Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Atkinson]

I went to Yongsan this weekend, and things didn't work out the way I expected. Did I do something wrong, or are my expectations out of whack?

I heard that Yongsan is this Computer Mecca, with the lowest prices available anywhere. However, everything I wanted was significantly more expensive than in the west, so I bought nothing -- besides chicken kababs. It would be cheaper for me to buy parts online from the US and have them mailed to me.

For instance:
(US prices are the highest from www.pricewatcher.com. Korean prices are the lowest from my two days in Yongsan)
ASUS A8N-SLI motherboard: $180 / W210,000
Leadtech PX6800TDH video card $295-337 / W385,000

When I asked for a lower price, they laughed and said this was already a very good price, and made no move when I left the store. I've never been a successful haggler, but they wouldn't even entertain a slightly lower price. They were stiffer on price than computer stores in Toronto. I went to several shops, all with the same result, and all prices within 5% of one another.

I was in the grungy building with all the tables set up on the ramp in front -- the first one you come to from Sinyongsan subway. I heard that's the best one for deals on systems. I wandered around outsdie, and tried getting a quote from another store, but as soon as he found out I wanted a whole system, and not a part, he told me to go back into the building I had been in, even though he was advertising systems for sale.

Am I missing something (besides a Korean interpreter, I mean)?

***

As a separate gripe, the selection was crap. There are exactly three models of nVidia 6800 video cards available, compared with the thousands available back home, and they've never heard of Corsair or Kingston brand memory. Again, am I missing something?

[Gord]

[Demophobe]

Nice post Gord. Welcome back.

Where have you been?

[The Lemon]

[the_beaver]

Gord you bastard! Where the hell have you been?

[Atkinson]

Thanks Gord and Lemon for straightening me out and for the information leads. I've been getting a lot of practice reading computer store websites in Korean lately.

[The Lemon]

[the saint]

[SuperHero]

[Gord]

I ended up taking a 7am morning job in December at a company coupled with overtime with my regular employment due to the winter break time. I very literally stopped posting on every forum I even occasionally visited. And when I wasn't working, I was doing many experiments or research related to my next business venture. 7-11, it was not just a store! But now I'm back to a much more relaxed work schedule and most of the work related to my next business is done.

Hell, I didn't even sign up at PKs board until March. And I only started posting here again because of some insane post Grotto made about some contract that was brought to my attention because if anyone believed his lies and took a stand over it, they were going to get fired with cause. Oddly, the entire thread was deleted. Luckily, I saved a copy of my reply correcting the mistakes made.

Though I won't be posting much at all after this. I've got other projects I should work on.

[Atkinson]

[the saint]

Well my advice would be to check out all your prices on
www.danawa.co.kr
get all these written out so that they know you know the best prices available. Then head to
http://www.itcomputer.com/Help/com_map.asp
even with basic Korean, get them to make you an invoice with allt he bits you need. Then tut tut a bit and breath through your teeth and ask if that's the 'best price' etc. Worked for me. The store people are really helpful and they make no fuss if you need anything exchanged or replaced either.

My two cents...

[chiaa]

Trust me the online stores pay tax. They have too! Regulations on online stores are 100% more enforced by the government.

There is one plain and simple reason why the prices are so high on computer products in Yongsan. You are basically buying from just one store!

That's right, you are buying from one store. You may see hundreds upon hundreds of little stalls, but take a guess where they ALL get their product from? Ever notice the number that they dial when the call to get the price? Always the same number. I am assuming here, but I would bet Sparkx's left nut that people who rent in that building are required to purchase from certain distributors.

All products in this country are monoplized and they have it down to a science. Let's take a baby stroller for example. Say you can get one for $199 US back home. Add the shipping of $75 for 15 day air service, add the 25% tax on the value of the product and the shipping charge you get a total of about $340. The price of that stroller here in Korea would cost you US equivalent of $375. Is it worth the $30 bucks to most people? Remember, they are making just about the same margin as a US retailer and are shipping these things over in container quanities bringing the shipping charge down the $10 each.

[mindmetoo]

Also remember, imported (Japanese) electronics have a heavy tariff on them. Retailers can set the price of Korean made electronics higher for their captured domestic market. They have to compete with the world at the Best Buy counter but at Yongsan they compete with no one. A Korean MP3 player only has to be a little cheaper to win domestic market share.

Yeah, I pity the fool who comes here thinking it's a cost mecca for Korean electronics.

About the only bargain to be had is on Hollywood DVDs.

[itaewonguy]

for koreans youngsan Dongdaemun etc.. are MECCAS..
but cheap??? I dont thing so..
I think its just that all the shops are in one place so you can probably get it for 5000 won cheaper at some store next door..
these places are not cheap!