Brit Reacts to 7 CULTURE SHOCKS SINCE MOVING TO SWEDEN! AN AMERICAN IN SWEDEN
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
- What do you guys think to these culture shocks? Do you think that non Swedish people normally find these things a shocker. Or is it mostly non europeans that find these things strange? Let me know in the comments section below.
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She is referring to Bank ID, it’s a digital way of identification. Most times if you buy online you have to prove your identity. So it’s not really a BANK issue.
Yes and no. Bank ID is a service provided in cooperation by the major banks.
We have a saying in Sweden. "Speaking is silver but silence is gold". It's pretty widely followed. So far even that even when I drive with my parents, we often have have long periods of silence where we don't feel like we have to talk about anything.
Its not a Swedish saying.
Silence is golden, is what u say in english.
I feel like many people from southern Sweden talk all the time. They are afraid of not hearing anyone speak at all times and that can be quite annoying. Embrace the silence.
@@Liksmaskaren Haha, yep, wellcome to Gothenburg where the cultural norm has been that you tjötar (talk) with everyone and anyone.
I've always taken that to mean that speaking your mind isn't always the best thing - sometimes you ought to keep your thoughts on the situation or story told to yourself. Quite possible I've misunderstood it though.
Aldrig hört talas om det uttrycket här.
A positive thing about Systembolaget is that the staff working there are specialized in wine, beer and so on. You can always ask them what wine goes with some type of food etc
Yeah I read that in the comments section from another subscriber. I think that's pretty good. In the places you can buy alcohol in the UK 80% of the staff wouldn't be able to tell you what Wine pairs well with a type of meat. They would look at you with a blank stare LOL!
@@dwaynesview or if there is some spesific wine you want you can order it tru systembolaget
That's standard in other countries as well. Or did you think that places selling alcohol know nothing about the products they sell?
@@lenasoderberg2583the assortment is abysmal, even att the order list. It's crap.
That depend on country.
This is just cultural shocks with the rest of the world that’s not the states. 😂
Most of what’s been said are partially true at most,
- Sweden uses cashless transaction, but as long as it is Mastercard or Visa, you will be fine.
- alcohol that has much lower alcohol content can be bought on normal grocery places.
- waiting time for customer service could be long for bank, but they provides option for “calling back” so you dont have to wait. 90% of the time I get to talk to someone within 10mins.
- Swedish respects personal space and generally consider random small talk as rude behaviour, there is a time for it, it’s called fika.
- packages will delivers to nearest distribution point such as townhall or grocery stores nearby, this is just by default. You can choose for home delivery on the apps with a little bit of fees, sometimes it’s free. Big items are usually delivers to the door though.
I love how you had a rebuttal for every one of her points, and you were spot on! ^^
It's probably a european thing... Ofcourse UK is not part of the EU anymore as of this day since brexit, but the UK has been part of the EU long enough to establish themselves as an EU country tbh. And I am really not surprised if they've rolled with similar politics, just slightly different.
@@MrBern91 he didn’t mean the EU. Europe and the European Union ain’t the same😅 UK is still part of the continent Europe
Nope. She is right about wine. It should be chilled, especially white and sparkling wines.
@@suilegew It should, but not in the store. Nothing in Systembolaget is chilled for a reason. It's to prevent people from buying alcohol and going straight to the local park or plaza just to drink and hang around. Also to prevent alcoholism in some regard i guess. There are good articles about it and why they do it who can explain it far better than i can.
As a Swedish person I seriously don’t remember the last time I had to go get my package at a “post office”. Most websites today has numerous options for delivery (different delivery companies, day and time, postbox, post office or home delivery). Most delivery services have an app where you decide when and where you want your package delivered, and has a real time gps tracker.
Yes you often get the packet to your door or to instabox.
@@maryamniord2214 Yeah. I always choose home delivery except for when it’d be easier for me to just pick it up on my way home.
@@johananas8407be careful with that tho, I'm pretty sure postnord took a picture of my package hanging from my postbox, only to immediately steal it 😅
@@johananas8407 yes it use to be different alternatives to choose. You take what is most convenient for the time.
@@EterPuralis Damn! That has never happened to me, thankfully. I rarely choose PostNord though. I always go for budbee or earlybird if available.
She is veeeeeeeeery American! 😅🤣 Dwaynes View, you are so intelligent and calm! You understand how things work.... 👍👍👍👍
She sounds like a spoiled American, that thinks it's not normal when other countries don't do exactly like in America. Like America way is the only way to go
As a northerner I just want to add: You don't need a ton of sauces for your food. You just need lingonberry jam.
Both sauce and lingonberry jam though...
The Systembolaget thing is not a problem at all. Us Swedes are used to it we stop by Systembolaget in good time before we run out of something essential, like wine. 😋 Just like we never run out of coffee, we make sure to stock up on other important beverages! 🤗
Or People bye a lot at taxfree when go go Denmark, Finland or Germany bye Ferry and store this for coming happenings.
@@maryamniord2214 It is just what was already stated: They stock up..
It is a problem. The variety is crap. Really, really bad. I lived abroad for 17 years and just returned. There's only crap cognac and vodka. Even ordering, you'll be lucky to find something half decent. I guess swedes like cheap disgusting alcohol.... There's like 100000 varieties of sub 100 sek Italian grape juice (wine) but maybe one bottle of half decent Barbaresco if you're lucky.
@@suilegew No problems if you're a beer guy like me since they, imo, have the best beer brands. Only buy beer from Germany or Austria and Czech Republic. And those brands are within the main assortment. I never by cider, wine or spirits so i can't really say anything about that but like said when it comes to beer Systembolaget "delivers"!
@@danielolson5378 so if you go to a systembolaget sales place, you'll find all those beers? No you don't. You'd have to pre-order them. Then it's no better than anywhere else where you can order beer online.
I agree with your comments on most everything. It’s definitely normal and best logistically to send packages back after 14 days, and I think it’s more impolite of the customer to not pick up the package in time. Regarding the quietness of Swedish people, I do agree that we’re more reserved than Americans but I also think we think more of others than they do. They are more egocentric and want to be heard. The worst restaurant experience I’ve had was in Mexico where we were seated next to a table of 8 Americans. They were so obnoxiously loud that I couldn’t hear what my brother was saying next to me. A sigh of relief went through the whole restaurant when they left
If we don't pick up our packages for serveral weeks then yes, they might send it back but we get lots of "warnings"/reminders/notifications before that happens.
"Major credit cards (some restrictions may apply to American Express) are widely accepted throughout Sweden at banks, hotels, stores, restaurants, taxis, car rental companies, and for air, ship and rail tickets.". She could easily exchange for Swedish currency until she's managed to get a Swedish bank account or asked her bank why.
when it comes to receiving packages most are delivered to your nearest pickup spot (could be a actual post office, but most of the time it's just stored in a dedicated room in your local daily goods shop or convenience store, the last few years there's also been a introduction of un-manned lockers that use a one time use code that's sent to your phone upon delivery) if it's not delivered to a pickup spot it can sometimes be dropped off in your mailbox (if it's big enough) or outside your door (if you're not at home). You usually have a few days to pick it up, so I don't understand why she thought it was a problem tbh.
