I disagree with that statement entirely, especially the "only to profit" part. Do you think Switzerland welcomed people from other countries out of the goodness of their hearts? No, they do it to help drive the Swiss economy by having the brightest and best people here.

Now, you can't be surprised when someone comes from another country manages to work out within the first 5 minutes that a lot of items are SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper just over the border.

I presume you are working here and earning a Swiss salary, which is probably more than you would earn elsewhere.

After you've been here 10 minutes you may see the other side of the argument.

Well, when I bought my car I had a cambelt changed once after 80.000km and had to do it again later after 160.000km. Basically every 80.000km in my old Toyota Corolla 1.6GLE. I'm not sure about VW but quoted milage sounds about right. I know it hurts a pocket but better do it sooner than feel sorry later. Wouldn't it be slightly cheaper to drive it across the border to Germany, if you of course can go for a day trip or return by train if not getting it done same day...

Indeed I am living here, earning a Swiss salary. And when I lived in the UK, I earnt a UK salary. Still, when in the UK, I would not hesitate to shop elsewhere if I thought the UK price was too high.

I have no issue paying for services in Switzerland and frequently do. However I do object when parts/items made, for example, in China are significantly more expensive than in the UK. The UK has over twice the VAT of Switzerland yet on car parts the prices in Switzerland are over twice the cost of the UK.

Let me clarify that i was talking only about people who intend to profit like leeches and who are ungrateful. The same goes for naturalized CITIZENS of any country, that is if you understand that this is A COUNTRY to which a citizen has pledged allegiance.
I emphasize "People who do ALL or most of their shopping(like all their groceries), people who hoodwink customs, people who have a habit of avoid taxes illegally", even i shop abroad for things i dont get here.

You may disagree. I did not think think that Switzerland welcomed people from other countries due to the goodness of their heart nor did i think that Switzerland welcomed people from other countries due to the badness of their heart, "Goodness or Badness" has no relevance here. It is natural for ANY free thinking and Multicultural society in the world like Switzerland to welcome people from abroad, not just the best and the brightest, but also asylum seekers in dire need. It only expects that people respect the rules and are ready to integrate.
Please note 2 points:
1. The person in question decided to come here on his own. Switzerland did not pull him here, but it welcomed him.
2. The person is paid a salary commensurate with his talent and ability, thats compensation enough for the "best and brightest" aspect, so its meanigless to keep bringing it up as if it were still an unresolved issue.

Shopping:
Whether one finds out that prices are lower abroad after being here for 5 minutes or 5 years, is irrelevant to the point.
For whatever you buy in switzerland which has Swiss manpower in it you will naturally pay more since salary levels are higher. if you spend your Swiss-made money abroad this means that this money is going to be missed in the swiss economy which will eventually end up in higher prices or poorer quality of the goods in Switzerland --- whatever the market allows.. The economy slows down, Swiss economy is damaged.
I dont mind at all buying Swiss meat and helping the Swiss farmers. If i want cheaper prices i go to LIDL here.
I like the cheap prices in UK Supermarkets, but i do know the BRitish farmer has been suffering. I dont think any good British citizen would not care about it.
Primark UK sold at the cheapest prices, even though it advertised ethical practices it so happenned they emplyed child labour at pitance salaries in India and other countries to get such dead cheap prices. Many vendors in the UK and elsewhere have this practice even if they advertise ethics.

If even 20% thought like you, the Swiss system and economy would collapse. People lose their jobs. Of course this wont be a problem for grasshoppers, they just hop on to a different country.

And even after the above facts becoming clear to them, if some people still dont care, then they would be "parasites" who dont care whatever happens to Switzerland. What they care or dont care is not important to Switzerland, the fact is such people are here "ONLY TO PROFIT" and have no love for the country.
No country would want to welcome to citizenship, people who would cause harm or who would have such a notion(as above) whether or not they are the best and brightest, is the bottom line.

