The Best Place to Buy Electronics in the DR

What are the best/most popular stores to buy electronics in the DR?

  • ElectroLama

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Sirena

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other Dominican brick and mortar stores

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    16

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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A DR1er wants to know where he could go to buy an electronic at a good price. He doesn't know any place and prefers brick and mortar stores in the DR.

Go ahead and share your experiences buying electronics in the DR. If a specific business treats the customer well and is not listed, feel free to name it and the location.
 
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MariaRubia

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2019
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I've had good experiences at Corripio, they sell an extended guarantee for 3 years on a lot of their stuff. My Dominican friends have always said not to go to Plaza Lama as their stuff is counterfeit but I've found them to be good provided you buy a good well-known make like Samsung or LG. I would also trust anything from CCN group (that's Jumbo, Nacional, Casa Cuesta) as they are a good well-run company with good customer service.
 
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Nadie21

Active member
Jun 3, 2021
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Santa Clarita
I've had good experiences at Corripio, they sell an extended guarantee for 3 years on a lot of their stuff. My Dominican friends have always said not to go to Plaza Lama as their stuff is counterfeit but I've found them to be good provided you buy a good well-known make like Samsung or LG. I would also trust anything from CCN group (that's Jumbo, Nacional, Casa Cuesta) as they are a good well-run company with good customer service.
Trust nothing from these DR stores! Research first and hope for the best. But never believe one word from these sales people..and this goes for any sales person. Be smart. Corripio? Meh..but it as good as it gets there. I agree Amazon could be the best bet. LG has always been excellent for us thus far.
 
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MariaRubia

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2019
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Trust nothing from these DR stores! Research first and hope for the best. But never believe one word from these sales people..and this goes for any sales person. Be smart. Corripio? Meh..but it as good as it gets there. I agree Amazon could be the best bet. LG has always been excellent for us thus far.

So are you saying that you wouldn't buy an LG television in DR from Plaza Lama, even if it came in an LG box, and would prefer to ship the same TV from the US paying a fortune in taxes to import it just because you don't trust Plaza Lama? I would say that as long as you are buying a branded product from a brand you know, you're pretty safe wherever you buy it.
 
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SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
14,081
4,280
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So are you saying that you wouldn't buy an LG television in DR from Plaza Lama, even if it came in an LG box, and would prefer to ship the same TV from the US paying a fortune in taxes to import it just because you don't trust Plaza Lama? I would say that as long as you are buying a branded product from a brand you know, you're pretty safe wherever you buy it.
Maybe you were not around when Plaza Lama was caught selling refurbished goods as new. And they all came in a box...
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,246
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So are you saying that you wouldn't buy an LG television in DR from Plaza Lama, even if it came in an LG box, and would prefer to ship the same TV from the US paying a fortune in taxes to import it just because you don't trust Plaza Lama? I would say that as long as you are buying a branded product from a brand you know, you're pretty safe wherever you buy it.
Maria

I have done this - recently ---
bought a TV & shipped it in..... I posted the details

As I recall....$350 (TV) and $175 shipping - cheaper than buying here....43" Samsung Smart TV
 
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Nadie21

Active member
Jun 3, 2021
281
154
43
Santa Clarita
So are you saying that you wouldn't buy an LG television in DR from Plaza Lama, even if it came in an LG box, and would prefer to ship the same TV from the US paying a fortune in taxes to import it just because you don't trust Plaza Lama? I would say that as long as you are buying a branded product from a brand you know, you're pretty safe wherever you buy it.
Correct
 

Nadie21

Active member
Jun 3, 2021
281
154
43
Santa Clarita
Correct I would not buy in DR. I speak from My experiences. Ok? Put my good money over dominican type sales practices. Never again to buy high end produce in DR. They are never new..they are, as in my KitchenAid dishwasher which was purchased in SD at “top” store was not the same model as was shown by KitchenAid and which I have in NY. The inside of the KitchenAid I purchased in DR is different..cheap material. Yet of course the price charged here was despicable but I did pay. Of course we knew we would be paying dearly but still being at what was considered such a reputable place and being snookered when we really thought we knew(hah) was the breaking point. Never again put my good money on high end products here. I prefer, if I have to spend my money anyway to put that additional money on shipping and have hope it all arrives safely. We all pretty much know you cannot buy anything of quality here. It does not exist. But it is what it is.
 
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Jan 9, 2004
11,112
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So are you saying that you wouldn't buy an LG television in DR from Plaza Lama, even if it came in an LG box, and would prefer to ship the same TV from the US paying a fortune in taxes to import it just because you don't trust Plaza Lama? I would say that as long as you are buying a branded product from a brand you know, you're pretty safe wherever you buy it.
Two points to consider here.

1. While Plaza Lama has/was/is rumored to be selling refurbed products at new prices..................2. they are NOT necessarily the same products as sold in US markets.

