Hey, I'm headed to the states for the first time in my life, visiting:
-New York
-Los Angeles
-Vegas
-San Franciso
I'll be gone for a month and was wandering what goods I can obtain from the states that I can't purchase here/unable to at a decent price.
I'm keen for :
-clothing
-shoes
-sportswear
-electronics : considering getting a macbook.
With the outlets, you can get coupons here.
Beware that some of the coupons that don't combine with other offers will not end up cheaper.
I found that for clothing, American brands stuff is generally cheaper than here, but international brands were about the same or only cheaper if on sale and because the AUD was above parity when I went.
Vegas is awesome for shopping as there are some excellent factory outlets there. Unlike Australian factory outlets, they are not only much cheaper but have lots of sizes/styles and current lines too.
On The Strip itself, you can't go past the Fashion Show Mall (http://www.thefashionshow.com/) which has one of the best Macy's I came across (department store like Myer, except bigger, better and cheaper). Suits were cheap here, including some nice slim/eurofit Hugo Boss red labels I passed up on and regretted. I haven't seen them here, but I imagine they would be triple the price compared to what you can get there.
Around Vegas, I would recommend Primm (http://www.fashionoutletlasvegas.com/) which is about 40 minutes out. Not much along the way (except maybe the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign).
In Los Angeles, I'd recommend The Citadel Outlets (http://www.citadeloutlets.com/) which is a nice outdoor mall that had good prices all around. The Etnies store (shoes) had BOGOF storewide while we were there, so you could pick up 2 pairs of decent sneakers in any size/style for between $50-80.
I went to a Nike store and picked up some Air Force 1s (which are elusive as all hell here) for only $46 + tax, about half price of what you can get them for online.
In nearly all malls like the above, you'll find outlets from all major brands, check store directories in the above sites for listings. You'll also get your SDS equivalents like PacSun which have good casual wear.
If you're into vitamins, put an order through on Vitacost while you're there, you'll save big on shipping. If you go to the snow at all, snow gear is significantly cheaper and you can again buy online and get it delivered to your hotel.
Electronics wise, Ultrabooks are all the rage at the moment and Dell's range is pretty good overseas. Depending when you go, you might be able to get a good deal on an Ivy Bridge unit.
Keep an eye on www.retailmenot.com and www.fatwallet.com for good deals while you're there. Also www.woot.com might interest you.
Don't forget to get a 28 Degrees MasterCard, you'd be crazy to travel without one.
Thankyou for the reply. I am into vitamins etc and have already started placing in orders at bodybuilding.com haha.
Regretably I didn't purchase any money before the rate cut.
Unlike Oz, prices are quoted exclusive of tax. Sales tax varies from state to state and depends on the type of goods purchased.
This means that if you're after a standard item that's available in more than one place you're going to, you can save a few cents or dollars by buying from the place with the lowest sales tax. From memory (so don't take my word for it!) for clothes, NY will have a lower tax than California.
How are you getting around?
Being able to get out of the city centres opens up your buying experience.
For example Primm is on way from LA to Vegas, but if you are flying between the two cities, then its not the way. If you are driving then its a different story.
Also in California there is Kohls, which can have some good specials
And beware the local sales taxes as well. while NY state taxes are lower, city taxes can take this up to as high as 13%. So again its very dependent upon where you are visiting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales_taxes_in_the_United_State…
So read the wiki, for example it states
In New York City, total sales tax is 8.875%, which includes 0.375% charged in the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (MCTD).
On September 1, 2007, New York State eliminated sales tax on all clothing and shoes if the single item is priced under $110. Most counties and cities have not eliminated their local sales taxes on clothing and shoes.
Theres also some info in the Ozbargain tarvel wiki
I stupidly didn't buy any USD….seriously kicking myself.
Dell laptops (alienware) are inexpensive there… (despite what i think of them)
Don't laptops have a conversion issue with our power supplies ?
Nope, the ac adapters all have voltage regulation built in, so function 110 to 240v. You'll need an adapter though, one of the travel variety.
If you have a postal address there at all (staying somewhere for a while or have friends/family) I recommend TechforLess. I got a latest model macbook air there for $700 shipped.
As someone above said, always look for coupons. If you know where you want to buy, just google "storename coupon"
You don't even need a travel adaptor if you have an old laptop at home and don't use the power pack anymore. The cable from the socket to the power pack should have like a triangle-ish like head that connects to the power pack.
TnD is right, this also applies to my post on the "tightass" thread in the forums
Holy Cow… thanks for that. I am indeed staying with a relative in Venice so I've started shipping things to him as it is haha.
Was that a refurbished model? I'm checking out their site now, how accurate are the descriptions of their products etc ?
Sorry didn't catch your query, but it's a good one. The product descriptions for scratch and dent are ok, usually accompanied by a photo. I bought a refurb that turned out to have a little ding in the corner. So they gave me $75 off, which was fine with me, depends how much you want a pristine product vs saving some money.
Another thing that worked for me when shopping was to search via amazon then go to other sellers in the marketplace. Often other online stores are listing via amazon, and if you buy direct on their site it may be cheaper and you might be able to use a coupon too. Good way to find bargain retailers when you otherwise might not have been able to.
Have fun :)
The outlet malls mentioned are all worth a look - if you don't mind searching through rack after rack of clothing there are some even cheaper clothing bargains at stores such as Ross, TJMaxx, Marshalls, Burlington Coat Factory that carry what seem to be small lots or end of line from other stores. In New York Century 21
"New York's Best Kept Secret" is hardly a secret — you'll have to battle the throngs of "in the know" shoppers, but you won't mind when you discover the deep discounts available as you make your way through the maze of offerings at this discount department store. Early morning or mid-afternoon tend to be calmer.
Address: 22 Cortlandt St., between Church St. and Broadway
Phone: 212-227-9092
Subway: E to World Trade Center; 2/3 to Park Place; N/W to City Hall
Neighborhood: Financial District (Map)
And as an overseas visitor you can go to the customer service desks in Macy's & Bloomingdales and they'll give you a voucher for 10% from memory.
Enjoy
Thankyou !
You're welcome. Another thought - don't know what sort of shoes you are looking for but to give you an idea of relative prices I bought myself a pair of Merrell GoreTex shoes here for $249 - and I bought the same shoes there for $89 - so do your homework before you go and then you'll know it's a bargain, even in "normal" stores.
Be sure to check out both the north and south outlets in Las Vegas, for clothes and shoes, they usually have huge discount. Hopefully u have stocked up some USD when AUD is still above parity =)