You have to pay VAT on packages sent from outside the EU, unless it's a gift, then it can be up to a certain value without having to pay any VAT.
I'm pretty sure the card issues she had are unique to americans visiting europe, in my job I've had customers from all over and it's only the american ones that seem to have any issues (sometimes the reason is that a store might not be signed up to accept cards like american express because of the higher fees it charges).
Apple pay does exists here, as well as samsung pay.
The only country i have had problems with my Swedish visa and mastercard are the US
Yeah, mostly people from US have issues with their american express cards, other than that no issues usually in Sweden or Estoina
EU and Sweden before that requires 3dsecure (2 factor auth). A lot of American banks STILL don't have that security built in (pin code or auth through a second app HARDWIRED). Thus they are not 3dsecure certified. Most customers in the US have it but the bank doesn't REQUIRE it. This is 100% an American issue and 0% swedish. 10 years ago at Walmart they didn't even have pin code and my bank required it. I had to swipe a credit card, felt like my grandma.
Yes this is an American "problem" since in the US "3D Secure 2 authentication" is kind of "new" and it's been around in Europe for years, I mean it was not that long ago that Americans got the "chip" on their debit and credit cards.
Aslo American banks did not implement a PIN for years.
I'm not sure. Here In Canada when we use Credit card for example at a grocery store. We have a few options. "tap" is common where you just place the card on the device reader and it register. It's valid up to about $200. Then it's the insert card, there is a chip in the card and you enter a 4 digit pin. And then of course all the Google pay, Apple pay, Samsung pay via having your card details on the phone and it connects via "NFC".
I am a Swede living in Canada I am a dual-citizen. Haven't been back since 2014 and when we visited back then we strictly used cash. Now I hear it's almost hard using cash at all.
Which is stupid, I wouldn't want to use my CC even if it was easy because it would rack up a lot of extra fees for each transaction and currency conversion. I rather pay in cash.
How does the CC work in Sweden then?
If you're gone a few weeks, there's a temporary remailing service... You should always use that. I think they have extra long storage too... In the US, the package would just have been left outside the door for a few weeks ... or until the first porch pirate passed by.
It is actually not hard at all to get things delivered. Usually when we shop online we can choose home delivery (for a small fee) or to pick it up at our nearest pick-up place (usually a grocery store where you go most days to shop anyway!)
It's more rude to not pick up your parcel, they hold it for weeks before it gets returned. Also, is she really complaining about paying customs fees? Seriously?
its so much easier in the UK thou
Any type of VISA or Mastercard works at any place. And I am pretty sure you can get a whole lot of banks that work fine in Sweden. But BANK ID and SWISH. Two amazing products are limited to customers witha swedish bank account. To open a bank account in Sweden, you will need to present the following documents to your bank:
Swedish National ID, EU/EEA passport, or non-EU/EEA passport with Swedish residence permit; Proof of address in Sweden (i.e. utility bill, lease contract, government form); Proof of employment or school enrollment. So it is not impossible but doable.
We don't have Starbucks they gave up the Swedish market actually because we have our own chains more suited to our habits and with actual coffee...
14 days a package will stay before sending it back. you can call the pick-up place ans ask them to hold it for a bit longer and they usually will unless it is a really bulky thing.
Swedish kebabpizza with the spicy sauce, or a beef pizza with bearnaise sauce 😊
Finns en del starbucks
There are actually three stores in Stockholm, but as I understand it they are not doing well. I've tried their coffee, and it's a little boring, but not as bad as I thought. I would much rather go to a local coffee shop though. Better coffee and waaay better "fikabröd" 🙂
We have some Starbuck stores, but we have even more Starbucks that are integrated in other stores like Pressbyrån.
I belive you fit in perfect here Dwayne 😂
Haha, good to know lol!
I agree, welcome to Sweden
1. Plan ahead.
2. Most websites take PayPal.
3. Many companies have the option of callback.
4. I always see people with to go Coffee.
5. We have homedelivery.. If you order something from outside of Europe you have to PayPal tax.
6. I love that quiet 🙂
7. Why eat dry food?
As she rightly says, the vast majority of Swedes finish their work between 4-6 PM on weekdays and are completely free Saturday and Sunday (exceptions exist). Therefore, it is almost never a problem to drive past Systembolaget on the way home from work or on Saturday. No Swede plans to shop on a Sunday when it is closed.
So it's the opening times are not a problem then. I guess everyone's use to it. Also I heard that Systembolaget's are pretty good with customer service. Helping you pick out the right type of wine or alcohol for your meal etc
@@dwaynesview Yes, we Swedes are used to the opening times, rarely need to plan. Should it ever happen that you don't have time after work, you usually use your lunch break to go by Systembolaget (or Saturday) instead. And you are also right that the staff are often helpful in choosing the right wine, it can happen on occasion that they are a little stressed at e.g. a lot of customers, understaffing, illness etc., but we understand that.
@@dwaynesview It's not that of a bother to swing past the Systembolaget. Sure, sometimes it would be nice to have the option to pick ur wine at the supermarket when u've decided what meal ur having, but u get used to it.
Another thing, the famous reserved Swede... I think a lot of it is Swedes are really polite people. U do not disturb people and we have a lot of respect for the personal space. We don't do eye contact with strangers, because that would infringe n their personal space. And we really don't fancy small talk, because, honestly, that's boring. But ask for directions, or help with something and we happily oblige. And when you make friends we talk about EVERYTHING. 🤣 Of course, you may be friends with someone for ages and never be invited to their home, because, you know, personal space. 😂
The reason for coffee-to-go being rare is because when we drink coffee, most of the time we don't just drink coffee, we fika.
And the reason we don't have fika-to-go is the same that we don't have haircut-to-go.
That makes sense, if you're having Fika there's no need to have a coffee on the go. But surely you have a Starbucks? Doesn't they have takeaway coffee?
In store you'll see quite a lot of coffee on the go in the morning.
I actually don't know if we have Starbucks. It might have have been introduced a few years ago?
@@dwaynesview I've only seen Starbucks in larger cities here, and they are not the only place to get coffee on the go but it's more common to see people sit down then for them to take it to go.
@@dwaynesview Starbucks tried to enter the swedish market, and failed miserably. They never had more than 17 locations, and are now down to 2, if they are still open. We have Espresso House and Wayne's Coffee instead, or local cafés.
Coffee to go is mostly used while driving, so the typical way to get it is from coffee machines in gas stations.
As for the wine question: you chill white wine (and rosé). Just the red wine is drank closer to room temperature (still slightly cooled though).
As for the Bank stuff: if you move to Sweden it's expected that you get a Swedish bank account. You can pay with foreign cards no problem but it has to be credit/offline.
(BTW: long-time immigrant to Sweden, I'm not Swedish)
You're saying it like chilling white and rosé is a universal thing that everyone does. You are "supposed" to drink any wine at room temperature, chilling it is just personal preference.
Red wine usually should be around 18 degrees, which used to be a pretty standard room temperature, now we tend to have 21 degrees or so so red wine needs to be slightly chilled aswell. Also a bottle of red in the freezer for 20 minutes is enough
@@AlvenmodFoto You're right, 18 degrees, but in this context I'm saying "chilled" as when you cool it down like you would a beer or a soda.
