European companies

We ordered a couple of rolls of designer wallpaper online from a company based in Belgium. The price per roll here was £60 per roll, the Belgian price was £40 per roll with free delivery. The wallpaper arrived just two days after ordering.

Previously we ordered two rolls of another designer wallpaper from a British online shop which was £60 per roll plus £15 delivery. We had to wait three weeks for that.

How come European companies can be so efficient compared to our own?

Re: European companies

Something to do with 'Rip Off Britain', I suppose.

Perhaps our products are taxed more or maybe the raw materials and employees?

Re: European companies

Tbh, it seemed such a good deal that I thought it was probably too good to be true. Even their revues were all 5*s.

Re: European companies

Ha ha! Just realised I made a typo in the title.

Re: European companies

The Brit companies probably buy from Europe and with some of the more expensive items won't carry stock so order when they have enough orders for a pallet

Re: European companies

Yeah probably right. I was impressed with the Belgian company.

Re: European companies

Look on the bright side: at least it wasn't rude!

Was it? Not being a rude word person, I really don't know.

Re: European companies

It´s often the same with customer service too. A couple of years ago we bought a new Baxi boiler, of course all instructions were in Spanish. So I emailed Baxi customer service in UK and Baxi customer service in Spain, asking if they could supply me with an instruction book in English. Most things I can cope with, but some electrical jargon even in English I don´t understand. The next morning I received an email from Baxi Spain, asking me what the name of the boiler was (I didn´t know they had names !), I had supplied the model number. Off I went, found the name, typed it on the reply function and pressed send. Virtually before I had taken my fingers off the keys I was sent a download manual in English. From Baxi in England, well I´m still waiting for a reply.

This has happened on various occasions when we have bought electrical goods here with no English instructions. I have received prompt replies from companies in Germany and Spain but very rarely, if ever, from English companies.

Re: European companies

Exactly the same when we lived in Czechland, user manuals usually had up to 20 European languages but not English but if it was made in Germany then an English language version was always sent on request. Like you I rarely, if ever, had a reply from a UK company even if it was made in UK.

Re: European companies

It´s still the same. Buy a product made in England, the manual comes with every language under the sun....except English. A polite request to the British company is made, but never a reply.