Hello all.

A friend of mine is going to New York over the weekend, and wants to buy a few toys. Can anyone recommend a suitable place/places to get the following items cheap, preferably in Manhattan?

200GB HD
Sony digital camcorders, but the PAL version
General PC bits, with an emphasis on video/graphics

He's planning on visiting B and H Photo, which does pretty reasonable deals on the camcorder, but is stuck on the computers bits.

I found www.allaboutdigital.com, which is based in Brooklyn and seems to be cheaper than B & H on various sony stuff. Does anyone have any experience of them?

He's thinking of getting either a DRC-PC120E or a DCR-TRV50E camcorder, and I've asked him to look into picking me up a DCR-PC101E, so any suggestions on the cheapest reputable place to get these would be helpful. The prices I've seen are 40-60% lower than in the UK, so it's definitely worth doing. He'll only be there Friday to Monday, so anywhere suggested has to be open during these time, obviously

pca

Canal St. down by the Manhattan Bridge.
Guy named Biff.
Has all kinds of electronics.
Brand new too, perfect condition, they just uh... have one little scratch...
right on the serial number.

And if he's not around check for a box truck parked out on the BQE. Not such a good selection, but really good prices!

J & R is around there. Although, their prices are hit-and-miss, depending on what you're shopping for. I got my first TiVo from them. They were the cheapest I could find at the time.

Can't speak for anywhere else, but B&H do have a great reputation for service issues, and they know their stuff too.

Well, they don't seem to sell the PAL version of the PC101E, and the NTSC version is about $300 or so more than the cheapest I've found...

pca

Damn. Well, like I said, hit-and-miss. Sometimes their prices are killer, and sometimes they are ridiculously overpriced, just all depends on what you're looking at. :/

I love B&H. That is where I get my camera stuff from. Of course, I do it all mail/net order since I'm on the other side of the country...

Second question.

If you are an overseas shopper, do you pay New york sales tax? If so, can you retrieve it?

Several places around the world I have been to don't charge visitors tax, if they can prove they're going away again soon, ie showing passports/tickets/etc. Other places allow a tax refund for some or all sales tax for exported goods. Do either of these apply in NY?

At least one web site I've looked at says sales tax will be payable by New York residents, implying visitors are a different case.

pca

I believe that the answer is no for casual tourists. If you are a serious exporter you can register for a State Sales Tax Exemption Certificate. I think the threshold is 5 camcorders at a time, so you are just below the limit

Also, given the aggravation you get at JFK duty free about collecting stuff you have bought, it's unlikely under any circumstances that you would be able to flash your passport in Manhattan, pay no tax, and walk away with the swag.

Regards

Mark

At least one web site I've looked at says sales tax will be payable by New York residents, implying visitors are a different case. Usually it's phrased that way only on things being ordered via phone or web and being shipped out of state. If you're walking into a store, you're paying sales tax (you might be able to get it back being as you're leaving the country, but I don't think so) except in some places, they'll skip it if you pay cash. As for B&H, I tend to find their staff to be rude, and their location sucks. I prefer Adorama on 18th street. Their prices seem to be similar.