The online purchase issues is quite rational. It's all about fraud prevention. Most online shops in Sweden might only have customers in Sweden or perhaps Europe. Cards issued outside of the normal customer area is probably a fraudulent transaction and a big issue for the company. So, when setting up your payment solution you actually make geographical exclusions.
Systembolaget is in my eyes better then have booze out in the stores. First of all, we only have the good stuff and since Systembolaget is a major player in the world we are always guaranteed some special wines and liquor. I have friends from France that travel to Sweden to buy wine from the same region they live in because it’s cheaper and we are guaranteed to have it.
And seriously, if it’s a problem that you can’t buy booze on a Sunday… you better think over your life situation.
Haha yeah I think the opening hours and the fact it's not open past 7 isn't a big deal. Especially if they sell quality wine and have good customer service.
@@dwaynesview Most personnel at systembolaget can guide you. If you only tell them what you are cooking they can give some choices what to drink
Hi Dwayne!
Most payment problems arise from having either debit cards (without pins) used in the US and all-over Central America as they are made for approving purchases with signing (come without pins or even back-end security check for pins). My estimate is that no Swedish companies even have the gadgets needed or the receipt slips used for that now.
Also, US cards with pins almost always struggle also as the US bank system has less stringent security measures when paying with US cards and pins. In Sweden and in many other countries in Europe, MC and in many cases, VISA require the bank (or company) issuing the debit/credit card to comply with the higher security standard that Sweden has, for example. The problem arises when you try paying in Sweden and the payment system has the payment process set up in a way that it requires a bank ID (a personal certificate issued from bank verifying your identity) instead of just a pin.
As the foreigners do not have the Swedish bank ID, the payment process dies at that point. Also, American cards do the same.
I can’t vouch for all types of cards, and I know that relatives and friends from USA and Central America visiting in Sweden always have hit and miss experiences paying. But if they have like 2-4 different cards, with a mix of debit and credit cards (or just plain luck) they’ll find one that can talk to the Swedish payment processors.
American Express does things a bit differently and has less stringent security (processing) but more advanced internal security (that doesn’t directly cause problem with the electronic part of the payment process). I don’t know about Diners.
Finally, one of the biggest challenges for tourists is that cash is hardly accepted anywhere. There are also plans to phase out bills and coins from the market in a few years.
I have the same payment problem as many tourists coming here when on cruises with American companies though. Most of my Swedish credit cards (and the only debit card I have) just can’t be used on the cruise ship. According to contacts working with their IT/payment systems, the reason is that they don’t meet the security standards required by Swedish banks to accept the transactions. MC doesn’t work on cruises for me. Visa usually works because it has lower security requirements when the US system processes the transactions.
Disclaimer: I do not work for a bank or any payment processor. Above information has been gathered from physical work with similar systems, sources in cruise companies as well as how things have worked out for me, family and friends while travelling!
Wow! That was great and detailed information, thank you. It sounds tricky for tourists going to Sweden from America. It's possibly just as tricky for UK tourists. However, someone else in my comments section has said that they have RBS (Royal Bank Of Scotland) in Sweden. So there's a possibility that they may accept that payment if you're with that UK bank.
I used to work in a store (in Sweden) and we only had problems with Amex, every other card worked. And the amex problem is because the store needs to pay a fee to the bank for recieving payment and the store just said: "We get like 5 amex users every year its not worth to pay the fee"
@@dwaynesview my guess is that if you have a card issued by a foreign bank that have a precense in Sweden, it most likely will work!
@@alexanderwinblad there is normally a fee a store have to pay to all credit card issuers when a transaction is made. MC and Visa has had a fee around 1.5-2% but as you mention. AMEX fee has been 3% for many years. And amex is not very common in Sweden. It does work like a charm when travelling outside seden though!
@@nasstroms yeah but i think there was an extra fee to the card terminal company if im not misstaken
*If you are going to Sweden and worried about they paying issu that she brings up, as long as you have a Visa card you will be fine. You see the Visa symbol every where.
*The pachage problem is not really a problem, many delivery companies will bring it to your door but if they dont and you need to go pick it up which you can do usually at one of many drop off points, usually the one closest to your home. And they keep your package for 2 weeks before they send it back.
*Sauce... why not!?!? More flavour! 🤤 And of course the food is less dry.
Thanks to our Fika culture Starbucks hasn't been able to get a foothold (I think they have less than 10 locations in all of Sweden, as of 2021), since we prefer to sit down and enjoy our coffee. Which is why Espresso House was created and could actually become as big as it has.
PostNord are noturious for their issues with deliveries, which is why most people (in my experience) if there's an option for a delivery via any of the other companies people prefer that (things like Instabox, Budbee, DHL etc).
A while ago I noticed that I could hear people talking from the other side of the street in the middle of stockholm at noon. The traffic has been more quiet lately with better sound insulation and all the new electric cars. I love it!
Where I live in the south of Sweden people sometimes drive to Denmark or Germany and bulk buy beer and liquor as it’s cheaper there. There are massive stores just for that purpose.
Is beer that much cheaper in Germany and Denmark? Also how far is it to drive to those places?
@@dwaynesview Obviously it will vary depending on where you live, I live in the southern tip of Sweden but inland. If I get lucky with catching the ferry I could be in Denmark in a hour. It would probably get cheaper if I continued past the ferry destination city though
@@dwaynesviewI also live in south of Sweden and I’ve taken bus tours to the Boardershop Puttgarten in Germany. It takes all day as you travel through Danmark and then a Ferry over to Germany. As a price example: The swedish Absolut vodka costs about 201 SEK for 100cl in Boardershop right now and in Systembolaget current price is 247 SEK for 70cl. If you go you will stock up. I last went in late 2021 and I still have a decent stock on various things (not beer or wine though).
@@dwaynesview The system in Sweden is rotten! You can tap beer brewed in Sweden on bottles/cans transport down to northern Germany and sell it cheaper than on Systembolaget. In Gothenburg we have this huge ferry company called Stena Line, operates in the UK as well, and from here they have ferries to Denmark and Germany. As soon as you leave the Swedish territory you can by Swedish beer cheaper than in store that's actually crazy and it's due to huge taxation. Both Denmark and Germany have much lover tax on alcohol.
Not everywhere at ones, but the whole of Sweden's postal depot system is modernizing to a system of individual automated boxes you can access with your phone. Basically, big walls of automated boxes, you enter your code and the box with your package springs open. A lot of supermarkets have these now, but also many residential areas (anything dense enough to have public parking). Where I live it's literally a 30 second walk to get a package, super convenient. Obviously very large packages I still need to go to the depot for, but normal shopping, like for example for clothes, almost goes right to the door.
Dwayne lokking at many of yyour videos i think you would love Sweden.
a tip when u call costomer service here in sweden is to call the number and put the phone away , and when its your turn and ur not responding they will simply hang up and call you up =)
The packets use to be send back after 2 or 4 weeks if someone dont pick it up or contact them and ask them to hold the packet some longer because of some reason. If you send some large thing good to tell the person before that someting is on the way so they can plan. Amd it is possible to send someone else to pick it up if you sign with mobile bankid or can send the other with your passport or idcard.
