Problem of bringing lots of electronic gadgets to China

[Simon_CH]

Hi

I plan to bring quite a few electronic gadgets to China. I have my expensive main notebook, Lenovo T400s with a docking station, my netbook Nokia Booklet 3G, my HTC Desire smartphone with Wireless access of course, and some other, smaller gadgets.

What problems could I encounter when bringing these to China ?

Thanks for any advice,

Simon

[Daan]

Taking them into China shouldn't be a problem. You would do well to take receipts (or photocopies) with you, though, just in case customs officials get suspicious when you return home. If you can't show receipts proving the gadgets were not bought abroad, they may impose import duties.

[Simon_CH]

Oh and of course my computer screen.

Before you advise me to buy the screen in China, I have already considered that, but the quality and price of Chinese screens really haven't convinced me at all. I'd get outdated technology and quality for the price of a branded screen back home.

[xiaocai]

How can you be so sure if you haven't been to China before? And which country are the screens you get back home made in?

[Simon_CH]

Oh I have been to China before! I went to many electronics store, HK is similar to my homecountry pricewise, but since I am going to Shanghai there would be no point in making a trip to HK just for a screen. But the branded screens are very expensive and not the latest models, while the domestic, Chinese brands aren't very good and as expensive as the good brands in Europe. For example I can buy a Full-HD Philips screen 22" for 1100RMB, I couldn't find anything similar in China.

It's the same with notebooks, even if you want to buy a Chinese brand, Lenovo, which I love, you pay much much more in China. I was surprised of the huge difference, and I have been to many electronics malls and stores to compare. Therefore I try to avoid buying anything there, and try to bring everything I need.

Thanks a lot Daan, do you also think the Smartphone with Wireless Internet is no problem, given that the domestic ones have Wifi blocked ?

[xiaocai]

Really. Price-wise I seriously don't think any european country can beat HK on electronics. As for how much we pay for a full-HD Philips monitor in China, there is a webpage for you if you read Chinese, and don't think it is too hard to find one that meets your criteria.

Of course the thing is you need to know where to buy and how to bargain, in Chinese. Bargain is quite common in computer malls. And even as a Chinese I feel sorry to say, the truth is that many of the dealers are not honest to foreigners because they know that most of them will not come back again.

Well if you don't want to deal with those people, there are many websites that you can shop on. Newegg can be a good choice if you are going to stay in Shanghai. I think they do delivery one second day or something like that in Shanghai if the product you have ordered is in stock.

[Simon_CH]

I believe your information re HK prices is outdated. Many European countries have no or very low import taxes on electronics, and shipping is cheap, so global consumer electronics are very competitively priced worldwide.

I can only quote this website: http://www.ehow.com/how_16830_shop-electronics-hong.html

Hong Kong is no longer the bargain capital of consumer electronics.(...)

Camcorders, music mixers and digital equipment may carry lower price tags in Hong Kong, but computer hardware will most likely be cheaper at home.

That is also my impression from comparing on a few prices I own. I actually saved quite a lot of money by not buying my notebook in HK, there simply weren't any deals around. And since China is quite a bit more expensive than HK when it comes to electronics I don't really consider buying there.But since bringing it from Europe is no problem that's cool anyway. Thanks for your answers!

edit: But I would be very interested in comparing e-shops in HK, US, Mainland China and Switzerland, where I come from!

www.digitec.ch This is the shop I usually buy at here, free delivery of all items. Multiply prices by 6.4 and you got RMB.

Do you know any similar site in HK or China ?

[xiaocai]

I did notice that the rating of the article you mentioned is not really very high as well...

Well I supposed that you have made up your mind already before you started the thread, so I will not try to convince you any further, whatever suits you the best.

What I did want to express though, was that consumer electronics in China are not that outdated and are not so much more expensive than those in many european countries.

