Brazil Beckons Bargain Hunters
Looking for a terrific deal on a luxury watch? Go to Brazil where watches and other items by the world’s most famous brands are selling for prices hundreds of dollars less than you would find on Park Avenue. Brazil is currently one of the world’s most economically troubled countries but their loss can be shoppers’ gain as marquee-name products are going for bargain basement prices.
One example is the Cartier Tank Anglaise watch in gold and steel, which can currently be purchased at an open-air mall in San Paulo for $9,326 USD. This popular model is selling for $580 more (including sales tax) at fine watch shops in Manhattan. Comparable deals can be had on items by Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, Salvatore Ferragamo, Prada and Christian Louboutin.
These low prices are a result of the collapse of Brazil’s economy as citizens suffer through the country’s worst recession in decades. Not only can most of Brazil’s populace not afford to pay for luxury items, they are also struggling with higher prices for imports like wine.
Prices on many luxury items are considerably cheaper than what shoppers would pay in New York but there is one brand that you won’t find on sale at a Brazilian mall. That is Rolex, which has been adjusting its prices monthly so that those in San Paolo are on a par with those in other cities worldwide.
Before you book a flight to San Paolo for a luxury shopping spree, be aware that this is a temporary phenomenon that isn’t likely to last much longer. Local shopkeepers are trying to keep prices low as long as possible but expect to have to raise them in the very near future. Meanwhile, if you get to Brazil before the bargain bash is over, have a good time!
Jon
Frankly, I don’t see how I could be certain that a luxury watch sold in an open air mall was not counterfeit. I’d rather try to negotiate a better deal with an authorized US dealer.