Packages can be delivered in different ways according to your own choice. Either to the door or to special boxes that you can open with the code sent to you or to a food truck/Post office. But there are usually only a few blocks away. I usually choose the nearest delivery point/grocery store. If you get things from outside the EU, you have to pay a fee, it's called a customs fee and is found in most countries around the world. The nice thing is that you can send between countries within the EU without paying customs duty. You have 14 days to collect the package. If you can't do it, you can request that they keep the package a little longer. They can't have a lot of packages lying around for several years without being picked up. You can talk to people without problems if you have something to say. Yes, I have a feeling that people from certain places like the United States that they just talk, but there seems to be some connection between the mouth and the brain. Only a meaningless noise should come out of the mouth, very tiring to listen to things they talk about without having anything to say. Pizza comes from a restaurant south of Rome. When it came to Sweden, different people began to compete with the product by having their own type of pizza. It is not unusual for a pizzeria to have 120 different ones. But it is more common that they have around 65 pieces. Am not that fond of pizza myself, see it more as an emergency food when you have nothing else about once every other month.
Red wine is served at room temperature but white and sparkling wine should be served chilled.
A big thing about Systembolaget is that there isn't really any cheap beer or spirits (because of high alcohol taxes), so go to Denmark or Germany to buy in bulk. The price of wine is pretty decent here though.
I think we here in Sweden actually like systembolaget just because the variety of for example wine, you have a couple of hundreds to choose from, when we go to Denmark for example you can buy wine in the grocerystore but then you can choose from around 5 - 7 different sorts, so if the store don´t have "my" brand of wine I need to go to another store to see if they maybe have it, much simpler just to go to systembolaget and just buy it, yeah yeah I know I know not every systembolaget has the whole list of every wine, beer or liquor! but in that case, they just order it to the store so you can pick it up some day later, yes if you want to use the words "plan your drinking" yes a little bit!! but what is the problem of buying your wine and just store it for some days? :)
Fun to see you react to Kim that I also subscribe to. 😄👍🏻
And overall I’d say that you won’t have any issues when you visit Sweden. When I’m in the UK I have no problems paying for things. And I don’t think there’s any big culture shocks. I’ve always felt at home in your country and I hope and think you’ll feel at home here.
And about the wine, my guess is that she’s talking about white wine which is usually preferred chilled. Red should be more room temperature as you said.
Thanks for another entertaining video!👍🏻
Yeah I think the UK is pretty close in culture to our Scandinavian neighbours. From watching these videos and getting an insight into the culture i think I'll feel pretty at home.
Thanks for watching :)
about the package thing from postnord/dhl most of the time the package is sent to a locat terminal and then to a service point witch is mostly the local grocery store or kiosk both dhl and postnord requires license identification to get your package and the service points generally dont keep the packages for more then a few days which is why you get a sms when your package is there. if the package doesnt get picked up its sent back to the terminal and from there to the original sender (there is a weight limit of around 25 kilos on these packages if above that its probably delivered your door but you need to provide identification on spot and if someone else picks it up they need theirs and your identification )
oh and fun fact about systembolaget swedish alcohol is not taxed based on the liquids price but by the alcohol % which makes cheap booze really expensive but really expensive bottles cheaper
09:35 Wait time in telephone queues for anything other than Arbetsförmedlingen (Swedish Public Employment Service) are instant by comparison, most days when the telephone queue opens at 0800 there is already 8 hours of queue (and they are only open from 0800 to 1600) and you can't even get in it, and that is how it is most days, and the only way you can contact them is by phone or a nonfunctional web chat. Worst thing you can be in Sweden is unemployed.
Make a video about you speaking about your experience in Thailand!
I may do one in the future for sure, if you guys want me to
@@dwaynesview I whould love that. Btw I love your content, I hope your channel blows up even more soon😍 much love from Sweden ❤️
Yea the gravy is groovy! Nice reaction man. Hello from a Swede.
15-20 years ago everyone had to sign when they used a card in a store here. Nowadays it's just some American cards in certain stores (not the bigger brands as far as I know). Also, Döner/Dönner kebab is from germany =)
I don't know but I would guess it's more like 30 years ago.
@@johnnyrosenberg9522 I'm 43, I did not work in a store when I was 13 =) Started when I was 22 but wasn't allowed as a cashier since they only wanted cute girls at the till back then. So I'd say I started in 2006 or 2007 at the till and we had it then and for like 2 years more. (på Rusta)
normally the banks are connected to some card company such as Visa or Mastercard here in Sweden.package. small packages that go into the mailbox, they deliver them home. but I personally prefer to pick it up at the nearest delivery point. here Post nord delivers to the grocery store. don't want a package sitting outside my door costing more than £20, you don't want it stolen. you usually have two weeks to pick up a package. yes, I'm also surprised that they don't have sauce for the food. and what we Europeans and other countries have with food such as potatoes, mashed potatoes, etc. is counted as a side dish and it is a tiny bowl. imagine a steak with boiled potatoes without sauce.
I've been to Sweden many times and had no issues with debit or credit cards. JAmerican express isn't well handled in Europe many places because of high fees.
Customer service can take time everywhere. ...
She seems just like a spoiled kid, growing up to be a Karen :D
It is not just because of the fees.. It is because of the lack of security American Express have.. Our systems here in Scandinavia requires a 3d verification process etc, and AE does not even offer that.. On that point we are way ahead of the Americans. You only just recently introduces cars with chips in and so on, your security is equal with 3rd world countries, that is why they do not accept your cards - they are simply illegal to use.
@@andersnielsen6044 I guess it's different when someone from outside America uses AE. Been twice to America and used my AE card without any issues and have used it all over Europe as well including Sweden.
Small packages that can be delivered to your mailbox will probably be delivered there if your mailbox is big enough. Medium sized packages wil be delivered to some kind of "pick up point" (Usually these are located at your closest grocery store. But these days we have several quick delivery services with their own pickup places in locked cabinets. Large packages is usually delivered door to door, but this requires you to be at home and sign the delivery. The reason for her to pay extra to pick up the delivery is that her package probably got stuck in the customs as USPS stops at the border and our internal postal service takes over. AND sometimes your package is searched and you have to pay internal postage for the package to be delivered to you. That is broken and boring since you did pay for a full delivery already.
Another fun, maybe unique fact about sweden: When you order a pizza to go, it usually is not sliced at all, when you get home the common tool to slice it is scissor.
No joke
Funny you should say that because that's in my next video. I wonder why they don't slice it. I guess it saves a minute per pizza lol!
I think that eating pizza with your hand is a newer thing in Sweden. Traditionally we've been eating pizza with fork and knife. Thus no need to slice it up. Our italian-style pizza is a bit thin to eat with your hands. It's not uncommon, but my perception is that eating with cutlery is more common.
