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Subject Topic: Why are coolers so expensive in the UK? Post Reply Post New Topic
19/7/2014 at 5:28pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Vango Astoria 800
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I've been looking for a decent drinks cooler recently. Just so you know what I mean, I'm talking about the large foam urns with a valve at the bottom. The reasoning being that I fill it with juice and ice, pop it on the kitchen bench in the porch and our three boys can help themselves when they get thirsty.

The US made ones (Coleman, Igloo or Rubbermaid) all look amazing and are tuppence ha'penny over there, yet like £70 or more here. Such a rip off!

I understand market economics, but the mark up is insane. Has anyone found a cheaper source for these?


19/7/2014 at 5:30pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Vango Astoria 800
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This is the sort of thing I mean: http://www.igloocoolers.com/Beverage/All-Beverage/5-Gal-Seat-Top-Orange


19/7/2014 at 7:04pm
 Location: Staines-upon-Thames
 Outfit: Vango Cayman 500
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Costco have the best prices for Igloo coolers, close to half the usual UK price, but I haven't seen a drinks dispenser there.


19/7/2014 at 8:55pm
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Coolers such as igloo and Coleman are made in the US.
Short truck ride to Walmart and on sale...there's your cheap price.
To get them to the UK they need to be certified for the EU and have the appropriate labels added (litres not gallons etc) which means another production line and more cost...
Then they have to be shipped over the Atlantic , and you don't get many 70litre coolers on a 40' container...mostly shipping fresh air.
Shipping adds £15 on the RRP easily..
When they get to the EU, they need to be stored, and pallet space costs money.
Then they need too be shipped to camping stores....and if not Walmart that probably means 1 pallets at a time which can add another 5 to 10£ to the RRP.
Soon adds up.
On the plus side, they will last a lifetime, so not a big cost if you apply the 20 year rule!


19/7/2014 at 10:27pm
 Location: Northumberland
 Outfit: Knaus Sudwind 550 TK
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And Britain is just becoming GREEDY me thinks!!!!

-------------
Damned if I do...

Damned if I don't!!!!


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20/7/2014 at 12:50am
 Location: Canol Cymru
 Outfit: chinos and a polo shirt
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my cool box is a personal import from the USA

during the good old days of a luggage allowance of 2 X 23kg on scheduled flights to the USA i bought it walmart for about £25.00 filled it with other goodies wrapped it in cling wrap and checked it into the hold

coleman extreme 70 quart costs £80.00 plus in the UK so i got mine for a third of the price


20/7/2014 at 10:18am
 Location: Hertfordshire
 Outfit: Anything I like !!!
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Also land is very cheap in the US so retail property is cheaper etc. I hear people call out "rip off Britain" we all if retailers are making so much profit why ate they going out of business all the time. Try it for yourselves and see how you get on... Its as much to do with us living on a small island with too many people driving up costs of land and property. In fact there are many reasons but I can tell you no one is making huge margins in any competitive trade these days. In fact you/us the general public are getting amazing deals, the problem is we had it so good for so many years we are now finding it hard to adjust.
Political rant over.

-------------
Gary Cross - The masked camping guru.


20/7/2014 at 11:15am
 Location: Sunny Suffolk (West)
 Outfit: inflatable dome Palamos6 frame tent
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As Gary said it's cheap in the US but once you pay shipping fees any import duty & VAT on an item (anything over £16 but VAT is charged on shipping cost too!) the UK prices can actually be cheaper than buying from the US direct!


20/7/2014 at 3:43pm
 Location: Midlands
 Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram
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Same reason almost everything is dearer in the UK.


Regular unleaded fuel $3.69 a US gallon (4 litres) equivalent to 55p a litre.

So many products cost us the same in £ to what they pay in $. But shipping stuff from the US is usually costly and added customs and VAT.

Yet i can order from China with none of that.




20/7/2014 at 7:02pm
 Location: Norfolk
 Outfit: 5m bell tent & Vango Peace tepee
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E-bay! Quite a few on there. Going to stop looking at them now though, before I decide we need one! I've got drinks dispensers already but not the cooler style ones - plastic one with tap from Next, Thermos flask style one with pump from Class Ohlson and a metal one from BHS.



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