TEN times the price !

When to buy some halogen lamps yesterday.

La Sirena - RD$425 each.

IKEA - RD$469 for a pack of 4, plus a guarantee.

Imagine walking into La Sirena in 1 years time with a receipt and
asking them to change a blown halogen. Actually, I think you would have a problem if it was more than 1 day.

Robert said:

When to buy some halogen lamps yesterday.

La Sirena - RD$425 each.

IKEA - RD$469 for a pack of 4, plus a guarantee.

Imagine walking into La Sirena in 1 years time with a receipt and
asking them to change a blown halogen. Actually, I think you would have a problem if it was more than 1 day.

Click to expand...

OcohA asks if you to checked the light bulbs before you buy.

So I imagine that means, once out the door, it's your problem!


SantiagoDR

I suspect, much of the aleatory pricing here may be affected by a variety of issues, including how things make it thru or sneak by customs.
Also, where and whom from retailers or wholesalers buy. I have had some retailers show me having BOUGHT wholesale the same item for more than an other retailer would sell them a few blocks away.
Additionally, many products are being put into stores and even colomadoes by "agents" of producers, wholesalers or companies. Many sales racks, typically for cashier line items (batteries, being a typical example) are being maintained/filled and priced by those "representativos", often with little to now price control or comparability by the retailer. Good products so are declared discontinued and replaced by a smaller more expensive one and so forth.
PriceSmart... well, it's like BJ's or Costco. It can be a Godsend and a trap at the same time. I have seen BJ's sell bulk quantities for more per item as the local super market. There is also a phenomenon of blurring values at these public "wholesalers", as most packages cost a sizable amount of money... creeping zeroes syndrome... suddenly the buyer gets used to grab mistake a $19.99 item as fairly cheap among packs at 29.99 and 39.99. They know that, they use that and PriceSmart is no different.

... J-D.

If something you want, like toilet paper, is sold by the roll as well as packages of 4, 8, 16, take a close look. I have found that I can save a lot of money by buying the paper I use by the roll rather than in packages with multiple rolls.

so what is different from Europe or the US...

In Belgium 3$ for a kilo of oranges, and 10$ for 3 kilo... guess what most people bought...

Just look at the prices of washing powder... you would say the bigger the bag, the cheaper it is.... yeah... look again...

It is called marketing (another word on how can we screw the buyer and let him think he made a great deal...)

Look at it from the bright side... I just bought a well known brand of Alkaline AA-batteries (8-pack)... price in Belgium cc. 12$, here 4$... at the local supermercado...

Local example... Energy-saving lamps at Ikea... ouch... 12 times the price of those chinese ones at the local ferreteria, and they lasted 1 week... (the Chinese ones are now lasting 2 months already, and yes the light is somewhat yellower, but as it is inside an Ikea lamp (one of those paper ones) you don't notice it... lol)...

Levi's Store in Santiago... the recommended US sales-price which is on every article is not followed... the actual price is cc. 20% cheaper...

So, conclusion... it is the same all over the world... if you do not look at the prices, and compare (AND consider whether the price-difference is worth the time and money to go somewhere else)... you will get screwed...

interesting. i've tended to blindly buy the large packages. not so smart.

there is a man in Cabarete that sells beach shoes that has quite a mark up on shoes which can be bought in Puerta plata for Rd 350 ....he was asking about RD 2000

- he can be found near century 21, very friendly but I couldnt possibly start bargaining from such a high price

Today, by chance, I came across a lot of Timberland hiking boots, and they were selling them for the incredible price of 600 DOP.

My conclusion... someone found a Timberland stamp.... whahahahaha

SantiagoDR said:

OcohA asks if you to checked the light bulbs before you buy.

So I imagine that means, once out the door, it's your problem!

Click to expand...

The following photo is posted pending acceptance / approval from NAL's,
.... the Connecticut Yankee.

"Just the Facts Ma'am, just the facts" :bandit: Yes I can, read Spanish!



SantiagoDR

While the IKEA halogen lamps seem like a deal, you usually get what you pay for with batteries. They may have the same number but it's not uncommon for cheap stores to sell factory seconds or expired batteries. I just got burned at a dollar store for one of those coin batteries for a car remote, but what am I going to do, spend a half hour to return something that only cost me a dollar?

And yes, check prices on goods. Bigger is not always the cheapest.

Adrian Bye said:

interesting. i've tended to blindly buy the large packages. not so smart.

Click to expand...

No, it's pretty smart really if you factor in the cost of the trips you save by buying in bulk. To me, that's the real value of a bulk items store.

greydread said:

No, it's pretty smart really if you factor in the cost of the trips you save by buying in bulk. To me, that's the real value of a bulk items store.

Click to expand...

Buying at a higher price at a bulk store is not a real value.

Just buy multiples of the smaller packages if the price per unit (Ounce,gram, etc)is lower!
It's still buying in "bulk", just with multiple packages.

Watch out also here in the DR, a package that has part of it labeled as free is often higher priced then the same item without the "Free" portion.


SantiagoDR

Wowsa...in the States, they have to put the price per ounce or price per unit on the shelf label so consumers can break down costs...however, Costco and similar warehouse stores are known for having slightly higher pricing in some cases..

Caveat emptor!

SantiagoDR said:

Buying at a higher price at a bulk store is not a real value.

Just buy multiples of the smaller packages if the price per unit (Ounce,gram, etc)is lower!
It's still buying in "bulk", just with multiple packages.

Click to expand...

Exactly, that is what I do. Rather than buy a package of multiple, I buy the same quantity, or more, for less money.

LaBrito said:

Some time ago we went to the Splash Ice Cream place and saw they sold a 250ml plastic bowl with 3 scoops for 55 pesos. I asked about the 500mil for 100 pesos. Was told 6 scoops. We bought it. Yesterday in the same booth the girl said the 100 peso was 4 scoops. She could not understand, 3 scoops 55, 4 scoops 100???? We walked away. Went back a couple of hours later. Different girl - 6 scoops (large) 100 pesos. Go figure!!

Click to expand...

It sometimes comes down to mathematics
They cant do math!!!

Funny story!

I bought 4 dvds from the street guy who has been selling for years.

70 dop each---i bought 3, asked for discount and he said no, i agreed no biggy. Then i asked how much( a test) he couldnt answer me..then he embarrasingly asked me what the correct amount was, and i said 150dop and handed to him, he thanked me...I chuckled to myself and gave him the remaining 60 dop...Forget being taught math in school, these people do the same transactions multiple times daily yet never remember numbers..

drgringo said:

It sometimes comes down to mathematics
They cant do math!!!

Funny story!

I bought 4 dvds from the street guy who has been selling for years.

70 dop each---i bought 3, asked for discount and he said no, i agreed no biggy. Then i asked how much( a test) he couldnt answer me..then he embarrasingly asked me what the correct amount was, and i said 150dop and handed to him, he thanked me...I chuckled to myself and gave him the remaining 60 dop...Forget being taught math in school, these people do the same transactions multiple times daily yet never remember numbers..

Click to expand...

i think they remember numbers just dont know how to manipulate them.