Buying furniture and appliances for Dubrovnik residents often turns into a logistical nightmare. While the rest of the country enjoys affordable prices and fast delivery, the south faces special price lists, restrictions, and additional costs for bringing items into apartments.
The washing machine has died, the fridge has given up, or you simply need a new bed. For most Croatian citizens, this means a trip to the store or a few clicks of the mouse and waiting for delivery. But for residents of Dubrovnik and its surroundings, this seemingly simple task turns into a real ordeal, especially from spring to winter. Many large appliance and furniture stores either do not deliver to the south at all, or charge significantly more for it, and the service often does not include bringing the items into the apartment.
An investigation by Slobodna Dalmacija has revealed a concerning practice among many large stores in Croatia. Those offering the most affordable prices and big promotions often have a special note in their delivery terms: "throughout Croatia, except Dubrovnik and the islands." This means that Dubrovnik residents are excluded in advance from the affordable shopping available to the rest of the country. "We're apparently good enough when it comes to summer vacations, watching free performances and concerts, but when it's time to bring in a bed that simply can't be found in Dubrovnik for love or money, then nothing," reads the text in Slobodna Dalmacija.
Even when delivery is available, prices are far from affordable. In one popular store chain, delivering a washing machine to Dubrovnik costs €31, but this does not include bringing it into the apartment. Another store in the city center charges €29.99 for delivery to the building entrance or "to the first obstacle for the delivery vehicle," with a delivery time of 1 to 5 business days, except for the islands of the Dubrovnik region.
The most drastic example comes from a furniture store. For online orders, even if the product is in stock at the local branch, personal pickup is only possible after 5 business days. Regular delivery within three days costs €69.99, but only to the nearest main road. Delivery with entry into the building climbs to a staggering €250. For heavier packages, the price list is even less favorable: for goods weighing between 1000 and 2000 kilograms, delivery reaches €258.84.
The problem doesn't end when the goods arrive in the city. Due to the specific terrain configuration, delivery vehicles often leave purchased appliances and furniture "at the nearest access point," i.e., on the first main road. After that, residents must search for private delivery services and negotiate the price of bringing items to their apartment. "They count the staircases, the meters from the road to the home, the kilometers, the weight, their fuel, wipes in case of sweating, cold refreshments, and weigh whether it's worth it for them or not," the article describes. The final price often reaches half the value of the purchased product.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that products in Dubrovnik stores are already at least 30 percent more expensive than in the rest of Croatia. Furniture and large appliance stores that don't have a branch in Dubrovnik and its surroundings, and which are significantly cheaper, handle delivery through other stores or courier services. Standard bulky delivery then costs €30, with the possibility of negotiating entry into the apartment, but that's an additional cost as well.
That it's not just about geographical distance and terrain configuration is also evidenced by the experience with food delivery. As Slobodna Dalmacija notes, Dubrovnik is one of the few cities where food delivery drivers expect customers to come out to the first main road to pick up their order, instead of having it delivered to their door. Traffic congestion, especially on the route to neighboring Župa dubrovačka, further complicates any attempt at personal pickup of goods.
Fortunately, the introduction of parcel lockers has at least partially eased daily life, but for larger appliances and furniture, Dubrovnik residents are still left to fend for themselves, with special price lists and restrictions that make their "normal, serious life" significantly more expensive and complicated than in the rest of the country.
