Buying in Hong Kong

Fulhair

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Andy
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I'm flying long haul on holiday this year and will have a day's stop over in Hong Kong. I've seen many threads about buying from the UK but wondering if anyone has any experience and recommendation about buying out there?
Where to go, what to look out for, warrantees and how to price things up?
I'll be looking for Cannon equipment; a lens, flash or a body (7D)?
 
Don't buy from any shop on Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. They are all tourist traps. Or any generally place that has a "tax free" sign, because everything is tax free anyway! The only reputable place I can think of at the moment in that area would be Tin Cheung Camera on Hanoi Road.

There are a row of good shops on Stanley Street in Central, but I cant remember the name of the shop that a lot of people recommend there. There's a real cheap place that devs slide film for about a pound in a few hours! Also worth looking around the Mong Kok area. Wing Shing Photo and Man Shing Photo are places I check out first, these are pretty close to the MTR station.

Generally you'll find prices are about 20% cheaper. Anything significantly cheaper is probably a grey import, this is where the real bargains are but of course its down to whether you are willing to risk the absence of warranty.

Generally everything is supplied with a HK/China warranty, but I think its worth asking if the product has international warranty or if they can put in an international warranty card

There are also some really small shops to be found with huge savings but I really wouldn't recommend these to someone stopping over for a day, unless you have a local to take you around and argue for you!

If you search camera things on http://www.price.com.hk/ and decipher it, you will be able to gauge the general cost. A 行 next to the price means its official HK stock. 水 means that its a grey import.

You can also try haggling for discounts at most shops and they will be willing to do something especially if you buy multiple items, not sure of the chains like Fortress or Broadway would be willing.

Hope this helps a bit.
 
I tried a few of the tourist traps shops when I was there in February last year.

Their prices on some items are "too good to be true" so just avoid them.

I looked up a proper Canon dealer while I was there and went to visit them, got a price for a 17-55mm F2.8 but decided that the small saving (20% or thereabout) was not enough to justify the purchase.
 
Thanks all for the info. After reading it all it,the savings don't seem as worthwhile as I first might have thought. Also I'm crap at hagging for a discount so think I'll save my money and take pictures of the sights of Hong Kong!
 
Hi

Worth checking out the 2nd hand stores, but you need a list of the shops and where they are.

JOhn
 
It is tough to haggle over there, especially if you're a foreigner. The shops in the more touristy areas are also quite devious and often don't list prices and simply list 'please ask'.
With the current stupidly low exchange rates (£1 = HKD$11.7) products are costing around 7-8% more than before xmas.
 
I'm there for a day so not much time to scout around for a good deal and will likely be jetlagged. Ordering via a website now like Panamoz seems a better option.
 
I'd avoid them for now, to see what I mean visit the Panamoz thread. Their prices are sky rocketing at the moment for some strange reason. I'd stick with DigitalRev or OneStop Digital for now.
 
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