Swiss and purchasing habits - Page 3

adrianlondon · #41 16.03.2011, 15:36

Then your response is ... "no". Or charge them the extra

#42 16.03.2011, 15:40

	Quote:	adrianlondon
	Then your response is ... "no". Or charge them the extra

Oh of course my response was no, I was just commenting on the buying habits of some EFers!

Carlos R · #43 16.03.2011, 15:53

Just been to get a coffee at the station.

Older chap before me was astonished at the cost of his chocolate muffin.

He expected it to be 1.20 CHF, when in fact it was 4.20 CHF.

I couldn't see the problem, and at the same time, I was a little perplexed at how he expected a muffin to be 1.20 CHF. I mean, this is Switzerland for pity's sake...

The Real Stig · #44 16.03.2011, 16:06

My WTF experience was when I walked into my first Swiss McDonalds and had to pay for Ketchup. I thought they were joking and asked the cashier "You're not serious, right?" and she looked at me blankly.

After that it was all down hill from there when I realized the strange swiss buying & SELLING habits. Even in the Flea market they get pissed off at you for haggling. It's a FLEA MARKET for Christ's sake.

If it weren't for the money they were throwing at me.. I'd take my non-cycling, non-jogging, non-mountain beauty appreciating or climbing, hyperventilating, trying to get everything done by 6:00 PM, non-socialistic butt back to NA.

Swiss Cartel mentality. Bah! Humbug!

The Real Stig · #45 16.03.2011, 16:09

That's extreme for even Flea market standards.

	Quote:	Angela-74
	It is true, I have never seen people try to haggle so much in CH as in other places it can be ridiculous! I had a spot on the fleamarket here in Basel and I was selling some clothes which included a dress with the tags still on for 50 euro, a woman comes and asks me how much do I want, I say 15 CHF, she says I will give you 2...I turned around and continued chatting with my friends...like, really? This is only one example. Anyways afterwards comes another woman this one elderly, asks how much I said 15 and she said I think that is fair and gave me the money.

cannut · #46 16.03.2011, 16:25

	Quote:	Angela-74
	I am selling some new curtains I bought in Ikea and ask for 50% of the price, the curtains are still in the bags. Someone sends me an email (I can not see the user name) and asks if the come also with the clips LOL

Throw in the labour to hang theme and I buy theme for 80 % off

amogles · #47 16.03.2011, 16:34

	Quote:	Angela-74
	I am selling some new curtains I bought in Ikea and ask for 50% of the price, the curtains are still in the bags. Someone sends me an email (I can not see the user name) and asks if the come also with the clips LOL

If the bags are unopened and you still have the receipt its worth taking them back to IKEA and seeing if they'll take them back. I never tried it in IKEA but I have in Bauhaus and they gave me my money back without any hassle or stupid questions. They didn't even charge a restocking fee.

adrianlondon · #48 16.03.2011, 16:40

Ikea will refund (I assume within a defined time).

CH_Me · #49 16.03.2011, 16:41

	Quote:	adrianlondon
	Ikea will refund (I assume within a defined time).

..within 90 days.

amogles · #50 16.03.2011, 16:44

	Quote:	MarieZug
	..within 90 days.

okay, and how difficult is it to fake an IKEA receipt?

magyir · #51 16.03.2011, 16:48

	Quote:	red_conundrum
	OK, so what's the secret then? I have tons of stuff in there, some for (cheap!) fixed price, others for auction starting at 1 CHF, been up for 5 days, only 20 views, no bids and no buyers. The ad is in german, but laconic (i.e. not much written describing the object other than a picture and dimensions). Am I doing something wrong?

If you want real bidding activity list in Germany. Unfortunately you don't live near the German border to ship from a 24-hour Packstation with Germany/EU but it might be worth a try.

Normal packets are 3.90€ within Germany. And via Basel the Grenze is only 90kms away....consider it.

magyir · #52 16.03.2011, 16:51

	Quote:	Kittster
	Ha, I'm buying certain things from Ricardo for my new flat and there actually isn't a lot nice stuff on offer. Bagged a really nice table though. I guess there is a kind of snobbishness/caution around getting stuff free or cheaper, for instance, I really can't barter. Also, dealing with individuals can be suuuch a hassle, I have tried to sell things in the past, you arrange to meet for a viewing, then people just don't turn up. Or you suggest certain times and ask for them to confirm one and you never get an answer - they just turn up (luckily I happened to be in). Or you bend over backwards to fit into their time schedule, many messages go back and forth and then suddenly nothing. Especially if you have several things to go and several people want the same thing - you end up getting told off for selling to the first person who definitely said they wanted it whereas the angry person only vaguely showed interest. At least with things like Ricardo, people are obliged to pay up if they agree to purchase...

