Best place in Asia to buy designer handbags, etc.
Mar 22, 2004, 6:12 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,208
Best place in Asia to buy designer handbags, etc.
I can't believe I am actually asking this question, but here it goes 
I did a survey of Tiffany product prices last year and found that the prices were about the same as the USA MSRP, although if factored in the VAT rebate, Singapore was slightly cheaper. But this was before the dollar kept weakening.
Anyway, was wondering what the conventional wisdom was for luxury good brands like LVMH, Hermes, etc.
Thanks.
I did a survey of Tiffany product prices last year and found that the prices were about the same as the USA MSRP, although if factored in the VAT rebate, Singapore was slightly cheaper. But this was before the dollar kept weakening.
Anyway, was wondering what the conventional wisdom was for luxury good brands like LVMH, Hermes, etc.
Thanks.
Mar 22, 2004, 7:02 am
#2
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW, AA, Hilton
Posts: 16,692
Depends on whether you want genuine or faux designer brands. 
I think Hong Kong is the best place for the real stuff because it's duty free. You can also take the train to nearby ShenZheng to check out the fakes.
I think Hong Kong is the best place for the real stuff because it's duty free. You can also take the train to nearby ShenZheng to check out the fakes.
Mar 22, 2004, 7:24 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: bringing sexy back
Posts: 7,751
Leaving the US for deals on luxury goods is overrated, I think -- and this is even more true after the dollar's weakening, and if you include issues such as customs and travel costs. There are reliable gray-market US-based sources for most luxury items. What are you looking for specifically?
Mar 22, 2004, 3:42 pm
#5
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Location: Homosassa, FL & Ringwood, NJ -UA-G(Lifetime); SPG-Plat (Lifetime)
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Shenzhen, definitely for fakes. Just check the quality. Much of it is vry good. I saw a couple of US women playing good cop/bad cop on the 6th floor of the Lo Wu department store and had the price of a "Gucci" bag down to $7 US as they were walking out the door.
Mar 22, 2004, 3:56 pm
#6
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Hong Kong is also good for very good quality fakes. Any open market stall that has catalogs of the real stuff on tables will have some very good fakes in the "back room". All you have to say is that you are interested and one of the stall attendents will take you to some apartment very nearby where you could look at watches and ladies bags. I bought a beautiful Louis Vuitton bag for a lady friend and she as well as her friends were convinced it was the real thing.
Mar 22, 2004, 6:20 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2000
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Posts: 2,052
For Hermes, I recently read an article about (surprise!) Duty Free Shops. Bags that have waiting lists in traditional shops can be found at Duty Free shops. I think I read this in the WSJ a few weeks back. They found some rare Kelly bags at a Hawaiian Duty Free, so maybe give this a try.