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While it turns out that on the whole we are not the 'Rip-off Republic' we thought we were as regards Ikea, Professor Smyth decided to look further afield toArgos.

Again, this involved writing a computer script that took catalogue items and prices freely available from the Argos Ireland website and comparing them against the Argos UK website.

Although most value comparison surveys tend to take a sample basket of ten to twenty items, Smyth decided to analyse a staggering 12,000 items - over half the items listed in the Argos catalogue - in order to get a realistic picture and accurate picture.

While products from Ikea in Dublin were 'only' 8pc more expensive on average in comparison to those in the Belfast store, with Argos Ireland, on average, a product on is 24pc more expensive that the same product on the UK site.

"These averages disguise a multitude of savings, and there are literally hundreds of products that are 40pc-200pc more expensive in Irish Argos stores compared to UK stores," says Smyth.

Smyth notes that the Irish VAT rate may be higher than that in the UK but this still does not explain the hike in prices: the Irish VAT rate is 21.5pc in comparison to the UK's 15pc but even after adjusting for this he points out that the average product on the Argos Ireland website is still 17pc more expensive.

"The biggest price difference that I have found so far is €1,124, which you pocket by purchasing a 52-inch high-definition Sony LCD TV up north. This product is listed as  €3339.99 on the Irish site but comes in at only €2,213 (£1899.99) on the UK site," observes Smyth.

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"I think that we can obviously expect some unfavourable price differences while there is a large VAT discrepancy but the idea that we might be paying 20pc+ extra for goods needs to be questioned," added Smyth.

"The way I look at it IKEA provides a baseline -- their goods cost 8pc more in the Republic but I'm willing to accept that this is basically the VAT difference at play. If IKEA can run their business at this level then why do Argos need to an additional 16pc on top? Surely they have more or less the same cost exposure in the Republic as IKEA?"

Smyth added that, while internet shopping has exposed Irish dhoppers to better retail bargains, fundamentall this is on books, music, games or holidays because of the ease of web-shopping.

"However, when buying large-ticket physical goods like furniture we still like to feel the goods! And, at the end of the day, a lot of shoppers still use the high-street and some of the big stores are depending on this," said Smyth.

By Marie Boran