Korean Job Discussion Forums

[davecx82]

curious where low-cost electronics are sold at. i figure big-box stores like hi-mart are equivalent to best buy which we all know is a rip off when they sell things at regular price (and sometimes even sale prices). or do u just gotta search deep in ur area for a local, say, camera store? alternatively, does costco generally sell their electronics for cheap?

[BadBadMan]

Some stores in Namdaemun market are known to have great prices on cameras, but 99% of them require thorough prior research and good haggling skills. Otherwise they'll rip you off quite a bit more than Himart ever would. Even Koreans mostly don't bother to go to real stores and haggle any more -- as a whole, buying off the internet is quick, easy, and much much cheaper on average. You'd be surprised how many people haggle their way down on a camera's price and pay $100 extra for a generic stick of memory or a crappy tripod.

If you can read Korean well, try danawa.com. It's THE price comparison/shopping web site for electronics, especially computer stuff, since they have the most Yongsan retailers listed. Some Yongsan stores will let you pay for stuff online and personally pick up your items. It's a hectic place, though, so I really don't recommend pick-ups unless you want to see the (kind of disappointing) electronics retail hub of Korea / don't want to wait for the mail / are familiar with the buildings there.

If you're still bound to the English language, english.gmarket.co.kr is a good place to check out. I mostly order stuff through gmarket anyway now that I've moved farther away from Yongsan. Prices there are usually only a couple of dollars more expensive (for electronics -- not computer stuff), and I can actually read some reviews about the seller before buying.

[GoldMember]

Bought one recently. Best deal was off the Internet. G Market, 11th street or Auction.

[blackjack]

http://www.gmarket.co.kr/challenge_eng/neo_category/category.asp?gdmc_cd=200000455&link_type=LIST&search_err=