Good news for online shoppers and bargain hunters in Ireland.
As from today (October 6th 2009) Amazon UK are offering free delivery to Ireland on any order valued at over £25 incl VAT.
This is good news - just in time for the Christmas shopping rush. The prices at Amazon are pretty good - especially when the Pound is weak against the Euro. It is currently worth only  €1.09 .
With delivery charges on four  books coming to £7.95  - getting free delivery makes a big difference to the total price.

This Bench Gents watch with leather strap is available at Amazon for just  £24.97 plus £3.98 delivery to Ireland.  Bench have become renowned as the brand that offers multifunctional, comfortable, urban street wear with a quirky finish. Bench remains true to its roots with a hardcore of styles that are timeless classic.

Amazon are selling the  Creative Zen 32GB for £149.99. (About €187 delivered here) .It’s not the latest model - but other places have it for as much as £225 (Pixmania UK) . Play.com have it at £149.99 too - but won’t deliver here. Creative themselves have it for €229.99 delivered.

Amazon have some interesting and useful tools to help withyour online shopping. Here they have a list of the Hot Products - i.e those items where sales have had the biggest increase .
It’s a useful way of seeing things that are going to be popular or where there are  bargains .
If someting is selling fast - it’s for one of two reasons either it’s very good or the price has been reduced.
Amazon call them the Movers and Shakers -

This news is going to mean a lot more bargains for Irish online shoppers.
Amazon-UK have removed almost all restrictions on shipping goods to Ireland (April 2009).
Previously - Irish online shoppers could only get jealous and angry as they bought their books, cds and DVds on Amazon and saw all the other great prices on laptops,  cameras, camcorders , satnav - ie. almost everything else they sell.
Well now - Irish shoppers (ie all  of Western Europe) can get all items delivered to their door by Amazon. This is not an April fools joke - I have tried it and it is true. I ordered an Xbox Console , a Laptop,  a Digital Camera all for delivery to the West of Ireland - and there was no problem getting through checkout. Usually you would be told at checkout that your items could not be delivered to your address. Not any more.

Get on to Amazon UK now to see all those great prices and a great selection too. Go easy on that credit card!!

See Full List of Amazon Shipping Rates Here

The prices shown on the Amazon UK include UK VAT (15%) .
Irish customers - correctly and legally - get charged Irish VAT (21.5%) . So just be aware of that when you notice a difference in the price at checkout.
If you want to work out a final price yourself - just add on 5.65 pence  for every pound or £5.65 on every hundred pounds.

Note: Make sure the item you have selected is being sold by Amazon and not by one of their marketplace sellers. Many of the other sellers don’t deliver to Ireland

NB: Items Still not delivered to Ireland: (updated April 24th 2009)

Televisions and TV equipment
Mobile phones
Medicines, blank CDs and blank DVDs
Light bulbs
Childrens clothes , car seats, safety equipment
Magazine subscriptions and MP3 downloads.
There are also restrictions on weight - any item that is 30 kg or heavier, cannot be delivered outside mainland UK. (Will probably only apply to some fitness equipment or lawnmowers etc)

Yes - Christmas is on the way and you have just about 5 weeks left of online shopping. Not that long really - but no need to panic yet .

If you are ordering from Amazon for delivery to Ireland - you are advised to get your orders in by 13th December 2008. This seems a bit early - considering that orders for dispatch to Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany can be placed right upto Dec 17th. (Maybe the An Post reputation for slow delivery has reached Amazon)

Northern Ireland orders on Amazon need to be in by 18th December if you are using the Free Super Saver option. But NI orders going by First Class post don’t need to be completed till December 20th.

Other online shopping sites may be quicker or slower than Amazon - but it would be advisable to place orders with UK based sites on or before December 15th if you want them delivered before Christmas Day. Each site should have it’s own guidelines .

Amazon do not have a site specifically for Ireland - No www.Amazon.ie site - but Irish shoppers can get  stuff delivered by Amazon UK to Ireland.

Amazon delivery Charges to Ireland
CDs or DVDs at  £0.39 per item and £1.49 per delivery
Books and Videos £0.99 per item and £3.99 delivery.

Ie. delivery for 3 Cds would cost 1.49 plus 3 times .39 = 2.66 .ie approx €3.00 euro
Amazon UK will deliver books, Cds , DVD and Video items to Ireland. They do not deliver xbox games, playstation games or consloes to Ireland. Amazon do not deliver Ipods or cookware or bed linen to Ireland. They say they do deliver some electrical and camera items - but I have yet to find any that they will.
Amazon Ireland