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njp6

Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Location: Gangnam, South Korea
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:32 pm Post subject: Bargining in Youngsan |
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I love going to Youngsan but the whole bargining in for electronics has me a bit confused. Really, I don't know how far to try and talk some of the vendors down. Namely I want to buy a PSP and I'm wondering what is an acceptable price. Advice? |
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I_Am_Wrong
Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: whatever
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Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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If you're going to yongsan and you're planning on bargaining then you'd better go armed with online price quotes.
Check out sites like danawa.co.kr omi.co.kr and enuri.co.kr
cheers. |
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poet13
Joined: 22 Jan 2006 Location: Just over there....throwing lemons.
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Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 1:35 am Post subject: |
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Make sure the device is in English. I bought video camera some years ago, and it was in Japanese. it was fun figuring it out though... |
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Novernae
Joined: 02 Mar 2005
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Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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Yongsan is the least receptive to bargaining I've come accross in all my travels. Sometimes the prices are bang-on, so there is no need, but sometimes they are so inflated that you can do nothing but laugh in the guys face and walk away. There's always the argument that I wouldn't bargain at Walmart, so why should I expect them to bargain? But then again, we all know that prices in most small markets are inflated to allow for bargaining and cheating of the unwary... Yongsan, I just can't figure it out! The best way to get a good proce is to walk around and ask every vendor. We bought a $410 camera for $350 doing that. First guy wanted over $500, and second to last guy wanted $200... we didn't trust that one though  |
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Demophobe

Joined: 17 May 2004
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Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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I have found that if one isn't good at Korean and you get an inflated price from one guy, walk directly to the next stall (within eye-earshot of the last one) and ask again. Repeat until someone wants the sale bad enough to finally give the real, or at least an acceptable, price.
It isn't the most effective method, but for those lacking Korean language skills, it can work. There really is no substitute for knowing the language though. |
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SuperHero

Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout
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Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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Demophobe wrote: |
I have found that if one isn't good at Korean and you get an inflated price from one guy, walk directly to the next stall (within eye-earshot of the last one) and ask again. Repeat until someone wants the sale bad enough to finally give the real, or at least an acceptable, price.
It isn't the most effective method, but for those lacking Korean language skills, it can work. There really is no substitute for knowing the language though. |
I agree with this and of course print-outs from the online shops will help. But if you're online why not just buy there instead. |
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I_Am_Wrong
Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: whatever
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Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:17 pm Post subject: |
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SuperHero wrote: |
Demophobe wrote: |
I have found that if one isn't good at Korean and you get an inflated price from one guy, walk directly to the next stall (within eye-earshot of the last one) and ask again. Repeat until someone wants the sale bad enough to finally give the real, or at least an acceptable, price.
It isn't the most effective method, but for those lacking Korean language skills, it can work. There really is no substitute for knowing the language though. |
I agree with this and of course print-outs from the online shops will help. But if you're online why not just buy there instead. |
probably because, like myself, the lack of a Korean internet id. I agree that at least some Korean is important. Online price quotes are the best because some dealers will beat them by up to %10. Space 9 is the Yongsan equivelant of Technomart and you won't get far bargaining there. Also, if a camera seems quite underpriced it doesn't neccessarily mean there is a problem. It's probably grey market. |
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maddog
Joined: 08 Dec 2005 Location: Daegu
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Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:43 pm Post subject: |
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I bought my camera in Yongsan. It was a Japanese S9000 as opposed to the Korean S9500 (identical camera) and saved 150,000 that way. Of course it has no warranty, but you play the odds. I don't think I've ever actually used a 1 year warranty.
MD |
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mack the knife

Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: standing right behind you...
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Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:56 pm Post subject: |
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Bring a Korean with you. Tell them what you are willing to pay and send them out to do the dirty work. They will get much, much better deals than you (assuming you are a whitey, blacky, or brownie) ever will. My wife and I have experimented with this and found it to be true 98.76733% of the time.
Foreigners do not account for a large percentage of sales at Yongsan; therefore, there is no incentive for dealers to bargain with you (that, and the fact that you're a foreigner and they despise you and the ground you walk on). |
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Novernae
Joined: 02 Mar 2005
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Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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I_Am_Wrong wrote: |
Also, if a camera seems quite underpriced it doesn't neccessarily mean there is a problem. It's probably grey market. |
In my case, it came without a memory card, charger, or serial on the box. And the lcd was scratched.
But you're right--there are lots of grey market cameras in Yongsan. |
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JeonjuMichael

Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Location: Jeonju
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Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:36 pm Post subject: Laptop |
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We are going in 2 weeks to look for a used laptop... something around 700,000 - 1,000,000... is there a large used laptop market there?
As for the original poster's query, Sony is dropping it's prices on the PSP soon so a good price for a used PSP would be around 130,000. Make sure to get an adequate memory card! 1GB at least. |
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SuperHero

Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 12:34 am Post subject: |
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I_Am_Wrong wrote: |
probably because, like myself, the lack of a Korean internet id. |
gmarket takes foreign registrations... |
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I_Am_Wrong
Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: whatever
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 1:49 am Post subject: |
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SuperHero wrote: |
I_Am_Wrong wrote: |
probably because, like myself, the lack of a Korean internet id. |
gmarket takes foreign registrations... |
Really? Does it require a faxed photocopy of either your arc or passport? |
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ChopChaeJoe
Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:18 am Post subject: |
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Just go to 5 or 6 different places and take the best price. Or check what the item goes for in a regular storre, knock 30% off, and don't pay any more. If a dealer doesn't want to play ball, don't let it affect your mood, go somewhere else. It may take a bit longer than you plan for, but you can get good prices.
It helps to indicate that ou simply don't have the money, so if you have your target price, you can make a big production out of counting limp chon wons and even a bunch of coins to meet their price. If you've done you homework and have just the right amount of money, they'll take whatever money you have on you, coins and all.
Then take the fat roll you have hidden and go get some galbi. |
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