Request: getting mp3 player in Canaries?

James_M

Does anyone know if you can get an iPod or Zen in the Canaries at a reasonably cheaper price than here?

Anyone have any experience with this?

I know you'd have to haggle in most places but if it can be bought a lot cheaper it could be a winner.

rubadub

It is a duty free island so it may be a bit cheaper. I was there 10 years back and electronics were a good bit cheaper. I was surprised that you can haggle in shops, you can in hong kong too. best go in with 2 people and start discussing how it was cheaper in another shop, i.e. ask how much, then turn and talk amongst yourselves "how much was it in the second place?" they will overhear and match the price if they can.

lomb

margins are very thin on electronic goods. u will do no better than getting the vat of, however amazon discount it including vat to less than duty free prices. theres nothing cheaper than amazon.
also mp3 players particularly hard disk ones need a a warranty.

kasintahan

Most of the electronics shops in the Canaries are owned by Indians.
I'm told that they are owned by the same family.
Unfortunatly they (the ones on the islands) for the most part, VERY dodgy characters.
Familiarise yourself with techniques like 'bait and switch' if you plan to buy.

I tried to buy a good (€500) camcorder at in Tenirife but despite trying a dozen outlets I couldn't find one that would quote me a straight price on the KIT.

What they call the KIT is basically the box with everything that should be in it, in it.
The prices on display are the bare unit only, no batteries, no power supply, no warrenty.

Hong Kong is similar around Natan Road.
But nobody who knows HK shops there.
Go to Wan Chai (Golden Computer Centre) or one of the other reputable Computer Centres.

jor el

^
What he said. It's very hard to get a straight answer out of these blokes and they never let you buy what you want. They always have to add in extra things you don't want that will bump the price way up. Plus, you get no warranty with anything bought there.

Best off to buy one on ebay, at least you have some comeback when you use paypal.

Cheeky monkey

kasintahan wrote:

Most of the electronics shops in the Canaries are owned by Indians.
I'm told that they are owned by the same family.
Unfortunatly they (the ones on the islands) for the most part, VERY dodgy characters.
Familiarise yourself with techniques like 'bait and switch' if you plan to buy.

I tried to buy a good (€500) camcorder at in Tenirife but despite trying a dozen outlets I couldn't find one that would quote me a straight price on the KIT.

What they call the KIT is basically the box with everything that should be in it, in it.
The prices on display are the bare unit only, no batteries, no power supply, no warrenty.

Hong Kong is similar around Natan Road.
But nobody who knows HK shops there.
Go to Wan Chai (Golden Computer Centre) or one of the other reputable Computer Centres.

same problem when i was in lanzarote but i did find one store that me and my brother bought a two gameboys sp`s and an aiptek dv camera they turned out great the guy even called someone to check if it has gotten cheaper i cant remeber the name but ill find out .
all i remember about the store is it was shiny and i think it was beside a cafe/restauraunt

superfly

my mates had a horrible time in Gran Canaria bartering for a camcorder while i was unconscious in bed all day after a heavy night
but Gameboys were very cheap

Cheeky monkey

ok i was talking to my brother mom and dad and i think the name of the place was Vasanta but i may be wrong but its something along those lines

dcarroll

Bring an argos catalogue or something so you will know prices at home, after haggling for 15mins for a camera a few years back, thought i was gettin a good deal only saw it in argos for cheaper when i got home (not like argos is the cheapest place to buy either)

pissed

yeah as far as i can remember the name of that shop is visanta, its the only shop in lanzarote that the budget travel reps recommend. as for the rest of the shops.... dodgy is putting it mildly

lomb

i wouldnt buy anything there -if u cant afford it from someone reputable like amazon u cant afford it. u really need a warranty.

argos are much dearer than amazon, eg sony hd3 is 430 euro in argos but 310 euro in amazon all with a years warranty.

Barrie

Sorry to but in but im going to lanzarote in two weeks and just wondering does anybody know a good place to get a few gadjets?Mostly phones and consoles?

My friend was in canaries during the summer and bought a good mp player for half nothing so id say youll get one too.

SteM

pissed wrote:

yeah as far as i can remember the name of that shop is visanta, its the only shop in lanzarote that the budget travel reps recommend. as for the rest of the shops.... dodgy is putting it mildly

Was this in Puerto Del Carmen? I'm off there in a few months and was thinking of picking up a DS, all the shops I've come across in PDC are well dodgy though.

Cheeky monkey

SteM wrote:

Was this in Puerto Del Carmen? I'm off there in a few months and was thinking of picking up a DS, all the shops I've come across in PDC are well dodgy though.

yea i think it is

James_M

Decided to stay on the safe side and ended up buying an iriver in peats so that that sorted anyway!

Cheers for the feedback

pissed

yeah its in Puerto Del Carmen on the main strip , about half way down from what i can remember, the bloke inside seemed sound enough and was willing to actually sell me what i was looking for and not something else (as was the case in most other shops) but his prices were a lot higher compared to the other bandits, but you were still saving compared to irish prices, i normally take the argos catalogue with me as a rough guide .... enjoy the hols

Loobz

Im off to Lanzarote in 4 weeks, staying in Puerto del Carmen. Thanks for the feedback also.

Visanta is the way to go apparently. Will bring an Argos catalogue as a refernce. thanks.

James_M

Loobz wrote:

Im off to Lanzarote in 4 weeks, staying in Puerto del Carmen. Thanks for the feedback also.

Visanta is the way to go apparently. Will bring an Argos catalogue as a refernce. thanks.

Or maybe rip the couple of pages out?

Loobz

Yeah, that would be using yer head. But some people in my house refer to the argos catalaogue as "the Bible". Hahahaha. Cant be ripping pages out of the Bible and bringing them on holidays, lol. But I will anyway, feck it.

zokrez

I have bought goods in bought lanzorote & Gran Canaria.. Treat the purchase as if you were buying from someone you dont know. If you are stupid they will do you. ie switch a Technics for a Techniks. A Sany for a Sony etc, Panasoanic for a Panasonic etc. I pulled a great stunt a couple of years ago. Went in with my girlfriend and said I wanted to buy a SLR camera, cd player (remember them) and something else. Told him that I was coming back on a stag 3 weeks later with 25 Irish blokes, he gave me the cd player for 65 quid which at the time was a super price and I was still sceptical about the best price and he produced the invoice book which showed he paid 63 quid for the same thing. He said he was giving it to me for cost price because I said I would bring all my mates back to buy in his store. I think his card said Irish Johnny if I remember correctly. Whatever and wherever you buy, make sure box is sealed and open it in the shop and you will be able to tell the authenticity of the goods quite easily.

Loobz

When I go over to Lanzarote, Im gonna try get a Mini-DV Camcorder. Any advice? Id say if anyone (myself included) buys anything over there, it should be in Visanta. Seems reputable.