And obviously you just didn't read my post carefully... :blink:

[roddy]

I'll usually use zol.com.cn for electronics price-checking - find the product you want and look for the 报价 from different merchants.

Bear in mind when talking about China / HK prices that exchange rates have changed a lot. Even if you were here as recently as 2008, there's been a major change in the CNY:GBP exchange rate since then - 14:1 to 10:1, give or take. Similarly for the HKD. So if there were any bargains in the past, there might not be now.

[Simon_CH]

I can only speak from my own experience xiaocai, I am more than willing (and would be happy to) change my mind!

I did a lot of comparisons and did look around quite a bit, but if you know a website similar to the one I posted (digitec.ch also in English) we could compare a bit more. But from all I've seen and heard from people it really isn't very competitively priced at all.

Could you name me the best price for the HTC Desire in both HK and Mainland China ? I don't read Chinese, and couldn't find any good website.

[xiaocai]

I see. Obviously I didn't know the exchange rate factor, my apology then.

It is indeed really very hard to find an equivalent website to the one you have given since, well, majority of Chinese do not speak any English. The one roddy gave is very good but I don't think they have an English version. As for whether the pricing is competitive, I'd say that it all depends: not so much for premium brands, but quite true for others.

I think HTC brand is not officially marketed in China yet, but there are many dealers selling Desire online. My friend has bought one for about 3300 RMB a while ago. But I'm not sure if that the best deal you can get in China or not.

[Sarevok]

I'll usually use zol.com.cn for electronics price-checking

I have also been using that site for checking prices, but since I have never been to 中关村 in person, I am curious about how reliable the info on their site is... lets say I wanted to buy this little gadget:

http://detail.zol.com.cn/mp3_player/index221318.shtml

After looking around the site for a bit, I found out I quite like this store (a few stars and even a diamond... if those positive reviews can be trusted):

http://dealer.zol.com.cn/detail/959/95891_221318.html

If I call this 范先生 or just go to this shop in person, am I sure to acquire my gadget for 1250 RMB right away without haggling? Or what do I have to do to get this 优惠价? Provided there is some general rule for this...

[roddy]

The times I've used it (not that often or recently, mind) I've just put in an order online, they've phoned the next day to confirm, then they've come round with the goods and I've paid then. If you want to go and pick them up I'd phone ahead to check availability and price.

[Sarevok]

I always try to have a look and fiddle with these electronic gadgets before buying. Even after extensive research on various dedicated forums, both English and Chinese, after which I am pretty sure that this toy is just what I need to be happy, I would like to see it in person if possible, 看看实货 as they say. It might even be worth a special trip to Beijing, as these thingies seem to be quite rare in Tianjin (according to what I could find on the internet, I am not there yet).

[Simon_CH]

Thanks for the advice all of you, I must admit that I tend to go towards premium brands, as I'm often unsatisfied with HP, Acer, Asus Notebooks already, nevermind the smaller brands, so I usually go for a top product and keep it quite a long time.

I don't know the supply chain of Lenovo notebooks, but I still really wonder why they're more expensive in China than elsewhere, are they being re-imported and have to pay the luxury tax ?

[xiaocai]

By premium brands, I meant stuff like Apple or IBM computers, Bose sound systems, and probably Eizo since you said you want to get a display, and I don't see any of these in your list... Not trying to argue anything but just a bit confused.

Laptops are not considered luxury in China and therefore are taxed at the same level as other electronics. As for why they are more expensive in China than "elsewhere", well I haven't been to "elsewhere" before so can't help you.

[Simon_CH]

You do realize IBM sold its notebooks production to Lenovo quite a while ago?

And their premium models are equally expensive as Apple, but I saw a BOSE store in Kunming a few months ago, exorbitant prices, at least a 50% markup to anywhere else.

So personally I really think you're a bit out of touch with global retailing prices.

