Print this page
Published in News

Call Blighty for bargains

by on21 December 2008

Image

Xmass deals:
Wii for €188, PlayStation 3 for €242

Britain is
usually one of the worst places to shop for tech stuff in Europe, but the economic crisis and the pound's downfall has turned it into a bargain hunter's wet dream.

Unfortunately, Brits don't stand to gain much from the weak pound, but if you live in the Euro zone, there's quite a few bargains worth mentioning. We must say we feel a bit sorry for our Brit readers, they pay some of the highest hardware prices in Europe, and now they're missing out on this money saving scheme, as well.

Here's the deal: these days the GBP will buy you just 1.07674 EUR, and many vendors and distributors were a bit slow to adjust their prices accordingly. Let's take a look at consoles, traditionally the hottest products of any holiday season. In the U.K. you can get a Wii for 175 quid, which translates to €188. On the continent you'll pay €225 for the same product. The Wii is quite cheap, anyway, so let's take a look at the PS3. U.K. prices start at £225, or €243 for the 40GB model. In Euroland it will set you back €349, and savings of more than €100 is definitely worth the trouble of finding a U.K. e-tailer who'll ship it to your doorstep across the Channel. The Xbox 360 Elite sells for £176, or €189, while the EU price is €249.

The price difference shrinks when it comes to PC hardware, i.e., CPUs, graphics, etc. PC hardware distributors react swiftly to any price/exchange rate change, and it's not as easy to find such bargains in this particular market, although some searching could land you a nice notebook with quite a nice discount.

Digital cameras are also worth looking at. You can save quite a bit, especially if you're after something pricey, say a dSLR. The same goes for most consumer electronics, especially small and expensive gadgets which won't cost a fortune to ship from the U.K.

There's really no point in boring you with details and more examples. If you're interested in getting just about anything, check the U.K. market before the pound makes up for lost ground. If you save any money on the scheme, please use some of it to send a Christmas card or thank you note to 10 Downing Street.
Last modified on 22 December 2008
Rate this item
(0 votes)