Look I don't want anybodys sympathy or respect. I'm not prepared to get ripped off. This started off because I'd rather spend roughly 450 Fr on a repair rather than 1800 Fr in Switzerland. Thats 300% more!! If yous think that's fair than by all means pay that. I find theres no way that a 300 % price increase is justified and I'm not gonna pay it.

http://www.20min.ch/finance/news/story/30424912

In the Netherlands the health insurance pay for certain medication Fr1.17 here it's Fr42.60. If you think it needs a 3641% price increase to justify Swiss wages fine pay it. I think thats a rip off and if possible won't pay it.

http://www.20min.ch/print/story/15227772

The fabric prices for Generica are twice as dear here than in western Europe. As some one pointed out up to 20% price increase is justified. put 100%???


Elmex tries to prevent parallel import so they can charge us 60% more than in Germany. Fair?

http://www.20min.ch/finance/news/story/30424912

Some shops are now so ashamed of how much more stuff costs here that they change the price tags so we don't know see the price in EU countries. Funnily enough on the picture the price in the 8 EU countries is the same.
In that artical a detail trade expert said that higher prices of a few procent are justified. Not high double digit numbers.

My mum owns a small shop. For certain beads she refuses to sell for the normal going price cause it's too much off a rip off. Cause of this some costumers get suspicious and don't think it's the real stuff.

A remember a few years ago when Credit Suisse were still making record profits, a few days after annoncing the record results, they sacked 15 IT specialists here and moved the positions to India cause it was cheaper.

The UBS are threating to move abroad should the government try to mess with them.

And don't even get me on the prices the Post charge for opening up stuff. I could send you here: Customs Duties on mail order items



When not even some of Switzerlands biggest companies can lead by example. Why should I help some rich managers make even bigger bonuses.

They are just out to maximise their profit and don't show any loyalty to the country or workers. I just think the same. I'm out to get the most value for my Franc and I'm not prepared to stay loyal to unethical companies who are just out to rip me off. And anyway I do nothing illegal. All the food I buy and packages I send are always under the allowed limit.

Oh and at the other end of the stick. If you pass the border to Germany you'll see queues of Germany cars which sometime overflow onto the main road waiting to get petrol in Switzerland. I take it they shouldn't do that either. I think it's fair enough.

If yous don't agree I don't care. By all means sit back and get ripped off. I won't.

"By all means sit back and get ripped off." - is a highly inaccurate statement and an erroneous interpretation of the prices.
Switzerland ranks very high in the list of countriies by GDP (PPP) per capita, and above the UK, Germany and the Netherlands (some countries you have mentioned) . A more accurate representation of purchasing power relative to earnings(IMF, World Bank and CIA World Factbook): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...PP)_per_capita.
In other words the salaries earned here enable you to purchase more than the countries below Switzerland in the lists. That we want to have higher salaries of the country as well as have the relatively lower prices of some other countries with much lower salaries, is personal preference and has nothing to do with "a rip off".

P.S
Individual cases mentioned above are besides the point. But anyway touching on one of them for name sake, I am not sure the Netherlands is able to provide healthcare at such low prices without Govt contribution, which is tax payer money. For example if i was living in the UK, i would surely care for that country that feeds me(as a permanent resident/citizen), and would be bothered that the NHS is sinking(according to reports), and even though free health care is good for me i would be all for a Swiss or Dutch style system there that is sustainable in the long run.


I found an interesting artical

http://www.sommaruga.ch/pdfs_aso/War...sch_012007.PDF


The most interesting point of this was for me this:

Eine Studie der Swiss Retail Federation1 hat gezeigt, dass bei jenen Waren, die der Detailhändler
direkt im Ausland bezieht, die Preisdifferenzen zwischen der Schweiz und
den EU-Ländern plus/minus 5% beträgt. Wo der Import hingegen indirekt über einen
Grossisten oder Alleinimporteur erfolgt, wächst das Preisdifferenzial auf 30-60%

Prices are 30-60% dearer when companies have to go through a general importer rather than import straight from the EU where the price differance is +/- 5%.

Thats where the massive price differences comes from. It's got nothing to do with wages, rent etc.

If companies could get everything straight from the EU then I'm sure the prices would be around the same plus all the workers at the till would have more chance of gaining a pay raise cause the company will be saving 30-60%.

It's also highly unfair that companies in the export idustry have to pay Swiss prices for material but export to EU prices.

The only people who will suffer from double import is big business and the general importers. I don't have much pity for any of them.

Thats the last I'm gonna say on the subject.