What stuff to buy from the USA?
Discussion
It seems that I have a 4 day trip to the USA (DC in fact) next week and I will have 1 days sightseeing / shopping available. A friend has also kindly offered to act as a driver so should be fine to get around....
But, what to buy? The exchange rate is really good at the moment and it would be daft to not take advantage of it. However, I think that BA might have something to day about trying to get a 42" Plasma on the plane as hand luggage! So its got to be something easily transportible but not too expensive.
I was thinking maybe the Playstation Portable but not an iPod as I dont want one of those. Could do with some shoes and maybe trousers, but after that I am running out of ideas.
What does the PH collective think? Whats good value at the moment? Any good clothing brands in the US which are good quality but good value?
[small]...as you can tell I am not well travelled in the US.... [/small]
But, what to buy? The exchange rate is really good at the moment and it would be daft to not take advantage of it. However, I think that BA might have something to day about trying to get a 42" Plasma on the plane as hand luggage! So its got to be something easily transportible but not too expensive.
I was thinking maybe the Playstation Portable but not an iPod as I dont want one of those. Could do with some shoes and maybe trousers, but after that I am running out of ideas.
What does the PH collective think? Whats good value at the moment? Any good clothing brands in the US which are good quality but good value?
[small]...as you can tell I am not well travelled in the US.... [/small]
dick dastardly said:
Guitars are good. Buy a Les Paul Standard with a tigerburst flame top and if you can convince Her Majesty's finest that you've been on tour not to tax you then you could see £1000+ profit
My dad brings a guitar back every time he goes to the US (about once a year). He always buys secondhand which is much easier to explain apparently.
dick dastardly said:
Guitars are good. Buy a Les Paul Standard with a tigerburst flame top and if you can convince Her Majesty's finest that you've been on tour not to tax you then you could see £1000+ profit
Good idea - but my company booked the flights for me and handled all of the advanced information stuff. So they will have said what my profession is etc to US Customs. They are unlikely to bother me, but of all the people to pi55 off, these are probably the worst at the moment (as I am lead to believe)....
Cracking idea though - might just have to see what I can get out there and bring back to sell..... Mmm, now that has got me thinking!
There was a guy local to me who used to do it as a sideline, and this was a few years ago before the interest rates were almost 2:1.
You have to make sure you get rare guitars with a high demand. The tiger top LP's were going for £5K over here and nobody had them. You could pick them up for $5-6K over there in most music shop so even if caught by customs you were looking at over a grand.
You have to make sure you get rare guitars with a high demand. The tiger top LP's were going for £5K over here and nobody had them. You could pick them up for $5-6K over there in most music shop so even if caught by customs you were looking at over a grand.
Clothes are a good bet, Bloomingdales is good, I go there every trip to the US. Or there's Saks of course.
Electronics are cheaper, however the downside is that the standard warranty is often 6 months as opposed to 12 here, and even worse, only valid within the USA. Can be worth the risk though, I bought a digital camera in Miami pretty cheaply a couple of years ago and it's still going strong. Mind you it wasn't a huge amount cheaper than Heathrow duty free, but the FX rate is a lot better now than it was then!
Electronics are cheaper, however the downside is that the standard warranty is often 6 months as opposed to 12 here, and even worse, only valid within the USA. Can be worth the risk though, I bought a digital camera in Miami pretty cheaply a couple of years ago and it's still going strong. Mind you it wasn't a huge amount cheaper than Heathrow duty free, but the FX rate is a lot better now than it was then!
Soundwave said:North American PSPs can easily be had from online sites shipped to us with no tax to pay. No big deal really.
Definitley get yourself a Sony PSP
Seconded on the guitars front - fine acoustics also cost an absolute fortune here compared to the prices in the US, possibly more so than the solids due to extra shipping volume, the need for greater care, lesser demand etc.
If you can get yourself a Martin OM-28, D-45 or something of that order (Brits like Martins), you can shift it pretty easily here for a very tidy profit.
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