One of the curiosities of living in France that we’ve found frustrating is the delivery of things like fridges and washing machines. Actually the same applies to building materials but that’s kind of different…
When you buy things like fridges, freezers and the like in the UK, you normally get free delivery if you spend over a certain amount – for arguments sake, let’s say it’s £50.00.
As most white goods are considerably more than that, free delivery is kind of a given. Not in France. What’s more, it’s common that the more you buy the more you pay for delivery!
I have a proud boast of having never been inside IKEA – not anywhere. But I have to admit I do like the look of some of their stuff. It’s just the concept of trawling around a store that puts me off.
However, in France IKEA will deliver (which they didn’t do in the UK when we left). I thought that would be great. Order up the kitchen, get it brought here, knock it all together. Job done. Not… Now it’s a while since I looked so they may have changed their policy but at the time the delivery was going to put an extra 500 Euros on the cost!
FIVE HUNDRED!!!!
Anyway, back to the washing machine (machine à laver). A couple of months ago one of our fridge freezers (frigo congélateur) went phutt. Not surprising, it was years old. So we go in search of a new one. The large supermarkets (supermarchés or grande surface) often have quite good deals so that’s where we went first. Good deals, yes, until you factor in delivery at between 30 and 60 Euros. On a fridge freezer costing 250 Euros that’s quite a chunk. It’s not that we’re that far away either – under twenty miles. In the end we bought from one of the large electrical retailers called BUT.
It’s bizarre to me that when you want to buy something like this you have to look at not just the price but the delivery as well. In our case we ended up getting a more expensive machine because the delivery was 30 euros less. What’s even more bizarre is that a BUT near you may not offer the same deal. Turns out that most of these stores are actually franchises and have a degree of autonomy when it comes to delivery charges, precisely what they stock, etc.
All that frustration changed last week with the ancient washing machine that finally gave up the ghost (fantôme 
). Darty – another of the large chain electrical retailers – actually do free delivery. Hooray!!! Their prices are quite competitive too.
They even deliver on a Saturday. Two very competent guys turn up, insist in installing and making sure it works even though we told them it wasn’t necessary, and will also take the old machine away for you.
Next time I’m shopping for electrical goods, where do you suppose I will try first? How long do you suppose it will be before the other retailers cotton on? Hey, this is France, don’t hold your breath!
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I think it depends on where you shop… As you said, when our washing machine went phhuuttt a few months ago, we shopped around, looking for a good price and a good machine – and found both at our local DARTY – and delivery was not only free, they took away the old one for us – and since we live on the fourth floor with an elevator the size of a coffin – that’s always a nice thing. (Ooops! Just read what you wrote about Darty too…)
Our dishwasher was also free, but that could have been because we spent 1000 euros on it, because we wanted the top of the line. (We entertain a lot and it makes life easier.)
I don’t remember about our big screen television – I know we got it at FNAC a year and a half ago, but can’t recall if there were delivery charges or not…
My biggest frustration is that delivery can take up to a week – like with our television set. I like the 24 hour delivery most companies provide in the U.S. But, I’ve gotten used to the slower pace of life in France – and learned that it’s not worth getting upset about – things happen on a different schedule here, and on the whole, that’s not a bad thing!
Hi Cheryl
Thanks for dropping by. The wait for delivery is frustrating, I agree. Even when they offer 24 hour delivery – like a certain office supplies company – you’re lucky if you get it in 3 or 4 days. If you complain the best you can hope for is “sorry about that, it was late” – which is blindingly obvious!
Like you say, it’s not all bad though! I’d hate people to think I was grumbling all the time, I do actually love living here.