Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

It's 4pm on Saturday 11th August. My husband has just come back from (Lets call it Sainsburys) after buying some wine and beers for this evening. He was almost trampled underfoot by a man and two women running (yes running) up and down the wines and spirits area of the store actually ripping out the price tags from the shelves, He has paid a 15.5% increase on our particular wine. Please don't tell me that (Sainsburys) buy their wines and spirits on sale or return. They bought and paid for it, probably months ago.

I cannot understand why such a post would require moderating? There is no Defamy or Libel? If we can praise a business surely we can criticise when their practices are questionable?

Can you please explain Soner? It is notable that other businesses are criticised on here, one of the private hospitals and THY for instance.

But if the lira carries on as it has that said shop is going to struggle to survive as are so many businesses ! I feel so sorry for anyone in business her under this present climate it must be a nightmare .

Only 15.5% thats a bargain ...where is it i must go asap

Reyntj: I said which store it was i.e.(Sainsburys) I leave it to you. Of course its a nightmare but a large chain of stores in TRNC, come on, an overnight 15.5% increase)!!! I'm sure there were probably higher increases on the spirits!!

I can understand price rises for goods brought onto the island after they have got here. So the store owner purchases at a price adds a mark up and sells, fine. If the next shipment is more he needs to put his prices up, I understand that and have no problem with it. But a blanket 25% surcharge on stock that has been sitting around, as happened to me at a DIY store near Pools r us, is profiteering.

Jonnie, if the premises are rented, as most shops are, then he will be paying rent in Sterling.

He will therefore have seen one of his biggest overheads jump by around 30%, and have no idea of how much more it might increase...

Perhaps he's being 'prudent' in trying to ensure that he has enough income to pay the rent.

To be honest, I'd rather pay more, and know that he was going to be there next month or whenever I need him, than have him go out of business 'cos the landlord chucked him out!

Exactly Keith increased rents and significantly increased electric prices.

Jonnie, if the premises are rented, as most shops are, then he will be paying rent in Sterling.

He will therefore have seen one of his biggest overheads jump by around 30%, and have no idea of how much more it might increase...

Perhaps he's being 'prudent' in trying to ensure that he has enough income to pay the rent.

To be honest, I'd rather pay more, and know that he was going to be there next month or whenever I need him, than have him go out of business 'cos the landlord chucked him out!

It would almost pay to shut shop and wait for it to settle down at the higher price
i want Turkey and the TRNC to survive this

Anyone wishing to name and shame on this site can do so providing that they WhatsApp me so I can take a screenshot of their face, email me a copy of their passport and proof of address, then add a message to their post stating that they take full responsibility for what they have posted.

Always remember those who put there prices up and profiteers.

and remember to boycott these business when the good time return.

Cheers

Thomas

Keithcaley wrote:Jonnie, if the premises are rented, as most shops are, then he will be paying rent in Sterling.

He will therefore have seen one of his biggest overheads jump by around 30%, and have no idea of how much more it might increase...

Perhaps he's being 'prudent' in trying to ensure that he has enough income to pay the rent.

To be honest, I'd rather pay more, and know that he was going to be there next month or whenever I need him, than have him go out of business 'cos the landlord chucked him out!

Keith,

I responded to this post earlier however it has been removed.

Soner wrote:Anyone wishing to name and shame on this site can do so providing that they WhatsApp me so I can take a screenshot of their face, email me a copy of their passport and proof of address, then add a message to their post stating that they take full responsibility for what they have posted.

Screenshot, copy of passport, proof of address. Sounds a bit like someone could get a knock on their door to me. Actually it is scary. 6 years on this board over a thousand posts and I am sorry this seems like a thinly veiled threat.

Look back and there is plenty of naming and shaming going on but clearly on this occasion I have tread on someones toes. If this is what it comes down to sorry but I will leave.

It has gone crazy though. went into my local shop last night and got a carton of Koop for 3.70 and this morning the same cartons in the same shop were 6tl

Jonnie, I have pm'd you.

It is simple economics:
Shops pay rent in Sterling, the landlord pays their bank loan for the building of the shop in Sterling, therefore the shop lease holder must be able to cover the rent he has to pay in Sterling. Otherwise they will be out of business.
I know of at least one big YAPI market here who stopped trading based on the currency fluctuations and is waiting to re-open next week after discussion with their directors and suppliers.
Also, some retailers actually buy their products BUT don’t pay for them until they are sold. This is due to KDV and tax etc. I think this is why they uplift their prices.
Shop owners here have a really tough time generally speaking due to lack of population and high overheads. I don’t think the majority want to rip anyone off, they just want to remain in business.

