress that I always check local prices and availability first.

Mr Joseph Micallef

Sep 7th 2011, 08:25

It's easy to understand why Maltese customers shop at foreign sites! The few Maltese sites that offer online shopping don't give any incentives! Shopping from play.com or zavvi.com one can get cheaper prices with no added shipping costs! The difference when purchasing certain items, especially electronic items, can be in hundereds of euros! Even a simple mobile phone can cost a hundred euros less than if bought from Malta!

saviour visanich

Sep 7th 2011, 08:18

And the main reason for this, is just one - price difference. I bought my HD lcd tv by online shopping from Italy for 999 Euros including UPH shipping.The same brand and model of tv was being sold by the brand's local agent for 1700 Euros. Same goes for my smart phone, bought at 350 Euros online, when in Malta was selling at 590 Euros.

Stephen Saliba

Sep 7th 2011, 08:16

As usual we are our own worst enemies. I do not blame customers for opting to buy from overseas. One obvious reason is that goods are cheaper. This can be expected from a 'virtual shop' with no physical outlet (so no permit charges, no rent, little electricity if any, minimu staff etc etc). However one issue which is damning is the crude and stupidly implemented eco tax.. sorry contribution. Let me take the sale of a computer (the field I am in) as an example. Selling a PC to a Maltese customer - from a retail shop - incurrs an extra ECO charge to client of €44.32 + VAT (=€52.31 in total). This charge has supposedly to be invoked BEFORE the retailer's mark up! Bear in mind that there are prices for flights to UK for less than that!!! If a Maltese customer then buys one from an overseas site he incurrs no such charge. So without much ado the locas buyer is already €50+ better off buying from abroad. When one considers that the cost of a PC hovers in the €400 mark you can easily see why people are opting to purchase from overseas - especially laptops (notebooks). This sorry state of affairs is the same throughtout a substantial number of articles.. be it a simple light bulb to whatever you care to mention. Someone should sit down and have a serious rethink on thes implications for local business.

Ninette Zammit

Sep 7th 2011, 08:03

The main reason why Maltese shop online so much is not 'the result of restrictive choices in the local market', because nowadays we can buy anything we like here in Malta, but the prices overseas for the same item are so much less

Mrs Janet Bayes

Sep 7th 2011, 07:59

Well what a surprise. Local traders have rip off prices in shops, local web sites are used, for the most part, as advertisements. Goods are also, for the most part, cheaper and better quality from oversea. AND if you buy electrical goods from the UK you do get a three pin plug.
.

Mr A. Mizzi

Sep 7th 2011, 07:47

The Maltese would even , if given the chance, buy gas cylinders and fuel from abroad with the bad deal the Maltese Consumer get from the Maltese Government and his cronies which he calls AUTHORITIES.

The Malta Resource Authority,, the Transport Authority, MEPA, come to mind......

R. Mazzitelli

Sep 7th 2011, 07:25

i think people are buying more online from foreign in sites because prices are better and much lower than those in Malta and not because the choice in Malta is limited. In Malta even people who are selling 2nd hand items normally still keep prices higher than the forgein ones let alone those who are selling new items.