Here a good article from another thread:

Products made in China often cost more there than in the West

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-0713-china-consumer-20100713,0,1615376.story

The laptop computer Luo Guangli carried out of the Apple flagship store in Beijing was no different from the models sold in the United States. It had the same high-resolution screen, an identical processor and the same printed label on the back: "Assembled in China."

The only difference — besides a manual written in Chinese — was the price. Luo paid $2,760. That's about $460, or 20%, more than an American buyer would spend at an Apple store or buying it online.

(...)

it is first sent to Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, then returned to the mainland with a 20% import tariff, industry experts said.

It's exactly the same with iPods, Lenovo notebooks, and many other electronic goods produced in China, in fact my Notebook in China would have been more than 30% than what I paid in Switzerland, and I tried to bargain it down as much as I could, but they claimed they couldn't go down any further. I compared LG, Samsung (2 brands I like) screens of the latest models and the same picture emerged, 20% more expensive at least. But in Switzerland we have a VAT of 7.6 (compared to 17% in China?), so all these products should be even cheaper in the US.

[xiaocai]

And so I said:

As for whether the pricing is competitive, I'd say that it all depends: not so much for premium brands, but quite true for others.

Please, read other people's posts carefully...

Well yes I do know IBM sold its personal computer business to Lenovo (not just a while ago though), and I should have said "Thinkpad" instead, my apology then.

I have never been to Switzerland before so can't argue with you on that matter. All I could do was a quick price check on Apple's website. After conversion I don't see much price difference between that of Chinese and Swiss Apple store. The difference is definitely much much less than 20~30% that you've given. And Apple store Hong Kong beat all the other countries that I have checked, even US. The comparison was not exhaustive but I think you'd be interested to have a look yourself.

[Simon_CH]

You're right, but Apple is a bad example because they're not in the free market. They set prices according to local purchasing power, and have few official partners that may sell them. That's why there are a lot of grey imports from the US.

But since I was never talking about "local" brands I think the scope of my enquiry was set from the beginning. I will continue to compare and look around, as I love electronic gadgets, but until I see anything contradictory I still believe Chinese branded electronics to be a bit pricey.

About the 30% markup of my notebook: My Chinese is abysmal, but maybe you can help with a search, the prices quoted at the electronic stores were

pretty absurd.

Can you quote me a price online of the Lenovo T400s 256GB SSD?

They usually didn't stock it or just the lower version of it in the stores I visited in Shanghai and Hong Kong. HK prices were reasonable but slightly more expensive than what I paid, whereas Chinese prices were really much higher.

[xiaocai]

T400s, so it is Thinkpad. Yes, Thinkpad is overpriced in China thanks to the monopoly of Lenovo at local market, kind of like Apple. Can't find exactly the same model as yours on net so guess I have to pay the computer malls a visit to get a quote if you really want to know...

Well even I agreed that laptops are much more expensive in China than anywhere else, the point I have been trying to make is not that everything is cheaper or better in China but rather "consumer electronics in China are not that outdated and are not so much more expensive than those in many european countries", and all just because you said in your post that "But the branded screens are very expensive and not the latest models, while the domestic, Chinese brands aren't very good and as expensive as the good brands in Europe. For example I can buy a Full-HD Philips screen 22" for 1100RMB, I couldn't find anything similar in China. " Sure the GDP per capita is much lower than Europe so of course the buying power per person is much weaker as a consequence. Many companies indeed will normally introduce their high-end models into China probably much later than the launch, since majority will only be able to afford the basic ones. But it doesn't mean that you can't find them here or you'd be ripped of if you do get one here. There are ways we can get around, and you just have to do a bit more research. From all the searches that I have done so far, it is not too hard to find a Full-HD Philips screen 22" for less than 1000RMB here. And as for the price for HTC Desire, I seriously don't think Is it much more expensive than what you can get in Europe. See, we are not SO outdated...

Anyways, that all I want to say and I will also be more than happy if you could stop saying that I am "out of touch with global retailing prices"...