Can someone tell me why shop rentals are paid in sterling in a country that is Turkish Lire. ?
How wide spread is this in the North ?
Just curious

When they build, they borrow in Sterling, Euro or Dollar, it’s more stable. They can borrow in Lira but have annual increases applied to the account/amount borrowed. The choice is yours. Therefore the shops are rented in Sterling to ensure the capital borrowed is met.

Interesting.
Thanks Welldigger.

kiplet wrote:Can someone tell me why shop rentals are paid in sterling in a country that is Turkish Lire. ?
How wide spread is this in the North ?
Just curious

It probably was started back in the 80's when they saw a few British owners renting their holiday homes for £100 a week, and then by 2004 lots of foreign owner, easier for them to collect in their own currency. Importing in dollars, euros and GBP have never helped but I can accept this due to the circumstances of the country. The government should insist rent is paid in the currency a worker is paid, soon there will be a few unhappy landlords as rents can not be met. Its states on one news site and they have to find £200 - £250 rent, i would like to know who and what is being rented out at this price, villas seem to start £450++++

Are these the same people who are complaint, that we're jumping for joy when they were getting around 8tl to the GBP. Most of us immigrants still get our monies/pensions in GBP, just spare a thought for the locals who get paid in TL and have bear the full brunt of any price increases.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C4NkNqUNkmE

Just been to unimar in iskele its always busy but seemed more than usual . I dont believe prces have gone up here yet i bought the last three 600 g bags of nescafe ! This is what 1006 tl bought me :

Jonnie wrote:

Soner wrote:Anyone wishing to name and shame on this site can do so providing that they WhatsApp me so I can take a screenshot of their face, email me a copy of their passport and proof of address, then add a message to their post stating that they take full responsibility for what they have posted.

Screenshot, copy of passport, proof of address. Sounds a bit like someone could get a knock on their door to me. Actually it is scary. 6 years on this board over a thousand posts and I am sorry this seems like a thinly veiled threat.

Look back and there is plenty of naming and shaming going on but clearly on this occasion I have tread on someones toes. If this is what it comes down to sorry but I will leave.

Jonnie, I think that Soner has taken this stance because he is aware that Cypriots (North and South) are notoriously 'litigious', rather than you having specifically 'stepped on someone's toes'...

If they think that anyone is saying anything that will 'besmirch their honour' or their family's honour, they will send off a flurry of threatening solicitor's letters, and as the 'Publisher', Soner would be the person held to account, unless he can show that the 'blame' attaches to some other, clearly identified individual.

Even if the facts stated are 100% true, it is not something that a Forum owner wants to spend time and money on defending in Court, if it should come to that.

I would also think that there is a definite difference between simply pointing out a fact, such as a price rise, and ascribing the intent of such a price rise as 'Profiteering' without any knowledge about the financial circumstances, cash flow etc., of the business concerned.

Consider this: Instead of putting his money in the Bank, earning interest, the shopowner has paid for goods that have sat on his shelves, possibly for years, waiting for you to buy them should your need for them arise.

OK so far?

When he sells them, he will need to replace the stock that he has just sold. Where is he to find the money to buy new stock which is now at greatly increased prices? If he sold the old stock at the original marked price, he may well have not received enough cash to buy the new stock, let alone pay his increased rent and electricity charges as previously mentioned.

There is always more than one point of view, and if you have never run a small business in a climate of galloping inflation and had to face the cash flow crisis that inevitably ensues, I can see that you might jump to conclusions about the motives, just as you might jump to conclusions about Soner's motives for requiring posters to take full responsibility for their remarks.

I appreciate that your comments were 'knee jerk reactions', but please consider the wider implications of the situation.

An admirably sensible and honest post,I applaud you Keith and agree with all the points you have so eloquently answered .

can i add that we went to Lefkosa today and most of the shops near the crossing were refusing to take lira. was told that they will only except pound or Euro. Ok Fine but when a bag is priced at 300tl and the rude man in the shop demands 300 euro he is not getting any sympathy from me.