Search the Community

There are several threads here discussing buying from elsewhere in Europe, because you get better value, and, in some cases, a greater choice or better quality products. I've just been looking at the price for a part for our MVHR, a "Sommerbox" that is a 5 minute slot-in replacement for the heat exchanger to gain better cooling in the summer. I got hold of the part number from Genvex (who are always very helpful, BTW) but Genvex don't sell direct so I asked two of their suppliers for prices. Here are the prices for comparison: UK supplier - unit price £174.00 inc VAT for the part, plus £30.00 inc VAT for delivery, giving a total of £204.00 inc VAT Danish supplier - unit price £128.82 inc, VAT for the part plus £62.48 inc VAT for delivery, giving a total of £191.40 inc VAT Now this was a VAT reclaimable item (I think), so the ex VAT prices including delivery would be: UK supplier - total price = £170.00 Danish supplier - total price = £153.12 Looking at just the unit price, ex-VAT, as the Danish supplier has to charge more for delivery to the UK, whereas the UK supplier presumably gets better rates for bulk shipment, then the prices are: UK supplier - part only price, ex-VAT = £145.00 Danish supplier - part only price, ex-VAT = £103.06 Given that both the UK and the Danish supplier are authorised Genvex dealers, and so are almost certainly getting the same sort of price from Genvex, what's the justification for the UK unit price being 40% higher than the Danish supplier price? My understanding is that the cost of living, doing business etc in Denmark is similar to the UK, may even be a bit higher, as their VAT rate is 25%, rather than our 20%. The only conclusion I can reach is that the UK supplier is upping the price because they can, which is most probably because people aren't shopping around to get a better price.