Price - Don't Get Scammed !!!

Snuffy

Bronze
May 3, 2002
1,462
6
0
Today I go to buy a mouse for my computer. I walk into....is that ProComm...somthing like that...see a basic mouse and ask for the price. Guy quotes me 550RD.

I go across the street to another computer store and the same mouse is 150RD.

This is just the latest example I can give you. These people look at you, size you up..."how much can I get from this person"...give you a price. Funny, I almost bought the first one but at the last minute changed my mind and decided to look a little more.

This happens all the time.

So, unless you need it right away and the price seems a little steep...walk away. Chances are you will find it down the road a lot cheaper.

Here is another one for you. We have a puppy and he is getting his shots. The place we bought him at quotes us a price of approximately 50% more for the shots than another vet close to our home. Now it only amounts to a total savings of about 1200RD but it's a 50% premium.

If you can save on these kind of items throughout the year by doing some thrifty shopping then you save a lot.

You can eat here cheap. We have food delivered to us. Chicken, rice, salad, platano dulce, beans.............80RD per plate. This is delivered to us. My friends can't believe that one. We also go to Salvador cafeteria and eat for about the same price. I tell my wife...who needs to cook. Do you want fried chicken...I swear these koreans know how to fry chicken better than the big chicken joints. I order 10 breast of chicken........at 15RD per piece. That is 150RD. And I will put it up against Kentucky Fried Chicken any day.

Here is one for you. Flowers. I go to buy long stem roses. Bundle has 24 long stems. Guy quotes me 300RD. I negociated it down to 150RD and it still seemed to easy. Where else can you buy 24 long stem roses for less than $5 USD.
 

El Tigre

El Tigre de DR1 - Moderator
Jan 23, 2003
2,306
57
0
Hey Snuffy,

Same thing happened to me at Plaza Central Radio Shack in Santiago. I went in because the AC adpatper for my dell was damaged somehow. I went to buy a "compatible" one and they were charging me 8,000 pesos for it. This was in December of 2005. So that was like 250 US. I ended up calling Dell. They shipped one to me. Only thing that sucked was that I had to wait 4 days to get it. I guess in a way you can say that didn't suck at all LOL saved $250. That's a lot of Presidentes!
 

El Tigre

El Tigre de DR1 - Moderator
Jan 23, 2003
2,306
57
0
Now the true question is DO THESE PEOPLE SEE US WITH A BIG "STUPID" SIGN ON OUR FOREHEAD. I think it's so absurd when this happens.

I still think I got scammed when I bought my cooler. I bought it 2 years ago and till this day I complain about how much I paid for it. 2,500 pesos. For the one I have here in the states (which is way better than the one out there) I paid 25 bucks in Costco. Ridiculous.
 

Chris_NJ

Bronze
Dec 17, 2003
614
13
18
45
Sometimes people just throw out a price to see if you bite. Same thing happened to me in midtown Manhattan. I asked in one of the electronic shops how much for a basic calculator that should have been less than $10 I was looking at - he tells me $30. I felt like I was going to hit him so I walked out and he was yelling after me "I am sorry, I am sorry" and lowering the price.

It seems so shortsighted to rip someone off once rather then give a fair price and have the customer come back.
 

Flamingojohn

New member
Nov 11, 2005
40
0
0
Capitalism at it's best

This is simple capitalism at it's best. The price is dictated by what people are willing to pay for it only. Obviously the vendor will want to make the most possible profit, while still keeping the customer happy. It is a bit more primitive here than in the U.S., but it is basically the same platform. Why do Physician's charge so much??- Because they can, and people are willing to pay it to maintain their health. Same concept applies here.
I do agree it is always a good idea to cut whatever price is given by at least 50% if not more. You will often times bargain or negotiate better prices. I have had the same experiences when buying computer parts- but I just look at them with an incredulous look when they quote some price I find outragious and respond with I can get this for $XX at this other store- and wait for them to lower the deal. It's a game we all play in one form or another and like the quote in the U.S.- "don't hate the player- hate the game"
 

THE GAME

New member
Jul 13, 2005
414
0
0
www.nydailynews.com
when in DR shopping for anything i always compare prices to NY. A lot of things in DR cost same as NY and if i see prices higher in DR than in NY then that tells me perhaps they are trying to rip me off. The good thing with me is that even though i'm not dominican, i look dominican (sometimes). I'm hispanic and don't have skin color of gringos so i have that advantage.. but
when i speak they know right away i'm not dominican.
 

palmiche

New member
Mar 26, 2005
46
0
0
Snuffy said:
Today I go to buy a mouse for my computer. I walk into....is that ProComm...somthing like that...see a basic mouse and ask for the price. Guy quotes me 550RD.

I go across the street to another computer store and the same mouse is 150RD.

This is just the latest example I can give you. These people look at you, size you up..."how much can I get from this person"...give you a price. Funny, I almost bought the first one but at the last minute changed my mind and decided to look a little more.

This happens all the time.

So, unless you need it right away and the price seems a little steep...walk away. Chances are you will find it down the road a lot cheaper.

Here is another one for you. We have a puppy and he is getting his shots. The place we bought him at quotes us a price of approximately 50% more for the shots than another vet close to our home. Now it only amounts to a total savings of about 1200RD but it's a 50% premium.

If you can save on these kind of items throughout the year by doing some thrifty shopping then you save a lot.

You can eat here cheap. We have food delivered to us. Chicken, rice, salad, platano dulce, beans.............80RD per plate. This is delivered to us. My friends can't believe that one. We also go to Salvador cafeteria and eat for about the same price. I tell my wife...who needs to cook. Do you want fried chicken...I swear these koreans know how to fry chicken better than the big chicken joints. I order 10 breast of chicken........at 15RD per piece. That is 150RD. And I will put it up against Kentucky Fried Chicken any day.

Here is one for you. Flowers. I go to buy long stem roses. Bundle has 24 long stems. Guy quotes me 300RD. I negociated it down to 150RD and it still seemed to easy. Where else can you buy 24 long stem roses for less than $5 USD.

Isn't this the essence of capitalism?
The message is that you have to shop around, it happens all over the world. You can go to Cuba and live there since all prices are the same.
 

Snuffy

Bronze
May 3, 2002
1,462
6
0
Well I put this out there to try and educate newcomers. You use the term capitalism like it is a sacred cow. Successful social structure is more than just economic system theory. What happened to ethical principles in business? Is it screw those in your community no matter what? "F#*k everyone else, I'm getting mine". Right? Makes for a nice world to live in.

My point was to inform not to bitch...although it may have come across that way.