Electronic Goods In Amsterdam And Hong Kong Airports

[tutsiwarrior]

gonna be transiting thru the the above airports next week...do they got prices for mobile phones, e-book readers and etc that are worth considering?...maybe they got better prices down on the high street in the UK?

don't wanna go shopping in the UK as I'd rather be down the pub...'a chip buttie and a pint of best, ta...'

[ragandboneman]

Amsterdam - forget it, not been through Hong Kong for a while. I transit dubai all the time as well, no such thing as cheap duty free anywhere now IMHO.

You will get better prices on either e-bay or Amazon for electronic goods.

No need to go shopping, let you're fingers do the shopping, although it might be better than drinking in any UK pubs

Regards

ragandboneman.

[stevenl]

Agree with the poster above. prices in Amsterdam seem to be higher than on the streets there. Although there is sometimes a very cheap offer, but that same very cheap offer you'd be able to find elsewhere as well.

Hing Kong: no idea.

[Popscene]

Forget Hong kong Airport for Electronic goods as they are a rip off, The prices are 20-50% more than Downtown hong kong ie: Apple iPod cassic HKD 1888 from any store in Hong Kong, At stores in the Airport HKD 2388.

When I showed the sales person the price on the Apple website, He said they are Gray imports thats why Apple are selling so cheap. MORON!

http://store.apple.com/hk/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/ipod_classic?mco=MTAyNTQzMDY

[tutsiwarrior]

thanks for the replies...looks like electronic goods should be avoided at Amsterdam and HK airports if one has the opportunity to buy 'on the ground'...

out of curiosity Changi in S'pore and Dubai airport useta be places with good prices per common knowledge...how do they compare with street prices for electronic goods nowadays?

[tw25rw]

I bought an iPod Touch at LHR in June for about £25 less than on the highstreet. And with the weak £, the UK is currently a cheap place to buy this kind of thing.

[FritsSikkink]

Amsterdam http://www.schiphol.nl/Reizigers/WinkelenOntspannen/NaDePaspoortcontrole/Winkelen/MediaElectronics1.htm

[tw25rw]

The iPod was the same price as the one I bought at LHR, though it says only til June 30.

[PattayaParent]

thanks for the replies...looks like electronic goods should be avoided at Amsterdam and HK airports if one has the opportunity to buy 'on the ground'...

out of curiosity Changi in S'pore and Dubai airport useta be places with good prices per common knowledge...how do they compare with street prices for electronic goods nowadays?

Dubai Duty Free prices for electronics, cameras etc. always used to be the same price as downtown, but if you don't know the downtown price they try to charge more as they think you're a transit passenger.

Singapore the stuff was mostly cheaper than downtown by the percentage of the GST but you could always buy downtown and claim the GST back anyway according to my mate that lived there.

[merijn]

thanks for the replies...looks like electronic goods should be avoided at Amsterdam and HK airports if one has the opportunity to buy 'on the ground'...

out of curiosity Changi in S'pore and Dubai airport useta be places with good prices per common knowledge...how do they compare with street prices for electronic goods nowadays?

Dubai Duty Free prices for electronics, cameras etc. always used to be the same price as downtown, but if you don't know the downtown price they try to charge more as they think you're a transit passenger.

Singapore the stuff was mostly cheaper than downtown by the percentage of the GST but you could always buy downtown and claim the GST back anyway according to my mate that lived there.

I don't know where you get the idea off double pricing at Dubai Airport from but that is utter bullsh*t.

All the electronics prices are fixed and clearly marked.

I agree that the prices are mostly higher then the normal street prices and much higher then the Bangkok prices.

Normally all airport prices are higher then the street prices.

Edited August 12, 2010 by merijn

[PattayaParent]

^they must have changed their pricing practices since I left Dubai.

[fishhooks]

I've been travelling Asia and Europe since 1970 and I'm an Electronic and Photographic enthusiast.

When I was a tad richer than I am now, I used even to use a significant part of the holiday, for studying and purchasing goods to further my hobby.

Most Airport Duty Free outlets pay a huge amount of rent to the airport authority concerned and this is reflected in their prices, except in the case of Cigs and Alchohol where they seem to have the 'edge' with prices.

I have found without any reservation whatsoever, that if you purchase fairly major Electronic and Photographic items that you will always do better downtown.....PROVIDING you know where you are buying and that in most cases warranties are valid and applicable to your home base.

I reckon I've had nearly 100% success with the many thousands of $'s that I have spent over the years.

BUT, If you are not sure of the "Downtown" scene, you will probably sleep better if you buy at the Airport.

Hong Kong Airports, the old and new and Changi, have always been extremely expensive for the goods that I'm interested in.

Dubai Airport was good for an expensive watch which I found was a similar price to around Hong Kong, but that was 15 years back.

[tutsiwarrior]

just paid eur279 for an HTC wildfire mobile at Shipol in Amsterdam... how does that compare, generally speaking?

paid GBP129 for a 8gb ipod at Argos in Scotland on special offer but left it with my son as he was screamin' that I never bought him nothin' (brand new Adidas fake leather jacket - GBP100 - and all; wanted to thump the little twerp as he was disrespectful to his gran)...