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Prices of camcorder in Hong Kong?



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 16th, 2003, 12:36 AM
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Default Prices of camcorder in Hong Kong?

I am here in Hong Kong working and can check some prices for you if
you let me know what band and model you are looking for. You won't
have to worry about being conned, but you do have to negotiate price
and be prepared to look around. Warranty will certainly be a problem,
however, as virtually everything sold here only has a local warranty,
which always deters me in buying something here unless it is so cheap
that I don't care--which is never the case on electronics here. On
warranties, they won't con you per se, they simply won't mention it
unless you ask, but will tell you if you do. I can try checking these
models below, but another problem you might find is that they
sometimes sell different models here than in your own country which
might make service and repair difficult and/or expensive.



On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 13:32:23 GMT, (Hallvard
Tangeraas) wrote:

I'd like to buy a DV-camcorder (most likely Sony) for my world-trip, and
it seems like Hong Kong will be my first stop. So an option would be to
buy the camcorder in there instead of back here in Norway.

But considering the risk of not getting a chance to try it out/get used
to it prior to my trip, warrantee and genereally being conned (i.e. fake
or used stuff) I want to make sure it'll be worth my while by checking
the price first.

Anyone know of any websites in Hong Kong listing prices of such items so
I can get a general idea?


By the way, any opinions on what kind of camcorder to get? Those
"upright box" styled camcorders seem very compact and nice for
travelling, but I hear they're not as good to hold (and perhaps won't
give as good a picture) as the "traditional" styled camcorders. I'm
wonderign about Sony's PC-105, PC-115, PC-120 .....or the TRV-60 or
TRV-80 if I really want to spend a lot of money.


Hallvard


  #2  
Old September 16th, 2003, 06:52 AM
Miguel Cruz
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Default Prices of camcorder in Hong Kong?

Hallvard Tangeraas wrote:
Along my trip I'll be going to: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia,
Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, USA. Will any of these places
be better for shopping than Hong Kong? Useful to know before I start on
my trip as Hong Kong will be the first stop.


In my experience the USA is the cheapest for electronics, usually by a large
margin. A few items are cheaper here and there, but on the whole it's pretty
consistent.

That may be in part because I live here and know how to find the bargains...

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
Site remodeled 10-Sept-2003: Hundreds of new photos, easier navigation.
  #3  
Old September 16th, 2003, 07:18 AM
Peter Webb
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Default Prices of camcorder in Hong Kong?

Most countries in the Western world have dropped luxury taxes and import
duties on electronics. The only real difference in prices should derive from
local taxes, particularly VAT style taxes.

Here in Australia the VAT (GST) is 10%. I would bet that you could buy a
camcorder from a discount outlet here for no more than 10% more than you
could buy it in Hong Kong. (And you can claim the GST back when you leave
Australia ...). In fact, I bet you could buy it on-line cheaper in Australia
than in a shop in HK, as the overheads are so low.

Its not that HK has become expensive. Its that the Western world has largely
dropped punitive taxes on electronics, so the rest of the world has become
cheap.

USA is undoubtedly the cheapest/best place to buy, as some States have no
sales tax at all, and there is huge competition and range. You will probably
get stuff another 10% cheaper than in HK, if you can wait that long.

Australia or HK second best, Singapore next, forget about the rest.

Personally, I would just buy it in Norway. That way you can take your time
to find the best deal, play with it before you go, it will work with your TV
and voltage standards, warranty will be available, etc etc. This stuff has
got to be worth more than saving 10% of the purchase price?



"Hallvard Tangeraas" wrote in message
m...
wrote:

I am here in Hong Kong working and can check some prices for you if
you let me know what band and model you are looking for.


Thanks. I've already mailed you privately about that.

Since I posted my initial message I found some prices of camcorders in
Hong Kong, and they're not much cheaper than here in Norway!!!
Perhaps 5% to 10% cheaper :-(

Has Hong Kong become an expensive place lately? I lived there until
1984, and was back on a short vacation 10 years ago. Prices were a lot
lower in comparison to back home here, but perhaps that's changed.

