Scandall's Rant: Buying electronics

RHM

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OK. So I am in the market for a flat panel monitor. I already have two laptops that I use regularly but I have a lot of research/writing that I need to do and a nice big flat panel monitor and external keyboard will make the perfect workstation for my apartment.

So. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed I went off this morning to do my errands. While at Plaza Llama for other things I decided to browse through the electronics. (for all of you DR1ers that live here...please take note that I was there for other things and decided to browse the electronics...I was not dumb enough to think PL would be good for anything other than toiletries and dog food).

A 60 gig IPOD...old model...nothing special was priced at almost RD$22,000. Outrageous. Offensive. Incredible that the posted price could be anything close to this in the free world.

They also had an average desktop systems...nothing special....35-45,ooo pesos...unreal.

Later in the day, Robert and I went to Pricesmart...nothing special...very expensive.

Then came the coup de tat...Samanel. A 15" flat panel monitor...nothing special...Brand name: Soyo...RD$15,000. WTF? That's about USD$500. For a crummy little Soyo. They should have named it "Soy junk".

In the real world, for $500 dollars you can get a complete desktop system with a DVD burner and more disk space than you will ever need. I do not need a whole system. My two laptops have more "computer" than I need. I just want a more comfortable workstation (monitor and keyboard).

Robert and I shook our heads...ate some pizza...then both went home. I ended up going online and buying a 19" inch DELL, flat panel with a 3 year warrantee for USD$314. Shipping was a few bucks and I will have to pay something to pick it up in Santo Domingo. BUT I will still end up paying less for it than I would have if I bought the "Soy junk".

Ok. I feel better now. Highway f'n robbery. No wonder such a small %age of the DR population is connected to the internet.

We all know the best ways to get stuff into the country but I wonder if and when this will get better for the general population. Most Dominicans do not have the means to do what I did (intenet, credit card, shipping services).

Thoughts?

Scandall
"Professor of Consumer Activism"
 
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MrMike

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Never mind, I misread the post, I thought the monitor was $300, that would be about right.

You should have talked to me, I was selling some 15" LCD monitors for $225 last week. (all gone now)

And don't buy computer stuff in a department store, go to a computer store.
 

RHM

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MrMike said:
Never mind, I misread the post, I thought the monitor was $300, that would be about right.

You should have talked to me, I was selling some 15" LCD monitors for $225 last week. (all gone now)

And don't buy computer stuff in a department store, go to a computer store.


My laptop is 15" so it would be silly to buy an external monitor the same size.

Go back and read again. I went to the department store for other things. I even went out of my way to state that fact twice. :)

Were yours flat panel? What brand? Warrantee?

Scandall
 

Snuffy

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Scandall, that is not the first time you have been offended by prices here? I needed an ink cartridge for my printer...so I go to the local computer dealer and she has the nerve to quote me 500 pesos for one. I bought it on ebay for $3 dollars. I bought 6 of them. You do the math.

So the computer store did not work for me.
 

RHM

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Snuffy said:
Scandall, that is not the first time you have been offended by prices here? I needed an ink cartridge for my printer...so I go to the local computer dealer and she has the nerve to quote me 500 pesos for one. I bought it on ebay for $3 dollars. I bought 6 of them. You do the math.

So the computer store did not work for me.


No, not the first time Snuffy. I did not just get off the yola. :)

This is just the first time it motivated me to post a rant.

I had the same experience with cartridges for my home scanner/printer/copier. Then I discover the many places, including InkDom in Gazcue, that refill them for only a few bucks. The prices on new cartridges was offensive.

Scandall
 

MrMike

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Scandall said:
My laptop is 15" so it would be silly to buy an external monitor the same size.

Go back and read again. I went to the department store for other things. I even went out of my way to state that fact twice. :)

Were yours flat panel? What brand? Warrantee?

Scandall

They were not any name brand you would recognize, but yes they were flat panel. I did have some de-branded Compaq's though. I've got some Daewoo 17's right now, but I am trying to get 400 each for them. I warrantee every thing I sell for a year.

