Chile Forum

I thought it might be instructive to start a thread listing products that are expensive or hard to get in Chile both from the standpoint that it might help those coming to Chile to bring them in when they come (rather than buying or trying to find them locally) and it might help me or others see some possibility to import such products and sell them in Chile.

Assuming ya all want to contribute to this thread I'll start...

Toner and ink jet cartridges. I've not priced them out but I have heard that both are very, very expensive in Chile.

I've wondered about over the counter Benzocane tooth pain creams, SD digital camera cards, and USB flash drives.

Anybody care to add any items that you know of as being very expensive and/or hard to get in Chile? If you do can you add what it might cost in Chile?

Carlos

Like the USA, for pricing in Chile, the Internet is a wonderful research tool!

Chile in general may have sucky websites but the main Chile-based large store sites are decent for the most part especially for pricing research.

Good Luck.

On our first two trips here I found that batteries were very expensive (not to mention wasteful) so I purchased a good battery charger. I noticed one in an electronics shop in Santiago, and it was almost twice what I paid for mine.

Aside from electronics, and really nice bedding, the prices don't seem that high in Chile, as compared to the US. Of course there is always dirt-cheap Walmart in the US, but thankfully it hasn't stepped it's putrid feet onto Chilean soil yet. Whoops, sorry.

Vicki and Greg Lansen wrote: Of course there is always dirt-cheap Walmart in the US, but thankfully it hasn't stepped it's putrid feet onto Chilean soil yet. Whoops, sorry.

I may get "blasted" for this one, but there's a Wallmart in Mendoza (for the visa runners) with all the usual junk from State side at good prices.

murf wrote:

Vicki and Greg Lansen wrote: Of course there is always dirt-cheap Walmart in the US, but thankfully it hasn't stepped it's putrid feet onto Chilean soil yet. Whoops, sorry.

I may get "blasted" for this one, but there's a Wallmart in Mendoza (for the visa runners) with all the usual junk from State side at good prices.

Actually I was not too impressed with the Mendoza Walmart. You can get the exact same bargains at Carrefour inside the city without the need for transport (Walmart Mendoza is not easily reachable by walking).

Chile has no need for Walmart as they already receive tons of cheap Chinese (¡cuidate!) products that can be found everywhere from Jumbo, Lider, Homecenter, Easy and the trillions of shops scattered about in Santiago Centro to the Mapocho River. There is even a large, recently renovated, mall-type structure, primarily made up of kiosks selling goods made in China off of San Diego street about two blocks down from Alameda.

Also, Walmart has tried to get into Chile. Do a search of The Santiago Times archives for details.

Actually, Murf, most all that "usual junk" comes from China or elsewhere, not the States. Scarcely anything is made here anymore, save food and debt -- a major reason the country's gone from the world's greatest creditor ever to its greatest debtor.

RWS wrote:Actually, Murf, most all that "usual junk" comes from China or elsewhere, not the States. Scarcely anything is made here anymore, save food and debt -- a major reason the country's gone from the world's greatest creditor ever to its greatest debtor.

I know. Viva la recession.

Cosmetics and basic selfcare products are usually more expensive. It's hard to find a high volume, low-price option for, say, baby swipes. However this type of goods is usually too bulky and not expensive enough to make it worth importing. Same thing for coffee or quality chocolate.

Brand-name apparel and electronics are usually the two categories where you'll save most buying in the US. The price/volume ratio make them ideal to carry in luggage too (so most likely: no customs, no IVA).

Computer hardware of all types is expensive trash, and the support is even worse. I am on my way to return a failed hard drive I bought from Ripley last week and to the States to replace it next week.

9/10ths of every piece of hardware I have bought in Chile has either failed in under two years, or was more than 5 years old to start. I have a fairly good idea about what is good and bad hardware, and have learned if I have to buy computer hardware in Chile buy the oldest model you can find because there is a reason it is still hanging around normally. It was a fairly good design to start and it is also the best priced (relatively speaking here).