All manufacturers make goods to be sold in certain markets at certain price points. In order to achieve this they may have to use/source less expensive parts/components.

Ask a Dominican why they would rather incur the time/expense of importing a used US washing machine or a used refrigerator from the US .........rather than buying new in the DR.

The answer for that and many other electro domestico items is the quality/features etc.

TV's using refurbished boards/screens and with less HDMI ports, washing machines with smaller agitator motors, thinner gauge metal. Refrigerators with smaller compressors and thinner gauge metal.................the list goes on.

Products here are manufactured by sellers to fit emerging market price points................and so quality/longevity tends to suffer.

It affects almost everything auto related as well...............including tires, batteries etc.

That is part of the reason why being a mudanza in the US is such a good business..............used and imported is believed to be far superior than new in the DR.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 

arete92

Active member
Jul 5, 2018
293
109
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Honestly just get stuff shipped to you in a barrel or take it with you on the plane or in your bag. Take it out of the box and throw some clothes in with it. Electronics are way way too expensive here and the demand for electronics is high which makes people do sneaky things here like taking parts from electronics from newer or refurbished products and selling them separately while charging you more for junk.

The service alone here is enough to make me not buy any electronics here unless it was like 10k DOP or less anything like a computer I would totally avoid.

I just bought a brand new Lenovo from the Canadian website ( there was a deal on ) I bought it for 1k Canadian that here would be AT LEAST 65-80,000 peosos and if something happened to it and needed service, you're screwed.

La Sirena air fryer 10,000 pesos was a single not a double Cosco Toronto 150.00 double, metal finish could probably use it for a year and take it back.

Leons furniture nice comfy coach black Friday deal 350.00 + 100 for the love seat. black fake leather couch ( Dominican style that looks nice and has rocks in it ) 30,000 pesos.

My point is if you can bring it, do it. you get warranties that work, service, honesty, you know it hasn't been screwed with. For the price you would pay for a new laptop here you could go home, buy it and have enough for a round trip to visit friends and family.

If you're a new resident take advantage of shipping your personal items here.
 

PJT

Silver
Jan 8, 2002
3,631
371
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One has to understand most often brand name items, especially US brand name items sold in the DR and other Latin countries are manufactured in various Latin America locations, i.e., Panama, Costa Rica, and Mexico. They are not fabricated to the same standards of the US market. It is a marketing agenda to sell at lower prices and less quality than similar US band models to allow many Latino consumers to afford them.

When the consumer goes to buy they have to be aware of where they buy to include; warrantees, availability of supplies (if needed), and availability of repair services.


Regards,

PJT
 
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Nadie21

Active member
Jun 3, 2021
281
154
43
Santa Clarita
So are you saying that you wouldn't buy an LG television in DR from Plaza Lama, even if it came in an LG box, and would prefer to ship the same TV from the US paying a fortune in taxes to import it just because you don't trust Plaza Lama? I would say that as long as you are buying a branded product from a brand you know, you're pretty safe wherever you buy it.
NanSanPedro…please Wake Up!
 

arete92

Active member
Jul 5, 2018
293
109
43
I've had good experiences at Corripio, they sell an extended guarantee for 3 years on a lot of their stuff. My Dominican friends have always said not to go to Plaza Lama as their stuff is counterfeit but I've found them to be good provided you buy a good well-known make like Samsung or LG. I would also trust anything from CCN group (that's Jumbo, Nacional, Casa Cuesta) as they are a good well-run company with good customer service.
I would trust their boxes as well and have bought a few products from them without issues but the larger items are still very expensive i.e airfrier 1 slot 10,000 DOP I got a double slot in Cosco Toronto for 150.00 ( normal no sale price )
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
13,506
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Two points to consider here.

1. While Plaza Lama has/was/is rumored to be selling refurbed products at new prices..................2. they are NOT necessarily the same products as sold in US markets.

All manufacturers make goods to be sold in certain markets at certain price points. In order to achieve this they may have to use/source less expensive parts/components.

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
A large part of items sold here is manufactured in South America.

I don't know how many times I've looked for repair parts online and found they don't exist on North American sites like searspartsdirect.

For cheap stuff I use it until it breaks and toss it.

For Larger appliances I check the model number before I buy.
 
Jan 9, 2004
11,112
2,485
113
A large part of items sold here is manufactured in South America.

I don't know how many times I've looked for repair parts online and found they don't exist on North American sites like searspartsdirect.

For cheap stuff I use it until it breaks and toss it.

For Larger appliances I check the model number before I buy.
US model numbers/parts for appliances in general usually cannot be sourced in the DR. That is because the same look alike model in the DR is in fact different/inferior in many ways.

I have imported several appliances from the US for personal use. By way of example, two used refrigerators imported circa 2005 and 2012 (both bought new by me in the US) are still going strong in the DR.




Respectfully,
Playacaribe2