Post: #1

Hello all,

I am considering a trip to Argentina, and I would like to ease the sting of the high airfare (I live in the midwest) by taking a few higher end Apple products to sell there. The Apple store in Buenos Aires lists 64GB iPads for $2K, more than double the US price. My questions are for those who are in the know about Argentina:

How many ipads/laptops would customs let me bring in? Would three be a problem?

What are the most popular websites or venues for selling electronics in BA, or even Mendoza or Cordoba? I don't want to get down there and be thirsty to sell stuff quickly, I would rather set up some contacts before I go down.

I lived in Miami for a few years so I am familiar with the sweetness that is carrying electronics in your carry-on to sell abroad, one of my friends lives in Caracas and she does it several times a year, but I have no interest in getting robbed, so going to Venezuela is out of the question. Argenzuela, on the other hand, jajajaa...

Post: #2

I don't know about Argentina, but it's the same situation in Brazil as well. Shit here costs twice as much.

While it's possible to pull this hustle off, it's not something I would recommend you do unless you've got buyers lined up before you go. You might find out what the equivalent of craigslist is in Argentina and make a listing there. In Brazil it's olx.com.br and mercadolivre.com.br is their ebay.

The problem you have in Brazil is that people would rather buy it at the apple store on their credit card and 'parcelar,' break it up into 12 payments instead of paying in cash up front to some guy they met on the internet just to save a few hundred bucks. They also get the guarantee and have a receipt which they hold onto when they resell.

There are guys out there who make a living by going back and forth between the US and Brazil and sell this shit. They're known in the local community and thus have an extensive network of potential clients, they have the custom agents bribed and they have an efficient online marketing strategy worked out.

If you want to offload your smuggles, try to find one of these guys. You'll find them in one of many facebook groups that was created to facilitate black market exchanges.. They'll usually be sitting on a throne of iPhone boxes.

Post: #3

Safado,

Thanks for that. I had an idea that Brazil was also expensive place for electronics, but I didn't know it was on par with Argentina. I had guessed that it would be better to know someone than just be another guy offering to bring an electronics via overseas purchase, but common enough to have a huge facebook page? Lol, wow.

Post: #4

Electronics and stuff was more expensive in Brazil than in Arg AFAIR.
http://www.mercadolibre.com.ar/ this is what I was using in my time there (2009).