Even with an unlimited budget, the selection of parts is very limited.

Now, I hope I don't step on any toes, but aside from quality electronics, and similar items, we (former northern residents) have become way, way too dependent on things like disposable baby wipes. Same goes for Swifer Sweepers, paper products, plastic disposables, fancy cleaning products in plastic bottles and whatnot. Finding things here that you "Can't do without!" is really an issue of not letting go of North American Consumerism.

I say this kindly, as I am equally guilty of going into a store and whining that I can't find this or that. BBQ Sauce? Well, I found I can make it myself. Wet-wipes, ahhh, how about cloth baby diapers or towels and a recycled bottle filled with water and bio-degradable soap. There are thousands of ways that we all as a human race existed without all the time-saving conveniences of today. Some are truly fabulous! Computers, toilet paper, toothbrushes, store-bought soap, and tons of other things. But, it's amazing the waste that we've created in order to save time so we can work harder to buy things to save us time so we can work more to pay for them too.

I can't make batteries to put in my digital camera. And I can't replace the convenience of my computer and internet. But we are working on reducing our consumption. I figure everyday I spend in el camp, not consuming energy, and all the little things we do without and now don't miss at all, are at the very least, not a drain on the earth. Just a little - not a drain.

So, get yourselves some rechargables, recycle your plastic bags, or better yet, take your own bags to the store. And for goodness sakes, try not to buy anything disposable.

Are there thrift stores in Chile? Someone mentioned that name brand clothing was expensive. I believe the culture in Chile as in most other South American countries is one of give your old clothing to your relatives as opposed to giving them to a thrift store which supports a worthwhile charity through their sales.

Here in Edmonton, Canada there are something like 15-20 large thrift stores where I shop all the time (Edmonton has about 1 million inhabitants). I get Goretex jackets, luxurious wool sweaters, and the like for pennies on the dollar (usually under $10.00 US/CA each).

I suppose I could always buy a bunch of cloths and wear them to Chile (though it might look a bit odd going through the airport LOL) and then sell them to help finance my trip there.

Regarding the general lack of quality computer equipment there must be a reason why some enterprising Chileno does not import better quality stuff and sell it locally. I wonder if the import duties on such things are extremely high.

Carlos

Vicki and Greg Lansen wrote:Now, I hope I don't step on any toes, but aside from quality electronics, and similar items, we (former northern residents) have become way, way too dependent on things like disposable baby wipes. Same goes for Swifer Sweepers, paper products, plastic disposables, fancy cleaning products in plastic bottles and whatnot. Finding things here that you "Can't do without!" is really an issue of not letting go of North American Consumerism.

I say this kindly, as I am equally guilty of going into a store and whining that I can't find this or that. BBQ Sauce? Well, I found I can make it myself. Wet-wipes, ahhh, how about cloth baby diapers or towels and a recycled bottle filled with water and bio-degradable soap. There are thousands of ways that we all as a human race existed without all the time-saving conveniences of today. Some are truly fabulous! Computers, toilet paper, toothbrushes, store-bought soap, and tons of other things. But, it's amazing the waste that we've created in order to save time so we can work harder to buy things to save us time so we can work more to pay for them too.

I can't make batteries to put in my digital camera. And I can't replace the convenience of my computer and internet. But we are working on reducing our consumption. I figure everyday I spend in el camp, not consuming energy, and all the little things we do without and now don't miss at all, are at the very least, not a drain on the earth. Just a little - not a drain.

So, get yourselves some rechargables, recycle your plastic bags, or better yet, take your own bags to the store. And for goodness sakes, try not to buy anything disposable.