I will be closing my store sometime in January, though, I finally figured out it isn't worth it to try to squeeze money out of this economy.
 

rellosk

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Scandall, how much impuestos do you think you will have to pay, and how long do you expect it to be tied up in customs?
 

RHM

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rellosk said:
Scandall, how much impuestos do you think you will have to pay, and how long do you expect it to be tied up in customs?

Good question, Rellosk. I do not know what the impuestos will be, but I will report back on this thread after I pay them. The invoice value is over USD$200. Thus, duty must be paid. (unless I get lucky)

The monitor will not be tied up (fingers crossed) in customs, barring unforseen circumstances. I have received a lot of things though the same account with little if any delay (Business Mail Account, Santo Domingo).

I will be sure to report back here once I have received it.

:)

Scandall
 

El_cubano

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Last saturday was looking for a new PS2 (Play Station 2) and couldn't find anything for less than RD$8500. I will just get it here from Circuit City for US$149 and take it with me next week.
 

suarezn

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It's all supply and demand. Yes, electronics are very expensive if you buy them in The DR, on the other hand from what I hear 100 USD will buy you sex for the whole night in The DR, while here in The US I think it's about 300 USD per hour.

So, electronics is not our niche...Good poon tang is...

You should know that you can't have your cake and eat it too...
 

RHM

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suarezn said:
It's all supply and demand. Yes, electronics are very expensive if you buy them in The DR, on the other hand from what I hear 100 USD will buy you sex for the whole night in The DR, while here in The US I think it's about 300 USD per hour.

So, electronics is not our niche...Good poon tang is...

You should know that you can't have your cake and eat it too...

Good point. Also, we can get freezing cold beers delivered to the house for about a buck a piece.

Scandall
 

MrMike

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Scandall said:
Good question, Rellosk. I do not know what the impuestos will be, but I will report back on this thread after I pay them. The invoice value is over USD$200. Thus, duty must be paid. (unless I get lucky)

The monitor will not be tied up (fingers crossed) in customs, barring unforseen circumstances. I have received a lot of things though the same account with little if any delay (Business Mail Account, Santo Domingo).

I will be sure to report back here once I have received it.

:)

Scandall

I would be interested to know what your total after-purchase expenses come out to, I am using Business Mail as well and I average about 30-50% of the purchase price in landing costs.

The variance is determined by the value/weight ratio of the products I am buying (which influences shipping costs) and whether Aduana finds it in its heart to classify my computer goods as computer goods. (thus not applying ITBIS)
 

MrMike

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They don't pay the 16% ITBIS for now. They do have to pay exchange commission and 3% surcharge.

Trouble is sometimes the monkeys down at Aduana looka t your stuff and say, for example "this is not a computer, it's a TV" when looking at a monitor, cause they can't read and are just looking at the picture on the box.
 

Squat

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MrMike,
So by law, a small business who sells and fixes pc?s would not have to pay any taxes ?
 

MrMike

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They would not have to charge customers or pay sales tax on computers that they sold. They would still have to pay all the other taxes, including income tax and the "anticipo" and would also have to charge and pay sales tax on service.
 

l_th

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rellosk said:
Scandall, how much impuestos do you think you will have to pay, and how long do you expect it to be tied up in customs?

Via Business mail the total shipping price with taxes and all that should be around 2000-2500 pesos. Thats what I paid a few months ago for a "19 LCD. Still a better final price then the local PC market
 

RHM

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l_th said:
Via Business mail the total shipping price with taxes and all that should be around 2000-2500 pesos. Thats what I paid a few months ago for a "19 LCD. Still a better final price then the local PC market


That's about what I am expecting. We shall see and I will report back.

Either way I will end up saving a lot of money compared to buying one in the DR market.

Scandall
 

juanita

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I was told that IGM (Nicolas Ure?a de Mendoza) have good prices, I will check it out, I need a printer and a scanner