Singapore shopping...

A

AjAx30

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I am off to singapore in 2 1/2 weeks time... just wanna find out if you guys know if there is any better place than Sin Lim Square there to get all the new goodies i need?

i was last there in 98 so not sure if anything new has opened up since then.. ;)
 
Funan IT mall for branded IT stuff. Sin Lim for bargains

edit: Depending on what you want, you could also try Mustafa's in Little India (Near Sin Lim Square) - mostly Makro style stuff (not too specialised but very cheap), also there is Naranjan Electronics (I haven't bought from them but I've heard that they are the cheapest place to buy cameras etc.)
 
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What kind of bargains are we talking here and how do you get around customs duty on the way back?
 
hj2k_x said:
What kind of bargains are we talking here and how do you get around customs duty on the way back?
Click to expand...

Depends on what you're bringing back. If it is difficult to identify, then just make up a value and declare it. Your first R3000 (?) or so is duty free.
 
From being there, the airport in Singapore has great tech shops, (if I could I would go crazy in there) and at decent prices.
 
Having been there often, I'd suggest NOT buying at the airport. The tech shops have a nice range but are very pricey compared to the city shops (20% more expensive in my experience.)
 
Damn I feel so cheated and so lied to
 
I am off to SIN this weekend and a mate told me that the aiport shops are pretty decent pricing wise - is he mistaken? Apparently, they now guarantee you that their prices are the same as Orchard Road shops and others in downtown and offer a double price difference gaurantee.

@Ajax - where did you eventually buy from?
 
Yeah. I bought a camera in Orchard road and the guy threw in an extra battery to clinch the deal.....turns out the battery was faulty but it was too late and I was on my way back to SA. Tip make sure everything is sealed then you have some idea that its new.

I was told to post the manuals back to SA and bring the Cam in as if I took it out of SA....me thinks this is illegal though.

Incidently, the camera was about 40% cheaper than SA. The Cam was R20 000 here.
 
I found most of the sutff to be similiarly priced to South Africa - SLR camera's were really cheap, I could get the guy down to just under SIN$1000 for a Nikon D80, or Canon 400D, both the two kit version. I decided not because SLRs don't come with international warranties there.... this was last year March.
 
... posting the manuals is an old 'trick'.

I have loads of them but I can't post here.
 
it's such a pity .. Sony is launching a bus load of new cameras in May ... I hoped to pick up the new H50 in SIN.
 
Yeah you always get good deals in SG. For example, my new Pany notebook, now sold out (they had limited stock and only one shop carries Panasonic Toughbooks) came in a deal where they threw in a second GIG of RAM free, a Kensington lock and a WD 160GB passport HD for free.
 
Leftfoot said:
Yeah. I bought a camera in Orchard road and the guy threw in an extra battery to clinch the deal.....turns out the battery was faulty but it was too late and I was on my way back to SA. Tip make sure everything is sealed then you have some idea that its new.

I was told to post the manuals back to SA and bring the Cam in as if I took it out of SA....me thinks this is illegal though.

Incidently, the camera was about 40% cheaper than SA. The Cam was R20 000 here.
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Toss the manuals and download 'em...
 
Manuals are important - I always keep em - for my insurance purposes. They saved my proverbial behind many times in the past when I could not find the receipts- you can use them as proof of ownership.
 
sdd said:
Manuals are important - I always keep em - for my insurance purposes. They saved my proverbial behind many times in the past when I could not find the receipts- you can use them as proof of ownership.
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I just take photo's of the camera, box and manuals, its important to get the serial number on both the camera and the box in the photo...when you register the camera with insurance, give them the serial number...then toss what you don't need.
 
Leftfoot said:
Yeah. I bought a camera in Orchard road and the guy threw in an extra battery to clinch the deal.....turns out the battery was faulty but it was too late and I was on my way back to SA. Tip make sure everything is sealed then you have some idea that its new.

I was told to post the manuals back to SA and bring the Cam in as if I took it out of SA....me thinks this is illegal though.

Incidently, the camera was about 40% cheaper than SA. The Cam was R20 000 here.
Click to expand...

Custom guys are not stupid. You have to declare all expensive items bearing serial numbers before departure. If you don't have that slip of paper (they keep a copy) they can charge you VAT on 110% of the value. Making up a value will only work if its realistic and the guy is sympathetic towards you
or lazy, otherwise they go on the WEB and plug in the make and model number
of your item into Google and determine the price that way.

I just go bolloxed by customs (in the mail) for a lousy USD 8 cup, (800Yen)
for R35. They charged me an inspection fee, the b-tards.

SA is probably the only country in the world where they will charge you an inspection
fee on an item whose value is way below what one pays duty for.
 
PeterCH said:
Custom guys are not stupid. You have to declare all expensive items bearing serial numbers before departure.
Click to expand...

I went to that desk the first two times I went overseas... each time I stood around waiting for someone to arrive, after about 5min. I left... never been back... they are typical lazy South Africans... I've never had a problem bring stuff in.. if I want a new camera or laptop, I leave with an empty laptop or camera case, and come back with a full one... not once have they even thought of asking...
 
xrapidx said:
I went to that desk the first two times I went overseas... each time I stood around waiting for someone to arrive, after about 5min. I left... never been back... they are typical lazy South Africans... I've never had a problem bring stuff in.. if I want a new camera or laptop, I leave with an empty laptop or camera case, and come back with a full one... not once have they even thought of asking...
Click to expand...

If you don't declare they tend to stop you at random. It's a luck of the draw, for frequent travellers I'd guess its a 1 in 10 chance of getting pulled over for an inspection. Customs guys really look out for those NEW items. If your item looks a little worn, they will even let you off, but if it's new - they will nab you, I guess they get a service bonus for more items they can nab.
 
I make sure to include an external harddrive or camera memory card photos from SA... just load the new PC/camera with these.... then show them the photos of cape town,etc... easy enough :p

I feel I pay enough for crap service, SARS takes a decent amount of my salary, I need to pay 14% vat, I have to pay huge amounts in rates and tax's...and for what? A government that has yet to improve something in this country... no thanks, I'll screw them every change I get... if I get cought once or twice...so what... I made the money back already.
 
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