My wife is from the US and she lives with me in Norway now. Now she can¨t eat pizza without the extra sauce on top without feeling cheated..hehe :)
one main thing about us Swedes, We behave in accordance to the person we face
If you're a quite person and don't speak to us, you can't expect us to brake the silence or do anything to offend or disturb who you are as a person
Example:
If you sit in a hair-Saloon to get your hair done, the dresser may ask you questions to check your social awerness, if you don't answer or give short answers? Then we will always take that is not interested or some such
If you answer and sound somewhat enthusiastic, then you will be in for the biggest shock
When we start speaking... We can talk about the deepest of topics as well as the shallow
It's all about whom we meet, Respecting others is a HUGE deal for us Swedes
This aspect can be kicked into overdrive when dealing with people from other countries
for the very same reason, we respect people so much it at times, it may seem disrespectful
Swedish paradox? xD
As a Swede, I do stock up as you mentioned in the video on beer and wine so there's rarely a spontaneous situation where I don't have any beers at home and the stores are closed. I guess from the perspective of an American it is perceived as "planning" your drinking, but I view it like how you buy toilet paper, you buy it in bulk and make sure to always have at home 😁
Besides the pesky open hours and prices there is however a great selection of beers, wines and liquor. I think most foreigners would be surprised when they walked into a swedish liquor store. What they don't have can be ordered from anywhere in the world.
On delivery: Most times you get to select how you want the package delivered when you check out in the online store. You need to pay extra for delivery to the door. The extra fee is usually around 4-5£.
Systembolaget: sure it’s limiting not having access to store alcohol at all times but they are open m-f 10-19 or sometimes 20 every weekday and 10-15 on saturdays so it really fills most alcohol needs. Also Systembolagetowns vineyards in France, and ensure good quality alcohol and a great assortment of drinks
On silence in Scandinavia:
Speak useful words or be silent."
"Much nonsense a man utters who talks without tiring."
- 'Havamal'.
Before they resend a pakage they hold it for atleast 2 weeks. And they send reminders that they have pakage to pick up
Every 3 years in Sweden’s school we change classes and i dont like my new Class i Went from the most quiet class in the school to the class that makes the most sound in the school.
During the 1950 Systembolaget launched a champainge to change the drinking habit from spirit to wine. It was called Operation: Vin. Systembolaget have a great selection and they have to offer it. Small brewers will get a chance to get onto the market.
Wine should be served at room temp. There is a difference between red or white. Red should never be cold white wine could be a little below room temp.
Both in England and Sweden we drink coffee in a ceramic or porslin cup.
Pressbyrån is were most people buy coffee to go.
Some input:
1. Some Systembolaget are open a bit longer, but usually just an hour.
The idea that we would drink less when it's not readily available is a bit false. Because of fear of running out over the weekend many people will buy more than a modest amount. And not everyone can stop when there is more to drink at home/at the party. But that's a whole other discussion.
2. American credit/debit cards do not always meet EU standards of security, many not needing a pin code. American cards will always need a signature in EU, or at least in the Nordic countries.
3. Online shopping ties in to point 2. In order to make an online purchase you need another step of validation. If you use a Visa card for example, this won't be an issue with foreign cards, since it will redirect you to your banks version of validation, ie a code sent to your phone or an app. 2-step verification is the norm.
4. I live in Norway now, and being in line for customer service over the phone can take a very long time here as well. But if the queue is long, you are often given the option to have them call back when it's your turn. You don't lose your place in the queue. I think many places in Sweden offer the same deal.
5. Fika, as you know, is a tradition we share, going to a cafe seems to be common across Europe.
You can ofc get a to-go cup and sit down outside if the weather is nice and enjoy it. Or if you have a commute to work, you would drink it while sitting down on the train or whatever you are using. Drinking coffee and walking is a foreign concept to me.
6. When you order something online you get a choice of delivery alternatives depending on where you live. Getting a home delivery is usually the most expensive choice, but always worth it for big and heavy stuff, like a new bed.
Most grocery stores and gas stations are pick-up places for "average size" packets that won't fit in a mailbox, and there is usually one nearby unless you live very remotely. You very rarely have to drive to a post office or warehouse to pick up anything.
7. Enjoy the silence. If you are at a restaurant with family/friends, you want to be able to have a conversation with them without screaming.
About small establishments like a small nail salon not playing music could be to not have to pay the music tax. It can be expensive for small business owners.
8. Sauce is nice! Who likes dry food? And kebab pizzas are the best 💯
The payment thing Im confused by, almost everyone accepts VISA, MASTERCARD or SWISH, and most grocery stores accept cash. Some smaller places dont accept American Express, because there's an extra charge for having that option on your card machine. But in my mind thats enough options. And if you just resaerch the new country youre moving too, how their payment usually works and you have this many options, you should be fine?
And yes most places take both apple pay and samsung pay. Sweden is actually really good on the technology front. Maybe her experience was in a little mom and pop store?
the coffee to go thing really depends on where u live tho.. In big cities like stockholm u see it daily when people walk around with their coffee, but where i live in a town with 5 thousand ppl in it we dont even have a café here.. we can buy coffee at the gas station to go but expensive as hell as everything else is in sweden
As mentiones before regarding packages. There are special lockers in general stores usually where you go and pick it up. But i want to make it clear you can get every package to your door but it costs more and its pretty nice to just pick up your package after shopping for groceries (these boxes ate usually free!) 😊
The thing with the que in calls, alot of calls has call up, then u can type ur number in and when you are first in que they will call you.
I agree with you at room-temperature wines, most wines taste the best in room temperature, some white wines and rose wines are great and refreshing if they're cooled down. But a red wine is best enjoyed between 16 and 22 C IMO. :P And also... Since when are Systembolaget open to seven? o.o I was under the impression that they're open from 10 to 15 (10am - 3pm) Monday - Saturday with a few selected stores having open till 8pm. Nevertheless, there's more systembolaget-stores than any other stores in Sweden, only 7eleven and pressbyrån might have more stores. You basically always have systembolaget within 30 minutes from your location unless you live deep in the countryside. :)
If you call your local medical centre or alot of goverment facilities, you often get the option to get called back when the line is free. So you can hang up and they will call you back automatically so you dont have to be on the call for an hour
Regarding the packages, there is a lot of very unsubtle jokes we make about the Swedish post office, I believe the British equivalent would be "Royal Snail", most of the jokes are about them not knowing where they are going or if all their vehicles broke down at the same time, which is also why many use DHL or other delivery services.
As for the card issue, that is a uniquely American problem, especially with American Express and from what I've heard from friends in different parts of Europe it's the same there as well.
Listening to native English speakers trying to pronounce 'fika' is always a delight.
As for it being quiet, we try very hard to respect other peoples privacy and peace, so we go out of our way to not disturb each other. There are some that do talk to strangers and make small talk, but they always try to 'feel-out' a person to see if they are interested in that or not. Rare and despised are those that talk incessantly to strangers. Many of them are American, by Swedish standards, Americans talk too much and have generally very little of substance to say.
Having worked in customer support I can attest to the ungodly hold time you have to go through and that is still even after we try to go through each call as quickly as possible (every call around 5-10 minutes preferably less), we do put a high standard of the support though and are not allowed to leave the call until we are confident the customers have been satisfied (with varying degrees of success of course).
Lastly, to wrap everything up, we are very hesitant to be unnecessarily rude to other people, however, every interaction I've had with an American irl have left the impression that they are very spoiled and expect everything to be catered/delivered to them, and as fun as they can be to hang out with, after a while they become exhausting, at least for me.