I'm looking into buying various electronic devices (such as a MiniDisc
(MD) recorder) and camera stuff (additional lenses, filters etc.), but
maybe other places I'm going to will be cheaper? Isn't Hong Kong the
cheap "shopper's paradise" it used to be?

Along my trip I'll be going to: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia,
Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, USA. Will any of these places
be better for shopping than Hong Kong? Useful to know before I start on
my trip as Hong Kong will be the first stop.


Hallvard
--
Atari Launchpad : http://launchpad.atari.org
Notator/Creator SL : http://www.notator.org



  #4  
Old September 16th, 2003, 02:09 PM
Markku Grönroos
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Default Prices of camcorder in Hong Kong?


"Miguel Cruz" wrote in message
...
Hallvard Tangeraas wrote:
Along my trip I'll be going to: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia,
Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, USA. Will any of these places
be better for shopping than Hong Kong? Useful to know before I start on
my trip as Hong Kong will be the first stop.


In my experience the USA is the cheapest for electronics, usually by a

large
margin. A few items are cheaper here and there, but on the whole it's

pretty
consistent.

For bulk gear the difference typically is not that large. For instance GPS
plotters are bounds and leaps cheaper in the USA. So much that it is
typically profitable to buy that stuff directly from there and pay for the
shipping and taxes. Also cutting edge products typically are much cheaper.
As an example a Canon EOS 10D unit costs 2000++ euros in Finland while
cheapest price amongst US internet vendors I saw by a little skimming was
1300++ dollars......


  #5  
Old September 16th, 2003, 07:59 PM
Chris Blunt
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Default Prices of camcorder in Hong Kong?

On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 16:09:56 +0300, "Markku Grönroos"
wrote:


"Miguel Cruz" wrote in message
.. .
Hallvard Tangeraas wrote:
Along my trip I'll be going to: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia,
Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, USA. Will any of these places
be better for shopping than Hong Kong? Useful to know before I start on
my trip as Hong Kong will be the first stop.


In my experience the USA is the cheapest for electronics, usually by a

large
margin. A few items are cheaper here and there, but on the whole it's

pretty
consistent.

For bulk gear the difference typically is not that large. For instance GPS
plotters are bounds and leaps cheaper in the USA. So much that it is
typically profitable to buy that stuff directly from there and pay for the
shipping and taxes. Also cutting edge products typically are much cheaper.
As an example a Canon EOS 10D unit costs 2000++ euros in Finland while
cheapest price amongst US internet vendors I saw by a little skimming was
1300++ dollars......



For those in the EU and planning a trip to Asia its worth checking to
see if you can get a refund of VAT if you buy items to take with you.

I have often claimed a refund of the 17.5% VAT for things I've bought
in the UK and taken back home to Manila with me. That saving can often
mean the price works out as low as it could be found anywhere else.

Chris

  #6  
Old September 17th, 2003, 01:31 PM
Markku Grönroos
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Default Prices of camcorder in Hong Kong?


"Chris Blunt" wrote in message
...

For those in the EU and planning a trip to Asia its worth checking to
see if you can get a refund of VAT if you buy items to take with you.

I have often claimed a refund of the 17.5% VAT for things I've bought
in the UK and taken back home to Manila with me. That saving can often
mean the price works out as low as it could be found anywhere else.

And you have naturally declared you goods at the Philippine border to pay
the local VAT..........


  #7  
Old September 18th, 2003, 12:01 PM
Chris Blunt
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Posts: n/a
Default Prices of camcorder in Hong Kong?

On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 15:31:14 +0300, "Markku Grönroos"
wrote:


"Chris Blunt" wrote in message
.. .

For those in the EU and planning a trip to Asia its worth checking to
see if you can get a refund of VAT if you buy items to take with you.

I have often claimed a refund of the 17.5% VAT for things I've bought
in the UK and taken back home to Manila with me. That saving can often
mean the price works out as low as it could be found anywhere else.

And you have naturally declared you goods at the Philippine border to pay
the local VAT..........


Definitely not. In most cases I've already used the goods for at least
a few days, or even weeks, so if asked I can say they're not new.

 




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