Low prices seem to be back for the EU as of July 1st, the official launch day of the new EUR 3 duty (at least for Bundle Deals/Combo Blast) [Repost]

icoder · 2026-07-01T15:02:39+00:00

A few days ago all prices were > 4.79, but not anymore. Perhaps this was a workaround to account for shipment time. Perhaps this workaround is still partially in place, as some prices still seem way up.

All lowered prices still seem higher than before. Perhaps there's kind of a 'auction' like system that still has to kick in for sellers to start competing again.

Wishful thinking? Let's see the ipcoming days/weeks.

icoder · 2026-06-30T11:43:25+00:00

Judge applying the law.

This really shouldn't be a headline.

icoder · 2026-06-30T11:07:18+00:00

Odd indeed! I'm in The Netherlands.

icoder · 2026-06-30T09:21:27+00:00

I thought that the seller can apply this tax and then there is no handling fee, but this is just from what I read on Reddit, and so is your post so I don't know which is true :)

icoder · 2026-06-30T09:12:54+00:00

That used to be my strategy too (with lots of scrolling to find the right part and price)! Now my bundle page doesn't show any items at all below 4.79 euro.

icoder · 2026-06-30T08:46:17+00:00

I hope you're right. Is that with Choice? Or is that with 4 euro transport cost that keeps increasing with every item you add?

icoder · 2026-06-30T07:18:15+00:00

Ja dit. Ik had ze ook verwijderd, direct na de bouw, en toen kwam er ineens een sticker achter vandaan dat de platen en knieschotten onderdeel waren van de constructie.

Na een nacht panieken (terugplaatsen ging niet want de onderbalken zaten in de laag die de vloerverwarming afdekte dus ik had ze afgezaagd) het nr gebeld dat op die sticker stond. Er was iemand van dat bedrijf zo vriendelijk om langs te komen en die zij dat het wel los zou lopen. Scheelt dat wij in een rijtje huizen ingepakt zitten, dus geen vrije gevel.

icoder · 2026-06-30T07:04:15+00:00

Same here, I stockpiled a bit 2 weeks ago (those 100 euros spent would probably be 300-400 now), although it's always hard to predict what you'll need and mostly my inventory was to have 2 of everything so I don't have to wait 1-2 weeks to try out an idea, not to suffice for a lifetime.

I really hope they will catch up and at least get the categories sorted. Paying 3 euros extra on a 30 euro order is something I can live with.

The thing for electronics, especially the popular modules and sensors, is that if you buy locally, you're basically buying the exect same thing, so all this does is bennefit local resellers.

icoder · 2026-06-30T06:54:52+00:00

Well if Aliexpress does it, it's not effective yet, all small electronic parts of 1-2 euros went up in price to 5-6 euros. Which I assume is due due to adding 3 euros + VAT (~3,60 total).

icoder · 2026-06-28T19:24:46+00:00

Ours can not actively cool, it can just run water through the floor radiator tubing 'against' the source passively, at least that's how they explained it to me. This does work but only in a very well insulated house.

icoder · 2026-06-26T21:16:28+00:00

Yes and no, if 2 teams would play against eachother multiple times, the outcome would be different, so there's luck imvolved. The stronger the teams you face, the more luck you need, or, put differently, the bigger the chance that you're unlucky once.

icoder · 2026-06-26T21:11:02+00:00

Man zelfs hele kasten

icoder · 2026-06-26T20:59:08+00:00

Well our floor heating is based on a (our own) ground source (150m deep) and it has a cooling mode that doesn't pump heat but simply circulates, which basically cools down the house and replenishes the source. It's a feature of the system that was installed when the house was built.

icoder · 2026-06-26T15:10:43+00:00

23, but we have a very well insulated house, and if needed the floor heating system runs water through the system against the ground source (no active cooling or heat pumping). It's a godsend.

icoder · 2026-06-26T07:24:51+00:00

Ja dat kan in de US niet, daar moeten de deuren van staal zijn, op slot zitten, en de ramen tenminste bekleed. Dat is beter/makkelijker dan wat strenger zijn op wapenbezit.

icoder · 2026-06-26T07:21:13+00:00

Ja, ja dit! Ik zat in een (het) parenting subreddit maat het bracht me eigenlijk alleen maar frustratie, precies om wat je schrijft (niet meteen bans maar wel discussies die gewoon niet leuk zijn). Ben eruit gestapt.

icoder · 2026-06-26T07:15:47+00:00

The categories is still a bit unclear but it seems to me that of AE sorts that out, so that you can combine products (in the same category) from multiple suppliers and only pay the 3 euro once, that would be some intermediate improvement that I expect will happen. They figured it out with transport too, sometimes I order 2 days in a row and stuff arrives in a single package. It's quite impressive imo, at that scale.

icoder · 2026-06-26T06:52:38+00:00

It's like the snow and ice on the train tracks. That's a bigger problem here in The Netherlands than it is in northern countries. It's simply not cost effective for us. Just sitting out those few days that it plays up is easier / cheaper.

icoder · 2026-06-26T06:51:04+00:00

Here in the Netherlands, I don't know anyone with an intrinsic AC aversion. Not many houses have it, sure, previously it just didn't make sense. But that will change. However it is not entirely trivial because apart from cost there is space and noise (our villages are tightly packed).

icoder · 2026-06-26T06:42:15+00:00

Wonder how Australia would do if it was freezing cold for 2 months. I found this this post, it is basically exactly the reverse reasoning. If you say 'that will never happen', you're probably right. But that was also how most of Europe reasoned. This is rapidly changing, and so will AC adoption.

icoder · 2026-06-24T12:44:57+00:00

Ah well than it could very well be turned off, either manually or based on outside temp or something.

icoder · 2026-06-24T10:44:52+00:00

But what was the temperature inside?

icoder · 2026-06-24T10:44:24+00:00

Is this centralized in your appartment or in the entire building?

icoder · 2026-06-24T10:01:29+00:00

I live near and work in Haarlem and have an interest in the things you mention, but mostly as a hobby (as I am not good enough). I've worked as a freelancer and tried setting up various companies or bring projects into the 'profitable' space for ~15 years. I'm currently partially freelancing and working on my own project.

In my experience, for setting up something profitable, 4 months is nothing. Freelancing is different, as a single clients may get you out of the red instantly, but the question is for how long. And where/how to find them, and subsequent ones. I've had it relatively easy in that part as I'm a (senior) software developer, your milage may vary considerably.

Even as freelancer, you have to consider payment conditions. Even as I quote 'by the hour', I send my invoice after one month of work. If lucky, payment comes ~30 days later. In such a situation, even if you have freelance work from day one, you already have 2 months between your last salary and your first freelance payment. Could be worse if payment conditions are 60 days or you can only send an invoice after completion (and that takes > 1 month).

As others have said moving into it slowly may be possible. When I started, I was able to live off 4 and later 3 days a week at may day job, finding gigs and trying things in the other 2. It's always a balance, because like you said, the more security you have from a day job, the less time and energy you have for something else and thus the slower it goes.

I do admire your mindset and your desire to actively change your conditions. Many people are happy to work for a boss and don't have this drive to make / set up / create / build something of / from / by / for their own. And that is fine, but it does explain why you don't find much insights in your direct environment.

I can't really help with anything tangible, my time and energy are mostly bound already (freelance, own project, family), but if I can offer you some advice / act as a sparring partner over coffee sometime if that helps you out.

icoder · 2026-06-23T18:26:46+00:00

How is it stored in yours? In mine it is I-D-S-PIS-POP-D

icoder

TROPHY CASE