Yeah, you need to plan a bit to buy alcohol in Sweden, just like you have to plan out everything else you buy. Shops close relatively early, supermakets are more generous but we don't really have anything that open is 24/7. The stores attached to gas stations used to be at least but I can't remember the last time I saw one open at night. Oh, and you really don't want to put a glass bottle in the freezer no matter what is in it. Don't do it.
If you have Visa or MasterCard you should be good to go. Swish is a convenient way to pay with your phone but yes, you do need bankID to use it which I think you need a Swedish social security number to get. Most webshops do ask you to confirm your payment with bankID, but you should be able to get around that by using the bill option rather than direct payment. Never heard of any of the banks you mentioned. Swedbank is the one to rule them all, though there are some other options.
Well, the long phone queues are probably the reason many places offer to call you back. Just pick the option off the robotic menu and they'll ask you if you want them to call the number you'te calling from or another one (you can type it in).
I wonder if she knows most jobs have paid coffee breaks 😅
PostNord has a bad reputation but what she describes is PostNord working as intended. If it fits in your mailbox you'll get it, other delivery services may offer delivery to your hand (which usually means you have to stay home all day since their delivery estimates should be taken with a fist of salt 😂) Undelivered packages are kept for 14 days - it will say so in the text her friend got to pick up the package - and the "depot" is usually a corner in your local supermarket. There's definitely not storage capacity to keep things forever. If it's around Christmas they'll send you frequent reminders to please pick up your package as soon as possible. A sort of recent thing is that you can use bankID instead of showing your ID card, you get a QR code to show the staff, and it's share-able so you can send someone else to pick it up for you without needing to have your physical ID card with them (in addition to their own). And regarding the "extra fee" I doubt import tariffs are unique to Sweden.
Yeah, we're pretty quiet. That particular culture clash is likely the reason we tend to think of stereotypical Americans as loud and intrusive, kind of like small children who hasn't learned manners yet. It's also not like our quietness is set in stone, especially if you have a customer service job like the nail salon. If you are any good at it you read the customer, small talk if they want to chat or leave them alone if they don't. The impression I've gotten is that leaving someone alone isn't really an option because no happy customer could possibly want that?
Who considers the tomato sauce in pizza a sauce? 😆 Meat and potatoes without sauce sounds... weird but kind of doable. But like meat and rice or pasta? I'd swallow so much air 😅
Home delivery is always an option. The alternative is that it's delivered to the closest 'post service', which really isn't a 'post office' but typically just a grocery store or a corner shop. I often prefer delivery to the post service because then I don't need to be at home to sign for the package and don't risk the delivery man 'missing my stop' etc.
Speaking of unusual pizzas. There was a pizzeria (long ago) that made pizzas with Del Monte (I don't know if you have that psrtucular brand) Fruit Cocktail topping. I guess it was meant as an alternative for vegetarians.
I don't know of any pizzeria that makes them, anymore, so I sometimes make my own. It's easy. Either buy a Pizza kit and the fruit cocktail in you usual grocery store. Or maybe you could buy an unbaked Margarita (with only tomato sauce and cheese topping). Take it home and use the fruit cocktail and bake it in your own ovn. Not being a vegitarian, I usually add some swedish meatballs (Well, I am swedish, after all).
Try it, and see what you think. Some people love it, others hate it. To each his own, I say.
The pizza sauces she talks about are usually just kebab sauce. It used to be only put on kebab pizzas but nowadays I suppose people put kebab sauce on most food. :) Typically we have 3 types of kebab sauces. A "mild" one, which is cream, sour cream, creme fraiche based sort of. A "spicy/strong" one which often is tomato and chili based. And lastly a "garlic sauce" which is pretty similar to the mild sauce but with lots of garlic in it. But other than pizzas, yes we do love our sauce! Gravy/cream sauce, bearnaise sauce, red wine sauce and so on. Everything needs to be served with sauce! :)
When it comes to package delivery I really don't see a problem. Like the comment below says, most websites have several delivery options to choose from so you can either choose a free delivery to a close by place, for example most grocery stores have a package delivery station at the entrance so you can pick up your package while there for your grocery shopping, or you can pay a little extra to get home delivery to your door step. And many delivery companies have iphone/android apps where you get a notification for an incoming package and you can choose how, where and when you want it delivered. If you choose to pick up your package at a grocery store, you usually have about 2 weeks to pick it up so I don't see a problem.
In regards to her payment problems, both in stores and online, I think her issue is that her card is not a Mastercard or Visa card and instead a proprietary card from her US bank or credit union.
Also American Express (AMEX) cards aren't generally accepted due to there high card fees.
Also when shopping online there are additional safeguards to minimize the risk for card fraud, being that you might have to verify your card using your digital ID (BankID or FrejaID), it kind of depends on which online payment network the store is connected to. In Sweden (and Norway) "Klarna" is becoming a very common middleman in online shopping, think of a mix between Paypal and a credit union.
What i love about my country *sweden* is that we strive after health and to stress less.
- to a meal we usually have a sause or a cold dressing , jam or another.... its to complement the dish and make sure its not to dry for eating.
I love mild kebab sause on my pizza and its delish!
-Fika is a social and delicous way of hanging out.
- True we consider it rude to be loud in public transportation and to talk loud in the phone in a store.
All Systembolaget are ac cooled at least so thank god for that when the summer temps keeps getting higher..... (28c atm), we stock up so we always have alcohol at home, and af course you can get alcohol from other sources but those are most of the time sold as a clear liquid in a jug if you get it ;) ;)
wait times.... if you wanna call the hospital for guidance and it is like mid day good luck... have been sitting in wait line for over 3 hours and then i gave up, you need to call as soon as they open and then have like 30-40 minute wait time, i guess it's all the old people calling the hospitals down
i usually takes a coffee at the fuel stations as they have starbucks there (regular coffee or like cafe au lait, simple stuff) and bring it in the car but its not something i would do out of my own pocket then i would make my own, hell it's expensive
havent had a fika with a friend in a long time, i guess its more common to do in the cities where distance is way shorter than on the countryside where coming over for a drink (which usually is way more than one) is more common
yes for the packages i need to go and get it at the post office most of the time but if its like small packages like those that fit in the mailbox, they usually put it in the mailbox. amazon or wish it is always in the mailbox and then there are many different delivery services, Postnord, DHL, Earlybird, Bring, Jetpak, TNT, DB Schenker etc etc. packages are sent back after 14 days
its quiet on most resturants except on sports ones there it is really loud and many drunk peeps talking over eachother and most resturants have some music on and/or a couple tv's
card issues is mostly i guess because of not an international card like a Mastercard or Visa are
for BankID you need to be registered at a bank in Sweden, same with Swish (this one is sending money via phone number)
ApplePay and GooglePay is a thing here yes
i love SAUCE/GRAVY!!! i have it on everything!!!!
Reagarding the payment issues i do think it's mostly for American or maybe anyone outside Europe tourists/visitors. I remember reading if you wanna pay for your trip on the tram in Gothenburg (Göteborg) the machines couldn't handle Visa/MC cards from America for some reasons. I have been to America twice and paid with AE without any issues and used it in a few other European countries as well including UK without any issues. Maybe it's easier if you're from Europe and not America using your debit/credit cards.
