Prices In Penang

[astral]

Over the last few weeks I have been looking for a Canon 50mm lens.

Given the duty free nature of the region the prices in the Middle East are outrageous,

more expensive than London.

For the last week I have been in Penang. I found the 50mm F1.8 on offer at RM480,

another shop had it priced at RM590. The salesman wanted to be very helpful so I

pointed out that I could buy the lens downstairs for 480. He immediately told me his

best price was RM450. Just across the passage way was the Canon shop and they had the lens

for MR350...........

Now I really want the 50mm F1.4. I tracked it down at KY INFOIMAGING on the ground floor of Prangin Mall,

at the entrance by the bus station. The price on the shelf was MR1599. Knowing that Fotofile

in Bangkok has it on offer for B13,000, I asked the best price and said I thought MR1300 was about right.

The young man went off and telephoned and came back to say he could take MR1350 for cash.

Needless to say I am now the proud owner of the Canon EF 50mm F1.4 lens.

It does pay to shop around and know the price you are prepared to pay, when shopping in Penang.

[THAILIBAN]

I always buy cameras or accessoires in Malaysia, but only at trusted chain-stores, usually in big shopping malls. they will nevertheless be offering you a substantial discount (if you tell them u found the same item much cheaper somewhere else).

much better deals than in Thailand, Singapore or Indonesia, and the staff usually speaks English well.

in my case, they offered a 20% discount on an already very competitive price for a brand-new Olympus digicam-model (I did check all the prices online in many online-shops in my home country and in Asia before going on bargain-hunt).

but I left them kinda unhappy as I was not willing to buy the wayyyyyy overpriced (double the price I would be able to buy it even at Carrefour) micro-sd-card they offered after sealing the deal (thats probably the way they usually make their profit).

who cares.... OFF I was with the cheap camera