I generally agree with what you said (Vicki or Greg not sure which one said it ) but there is something to be said with regard to buying things for the sake of convenience. A case in point is bath soap. Yeah...I could make my own - I've even looked up instructions on how to do so over the Internet before...but I don't because to do so would take way too much time for me to do compared to buying the soap, pre-made, at the store. If I make $20 a hour while working buying ten bars at $5.00 (rough estimate) is much more time saving and efficient than spending one hour of my time to make the equivalent myself.

The less I make per hour of course the more attractive making my own soap becomes so there may come a point where the trade-off in time is worth it but for now it's way more efficient and less time consuming for me to buy it than make it.

In the end what I really save is not money. It's my life. If money equals time (to earn that money) I just can't justify exchanging one hour of my life to make my soap when I can exchange only 15 minutes of my life to buy it with money I earned.

Not to diminish the general thrust of what you said (Vicki or Greg) which I am wholeheartedly behind where it is practical but I just thought I would point out why it's really more beneficial for us to buy things that are disposable at times than to make it ourselves.

Carlos

Carlos , I've been reading your posts with intrest so far and will give what little input that I can now.
My first observation from visiting Chile in the past is that gaining access to capital for investing in assets such as trucks or vans or whatever is difficult to come by, therefore if you could for example save say $50 K, you could purchase a couple of transporter vans and contract with schools etc to transport kids etc. In the off season (in summer) you could charter trips from Santiago to Vine del Mar, Possibly two per day to the beaches.
Truck transporting of goods from the ports of San Antonio and Valpo to Santiago may be another idea.
To arrrive with some capital for start up is essiential (not just living expenses etc.).
If you can procure the required capital before you arrive, I feel you will work out Ok.

What you say murf adds to the general impression I am getting that if one has money there is money to be made in Chile but if one does not it is very, very difficult almost impossible to get some.

As opposed to here in North America where generally speaking if one has no money they can at least make some or get started doing something with very little.

I started window cleaning with less than $300 US/CA to my name. I bought some squeegies and such and started knocking on doors. The second business I talked to contracted me to clean their building and I gave them a quote off the top of my head (I didn't know what I was doing back then). When all was said and done I made about $25 an hour at that building alone and felt guilty that I was making that much so I lowered their price by $10 (how generous of me LOL).

I hate to say it but I think it best for me to move to Texas first and work there of a year or two before moving to Chile. There just doesn't seem to be any good way to start something from nothing as I have done several times here.

I started driveway sealing on a whim and was paid over $600 on my very first job (though about $400 of that was my cost - still it only took me about 10 hours to do - I didn't know what I was doing again).

Shoveling snow....I started that this year and the very first house I knocked on said YES to my off the top of my head pricing again - $125.00 for the month to keep their driveway , front, and sidewalk clean. I made $16.00 per hour last month on that house alone. I've upped my price to a minimum of $175.00 per month per house. 4 out of 5 people I talked to initially said YES to me. I stopped getting customers because I couldn't handle the work physically at one point.

I guess what I am saying is that I started these things from nothing. I had very little money either invested in what I started or to begin with.

What I did have was something that was needed or desirable and I presented myself in a professional manner.

I guess I have been under the naive impression that one could do the same in Chile. I am beginning to realize that such things are not done so easily in Chile.

In part I think I wonder if that is because Chileans just aren't used to thinking outside the box and taking business risks (i.e. that they might starve if they don't succeed). But also it would seem because Chileans don't seem to put much value in a person's labor. There are so many other Chileans willing to work for peanuts.

Reminds me of strip mall window cleaning here. One can't make a living doing strip mall window cleaning here because there are a ton of homeless guys going around with a bucket and squeegie charging $5 for the whole store front. I focus on high end expensive homes which the homeless guys won't go near (the homeowners are likely to call the police on them rather than give them work).

How in the world do people like the oil change guys live on $14 a day in wages. I just don't get it. How can they live on that?? I mean they got families don't they? Do they have houses? Do they live communally? How do people live on such wages. Is the cost of living so incredibly low that one can live on such wages?

Carlos