Whenever i buy something online i get most of the times delivered to my appartment but sometimes i have to pick it up at a nearby store. Don't think this is any major issue though. Back in the days there was only one place to pick up packages now you got several options. However the company she mentioned Postnord i think is the least trusted company in Sweden! A guy once told me she sent to a package from Stockholm to Malmö a distance of 613 km/380 miles with Postnord and it took 3 weeks before it arrived! Personally i haven't had any issues with Postnord but many others have.
If you live in a, in Sweden, bigger city then people might be more reserved but if you're living more on the country side/outside the cities people do say hi to eachother. My parents live outside a city you could call it country side and whenever you're out walking people you meet says hi and vice versa. Ok you don't really stop for a small talk unless you know the person but that could happens as well. I guess in the bigger cities in the U.S. people don't usually say hi to strangers.
White wine is supposed to be cold, red wine is supposed to be room temp. Love your Swedish videos, I'm also Swedish. Swish is like Swedish venmo, in Norway they use Vipps. You need a BankId to use Swish, which is like a bank identification. Otherwise you can pay by card sometimes or cash. But we don't always use cash though. We don't have the banks you mentioned, we have our own. We have a lot of bureaucracy which makes certain things take longer, it has to go through all or a lot of channels to get to the right one. We don't do to-go coffee because of Fika, some workplaces have scheduled fika if you work in an office, not all places though. Most workplaces have a coffee machine or brewer for this. Our postal service sucks, unless it is ups (and sometimes even then) you have to go and get your packages. We can pick them up at the closest store (like a food store) than has postal service. And the extra fee is usually from outside of EU. Usually. But sometimes you can ask someone else get your package if they have your ID and sometimes a note too, where you have signed that that specific person can pick it up and the person picking it up has to have their own ID on them. You can do this for the pharmacy to, since some people are too sick to get their meds, but they require a note and ID for the person it is for and an ID of the person picking it up. It is true about sauce, we also love gravy and we have a creamy gravy called brunsås (brown sauce). Super good with swedish meatballs or meat in general. We love kebab and gyros, so it just makes sense to put it on pizza. Love your videos ❤ Super fun to watch! Love your reactionary videos, it makes me learn about the UK too and just how much alike we are. So thanks for the upload! ❤❤
She thinks its rude that they send back packages when no one picks them up? Isnt it rude to think that oh i can pick that up in 3 months or what ever? They store the package for 2 weeks and if you order you probably want the package like now? 😂🤷♂️
Have you made a video of your experience whilst living abroad? You mentioned Thailand, and someplace else...? If you haven't, I would love to see a video of you talking about it! Also, I just started watching your channel like a week ago, and I like your videos and vibe so far~ And happy belated birthday! It was like two weeks ago, right? Anyhow, gonna stop writing now and watch the actual video.
I really enjoyed this reaction video as you gave us a third view, sort of, being in UK. Am Swedish and can relate very much as you can imagine. Think her reaction is perhaps a little more positive than some others I watched but then again she appeared to moved permanently too and not justa visit and embraced some features. Personally I think the silence or low key (correct term? ) conversations are among the best we have, as I totally hate noisy places and high voiced conversations wherever i go.
Yeah I guess it was like a 3rd point of view lol! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I think I will enjoy the laid back and not too in your face culture of Sweden. :)
Service phones have minimal staff to cut costs. Many now have the opportunity for the company to call you back.
Have you done a video about Sweden and sports, that Swedes really like to exercise in thier daily life? This weekend it's Vätternrundan, every swede is familiar with this event. It's a bicycle competition, over 300 km, going around Swedens second largest lake Vättern. Thousands of people will participate, anyone can. And there is several different races during a whole week, the finale is this longest one. 🙂 🚴
No not yet, I'll definitely check those out in a future video. Thanks :)
Yep, the card thing has to do with American banks.
I regularly host couchsurfers from all over the world and the _only_ ones who've had this issue with their credit/debit cards have been people from the US. Not all of them either, so apparently it is possible to get a card that works fine in Sweden from an American bank, but it might not be standard issue even when you ask for one that defaults to chip and PIN?
In any case, a UK card should work perfectly.
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About to-go coffee, we actually don't have Starbucks. Or we do, but only like three in the entire country (down from about fifteen if I recall correctly) since they were very late on the ball and similar local places had already filled that niche. Places that are very nice to sit down in if you do want to have a _fika_ rather than simply a coffee to go.
Also, when Swedes have a coffee to go, they will usually sit down somewhere outside to drink it. So they still have that break, just not in the coffee shop itself, and yeah, this is very much cultural.
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The PostNord thing?
First of all, there is usually an option for whatever you ordered to be delivered to your home, it's just more expensive. Or less secure if they just drop it off and not have you sign for it.
The "post office" is usually your local grocery store and they will keep your package for between one and two weeks. If you live in Sweden and can't find the time to pick up your stuff in one week, you are probably working for someone who's up to all sorts of illegal shenanigans and because of this will sooner or later end up in prison. (If your here on a work visa, expect it to be cancelled when your employer's questionable practices are uncovered.)
You can always put in the recipient's phone number so that they get a text when the package has arrived so they know that they have something to pick up. It's actually standard these days, I can't remember the last time I got a physical paper slip in the mail box.
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Where I live in a small-ish town in West Sweden, people who are out walking in a forest or the countryside definitely say "hi" to each other. Not doing so is seen as a Big City Thing (TM).
Then again, I lived in Gothenburg for a while and it was normal to say "hi" when you passed someone in the places that people thought of as a forest rather than a park... So you would do it in Ruddalen but not in Slottsskogen, for example.
For those who don't know much about Sweden, Gothenburg is this country's second-largest city and despite only having around half a million people, it counts as big according to our standards. Unless you're from Stockholm I guess.
Here in Luleå Sweden where I live, Systembolaget is open until 8pm, not that it matters that much, but I had to say it.
Another think, saying THE Systembolaget is like saying the the Systembolag, the et part of the word is "the" :)
Ok so that's what it translates to in English. It wouldn't make sense in English to say it without the THE though lol! Some things are hard to translate fully. I'm going to have to lear some Swedish in a future video.
Payment with card from other countries are not a problem, except if it is American Express. Most card are connected to Visa or Mastercard and they handle the contact with the bank behind the scene. And, as some one else already said, BankID is used as an identification verification. Since 2020 (I think it was), Signing a card slip is no longer legal ID type. There could, however, be an exception if the card is from a foreign issuer (outside of EU). This is a new EU directive, PSD2, Payment Services Directive 2. (A directive is a mandatory law from EU that all member countries need to implement within a given time period.)
I was at a restaurant with 10 colleagues, all swedish and at the tables next to us sat 20 French people on a trip.
Then 4 Americans entered the restaurant and suddenly we could only hear them.
I would not say swedish poeple are quiet all the time. But americans are always loud...
Norway is pretty much the same with alcohol. The system makes you many opportunities to think over how much you want the alcohol.
Try the kebab pizza in Sweden, it's the one thing I miss (except for the obvious meatballs) from Sweden since moving out!
Absolutely, I can't wait to try it. Where have you moved to, may I ask? And are you Swedish?