I remember a similar experience when selling something. Appointment of 1st interested buyer was cancelled by him at short notice, so I sold to 2nd interested buyer. 1st interested buyer was then miffed even though I'd waited until after his cancellation.
The price and condition, warranty etc was right of course

Suisse2008 · #53 16.03.2011, 16:54

	Quote:	The Real Stig
	My WTF experience was when I walked into my first Swiss McDonalds and had to pay for Ketchup. I thought they were joking and asked the cashier "You're not serious, right?" and she looked at me blankly.

Last time I was in a McDonald's it was in the UK and they charged 20p for ketchup. Friends have told me they charge in France and Germany as well.

Don't know about Switzerland. Never been in one here.

magyir · #54 16.03.2011, 16:55

	Quote:	adrianlondon
	Basel Stadt (dunno about anywhere else) used to have four "throw out" days a year. You could dump virtually anything onto the street one day, and the next morning it was picked up and disposed of free of charge. Lots of people, including me (it was a highlight of living here!) would walk around in the evening looking for things. I got a coffee table, brand new TV stand, wine rack, a light, some weird green shelving, plant pots, photo frames and some pictures. The best was two days after I'd bought a mattress and bed frame, but didn't even know what a "lattenrost" was, two fully adjustable 80cm lattenrosts were dumped on the next street. They aren't doing it any more, and it's a pity. I'd go out with my neighbour and especially in winter when it was dark, it was like a lottery what you'd stumble across. Some big furniture was also put out but they tended to get taken quickly by Frenchies popping over with vans.

Ostermundigen by Bern had a similar thing. Once in 2005 when moving to Germany I started leaving furniture/mats outside. Before I'd finished people were putting it into cars. However they preferred that I hadn't seen them for some reason. I was glad the recycling was so instant. Been de-cluttered ever since!

magyir · #55 16.03.2011, 16:59

	Quote:	Angela-74
	It is true, I have never seen people try to haggle so much in CH as in other places it can be ridiculous! I had a spot on the fleamarket here in Basel and I was selling some clothes which included a dress with the tags still on for 50 euro, a woman comes and asks me how much do I want, I say 15 CHF, she says I will give you 2...I turned around and continued chatting with my friends...like, really? This is only one example. Anyways afterwards comes another woman this one elderly, asks how much I said 15 and she said I think that is fair and gave me the money.

This is true. What's more popular to the Swiss seemingly is membership of the discounted brands sites like my-store.ch, fashionfriends and others offering 30-70% off or outlet shopping in Mendrisio/Metzingen. A female colleague tells me she gets money back for her old labels in Zürich Binz. Must find out where and what they take in.

#56 16.03.2011, 17:02

	Quote:	amogles
	If the bags are unopened and you still have the receipt its worth taking them back to IKEA and seeing if they'll take them back. I never tried it in IKEA but I have in Bauhaus and they gave me my money back without any hassle or stupid questions. They didn't even charge a restocking fee.

I have no idea where the receipt is plus I bought them 5 months ago I think. I did though, returned to a shoe shop where I bought some nice well known brand boots for 200 CHF, and after a month they had a whole the size of my butt at the bottom of one of them. I could not find the receipt but asked if I could bring them and they said yes and I got a full refund! I am buying at that store again !

#57 16.03.2011, 17:03

	Quote:	magyir
	This is true. What's more popular to the Swiss seemingly is membership of the discounted brands sites like my-store.ch, fashionfriends and others offering 30-70% off or outlet shopping in Mendrisio/Metzingen. A female colleague tells me she gets money back for her old labels in Zürich Binz. Must find out where and what they take in.

I love my store and eboutich hihihi

CH_Me · #58 16.03.2011, 17:04

	Quote:	Angela-74
	I have no idea where the receipt is plus I bought them 5 months ago I think. I did though, returned to a shoe shop where I bought some nice well known brand boots for 200 CHF, and after a month they had a whole the size of my butt at the bottom of one of them. I could not find the receipt but asked if I could bring them and they said yes and I got a full refund! I am buying at that store again !

Oschner Shoes will repair / exchange items within a year. I lost the receipt and they fixed the zip pulls on a pair for me without hesitation. We now buy all our shoes there.

magyir · #59 16.03.2011, 17:06

	Quote:	amogles
	okay, and how difficult is it to fake an IKEA receipt?

You might also get a Bon/Credit note within a year.

Carlos R · #60 16.03.2011, 17:08

	Quote:	The Real Stig
	My WTF experience... After that it was all down hill from there when I realized the strange swiss buying & SELLING habits. Even in the Flea market they get pissed off at you for haggling. It's a FLEA MARKET for Christ's sake.

My WTF experience...

We were looking for a nice dining table.

Found an excellent bargain, reduced from 700 to 400 CHF. Bloody marvelous, I thought to myself.

Find a sales person, start discussing prices...

Sales person: Oh, and what legs would you like to buy with that...?

Me:

SP: Legs, to go with the table... prices start at 400 CHF for a set of 4

Me:

This was in Pfister... I know better than to shop there now...