It is being considerate to not be to loud and noisy when there is other people around. We talk but not loudly (if they arent drunk, then even sweds can be loud) Haha
It is unwritten rules in sweden to not take up to much space or bother others with your talk. Systembolaget is good, but people work around it by bying a lot of alkohol in other ways. Take trips to germany and by cheeper alkohol and such things. We have ferrys you can take to germany just for a day. You go there stay in the country for 4 hours and shop in big wharehouses and then go back. Many people store alkohol at home. And yes sauce is the best or sås as we say. Sås on everything specially dishes with boiled potatoes. The package thing is a bit strange. I mostly get my packages delivered home or to like instabox or budbee where you can go and pick it up. But of course it is different if someone just sends you a package that you didnt order yourself. Then you get it at a terminal. And of courseyou have to pick it up in due time. Custumer service is really annoying i agree with that. You can wait for hours. :)
I totally agree with you Dwayne.I come from Sweden and I love that you agree with many things as a UK person.
Of course if you go to a pub on a Saturday evening in both London or Stockholm it will be loud, but you don't have to choose the most loud ones, there are more quiet places to chill a bit more.
Definately we love our sauces, like on pizza it's either Bernaise sauce on most pizzas or garlic sauce for kebab pizzas.
For anything with potatoes, fries with steak etc, it's either also Bernaise sauce or red wine sauce or Barbecue sauce or a combination of them. Also sometimes mushroom sauce for some meats.
Signing credit card payments is no longer accepted in Sweden. Think that was removed 3 years ago or more.
Now pin is required for payments more than a certain amount.
Yes wine i want tempered not cold. Red wine any way. Beer and cider you want cold but you not supposed to bye and go out drink. You bye to take home and storage to the time you need it. You put the beer in thw lake or in winter on balkony or in your or your friends refrigerate.
I don't want to be judgmental, but she sounds in some cases slightly entitled, and misinformed. I am not sure how much it helps to listen to her if you are trying to find your footing in Sweden.
1. Systembolaget: it is a government monopoly, which regulates not only price but also quality, and was a direct answer to the alcoholism issues in the 70-80s. I think it is amazing to have this. You have to plan, yeah, but is that really a problem? Btw, you can buy drinks (up to 3,5% of alcohol content) in normal stores. Systemet sells alcohol above 3,5%.
The fact that it is not cold, I think this is solely a misunderstanding, people don't go to Systemet to buy a bottle in a paper bag and drink by the time you are home, it is to buy quality booze that you will consume at a party or celebration, or for the evening.
2. Paying in Sweden: that is not true either. Bank ID you can get with simply having a living permit (not citizenship) in Sweden. Which btw you need if you are moving to work or to live with your partner here. So she probably has this, and she can get her own bank, hence bank ID, and can use any payment methods, including swish (you need a phone ofc for swish). Buying online, and using apple pay, of course you can... I think she is misinformed on this.
If you are a tourist from US, you might need to sign if you are using AMEX, and the reason is that it is not a trusted card in Sweden due to the high amount of fraud attempts involving AMEX.
International banking is available, paying in Sweden IS NOT A PROBLEM.
3. Customer service: the wait time is longer because of two things: a) most people don't call, they chat or write, or do other online means, so there is no need for as many customer service employees. But you are also not paying so much money as in the US for just being on hold. b) The customer service agent will make sure you get help on spot even if it is not their field or department dealing, so they might be checking things, or asking around while being on the line with you.
4. No to -go coffee: geez, that is simply bullshit again (sorry getting emotional). We even have a term "latte pappa" which refers to the fathers being on paternity leave, having their kids in a stroller drinking Espresso House coffee. Sure, most people rather sit down and drink it on the spot, while relax, but a lot of people take a to-go coffee, all the time.
5. Postnord: you can actually book even with postnord to get home delivery. as others wrote before me, Postnord is very seldomly used nowadays, we have boxes, we have home delivery, we had sure the post offices (or you can pick it up in a store or something similar that has a post office licence). If the package comes outside of EU, you need to pay TOLL (not fee), and that is because the item is not taxed within the EU. You need to do the same when you fly with stuff from one country to another. You can also follow your delivery in the Postnord (or all other delivery) applications, which shows when it arrives and when it is sent back. You just really need to inform yourself a little better...
6. Super quiet: well, no comment. I guess that can be a cultural issue, but I honestly don't think that is a problem. Fun fact, it is not a thing in Sweden to have forced small talk with random people, like taxi drivers, etc, which is awkward as hell.
7. Sauce on everything: nah, it is not true, but I can at least see in this point, why she thinks so. Anyways, you can always make a special request to have the sauce on the side, or not at all. But most pizza delivery would not put the sauce on the pizza as a default, they send it on the side in small containers.
Sorry to say, and sorry if I sound rude to her, but she should get better informed if she wants to give advice to others.
yeah that correct. And small packade they put in the mailbox, if one have a mail box
I don't have a bank ID, but I often shop online, if you don't have a bank ID, you can sign with a code that I receive by SMS to your mobile.
Swedish banking is dominated by Swedish banks.
Yeah but all of them work on the global market and has offices all over Europe, especially in Scandinavia and the Baltics.
As a Swede, I was nodding along with your comments through this video. Especially the SAUCE! Very important part of any meal, especially pizza.
I'm so happy to live in Sweden when she talked about how silent it is here. 😆👍🏼
many swedes use the fact that travelling to either germany, denmark, åland (a part of finland in the baltic sea) finland and perhaps poland aswell is pretty easy and cheap - and they "stack up" - if you can reasonably show why you have 10L of hard liqours, 90 littres of wine and 110 litres of beer for YOUR personal use no problem (and it is also way cheaper - a newspaper followed a box of beer from a swedish manifacturer to germany, bought it and did bring it back - the cost per can was basicly half of that in sweden not including any cost for the travel but the can price per unit)
Does this get missused - yes. I think not to uncommon for resturant owners rolling down buy lets say 30 litres of 3 different wines he uses on his resturant. But there is always a chance that it wont work and criminal charges are files
Wines (depending on color mainly white and ros'e wines are usaly served chilled and red wines at 15-20 degrees) are not served at room temperatures
Swedish cards have a chip at front and most stores take mastercard/visa
When getting packeges from outside the EU you must pay customs aswell - therefor many websites that ships internationaly has on their order form several distrubators spread over several countries - like one for US, one for EU (and now one for england, or english companies having open up small branch offices inside EU to get around the custom fees)
My closest Systembolaget is open until 8 nowadays. Wine temperature depends on what type. Most red wines best at about 18 C. White and Rosé often a bit cooler than that but not cold.
There is no shop in all other countries that offer so many different wines, beers, spirits as Systembolaget.
Any shop located othetwise only store what is in demand. Systembolaget offers a LOT more.
Some Systembolags are open until 20.00 monday-friday and some closes at 18.00. Red wine put in the fridge like 20min before serving, white wine take it out like 20min before serving.
The websites usually support the biggest card providers in europe which is mastercard and visa. I dont think someone from the usa has that…
Regarding the packages, thats not entirly correct. Yoy get an email where you decide on how the pavkage should be delevered and WHEN..