Where to shop in America

[Peter B]

I have managed to score a trip to Los Angeles next month!!!

And consequently would like to do some shopping for things I can't buy down here at the bottom of the world. However, last time I was in the USA (about 8 years ago) I didn't even own a computer so didn't look at those type or retailers.

I would like some suggestings on where to look from some of you USA locals. I will probabaly be staying around Anahiem, Buena Park area, but do plan to hire a car so can travel throughout LA. Suggestions on National retail groups would also be useful for non LA locals.
What do I want...

Turtle Beach Santa Cruz Sound Card (local agent "doesn't import this model because they can't get a competitive price"!)

Sony DRU500a DVD writer (Sony wants over $US500 for it here) and some media for it

A printer that can print directly on CDs (modified Epson probably - can't find anyone who will ship to NZ!)

Labels for business card CDs (rectangular not oval)

DV Video camera accessories, lights, microphones etc

MPEG4 standalone DVD player (well one can hope...)

Also any suggestions on where to take a 3.5 year old, we will do Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm and probably SeaWorld (San Diago) but most other "big" attractions we have been to before are a bit too old, I am sure there are plenty for this age group but we are not aware.

Thanks in advance

[moreau]

I recommend the Wild Animal Park in San Diego:

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wap/homepage.php3

Easily the coolest zoo I've ever been to.

Great for kids and adults alike. Assumng your kids like animals as much as I do.


Charles

[wkulecz]

Fry's would be high on my list. They usually stock about everything on your list, DRU500a has been out of stock here since mid December, maybe they have them in LA or SD.

Every store is different, but they pretty much all carry the same stuff.

Prices are great if you stick to what's "on sale", low side of average for most everything else -- you can always do better on the web.


Check out Venice Beach for the weirdness of it all.

I've enjoyed the Fredericks of Hollywood Lingerie Museam while the rest of my coworkers went to the LaBraia (sp??) Tar Pits :-)

--wally.

[Peter B]

Thanks for the responses, I didn't know about the wildlife park, I had heard of their zoo but the park sounds interesting (we do like going to the zoo...). I never been to the La Bria Tar Pits, what is there, some dinosaur bones I think?

Fry's looks very promising, I have looked through their Outpost website (hard work to find things) which shows a comprehensive range, good prices and multiple sites in LA which is good, so I will definately pay a visit.

I have seen a number of adverts in magazines for a company called B&H, are they NY only or wider afield?

[Brian Ellis]

Peter

The San Diego zoo is probably better geared for kids than the Wildlife Park, but you can get combined tickets for both. You're much closer to the animals in the zoo. The Park has a good monorail (I think, it's seven years since I was there!) but I find that it takes kids much longer to spot animals 100 m away from a moving train, than an adult can, so he may miss some. It is a BIG place and can be very tiring in warm weather. I'd recommend the zoo as being more compact (although it is not the smallest zoo in the world) with a much wider variety of exotic beasties (e.g., not having been to Oz, it's the only place I've ever seen koalas). I've been to many zoos throughout the world and SD is my #2 (Singapore is #1). Being of Scottish origin, I suppose I should really put Washington National as #1, because the entrance is free

I hope you have made an arrangement with your airline for cheap rate excess baggage

[Big Dog]

Important Safety Tip with respects to Frys.

First, you'll probably see a lot of returned stuff on the shelves. They have a white sticker somewhere on the box.

Second, check to see if there's a computer fair at Pomona Fairgrounds when you're here. You've got a better chance of finding what you want there. http://www.megashow.com/computer/index.html

Check out http://frys.sthomas.net/ for some alternative views on Frys. All I can say is, if you buy something at Frys, check it out immediately (i.e. in the parking lot) to make sure you got what you paid for.

[Peter B]

Thanks for the info, unfortunately I will be there from the 5th to th 13th and the fairs are on the 2nd and the 22nd!!

Fry's seems to have some unhappy shoppers, I will be aware, though I guess only the unhappy complain, the rest don't comment. However, I will not be in position to return or test anything. One good thing about that site is it lists a large number of alternatives stores as well. This provides me with a good list of prospects.

[Brian Ellis]

I think everyone has had their unhappy shopping experiences with the large chain stores. Mine was with a CompUSA store near Orlando. I bought a Compaq laptop many years ago, specifically chosen because I wanted to use it for voice recognition dictation. I had taken my software to the US specifically to try it out (it worked fine on my office machine). I installed it in my hotel room that night and set it up and spent two hours of "enrolment" (training to my voice). It was hopeless. At the best 80% recognition (typically 98% on my office machine), more often 60%. I took it back to CompUSA the following day and was effectively told "tough cheese, we don't sell computers with a guarantee that they will do a specific task", even though the salesman recommended that model for what I wanted to do. As the computer was performing "normally", I was informed, after 2 hours of raised voices, that they would in no way consider taking it back and they had no obligation to do so. I was therefore lumbered with it. Compaq also refused to entertain that there was a fault, as it was performing according to their specs. So guess which two companies I've blacklisted since?

BTW, be careful about power voltage/frequency. A lot of the stuff sold in the USA is for ONLY 110-120 V 60 Hz, especially printers and suchlike.

[wkulecz]

Fry's has a great return policy. As you might guess I'm picky and return lots of stuff that doesn't work right. 30 days on most things, two weeks on CDROMs and a few other things.

Maybe its different at other stores, but here, if it don't make you completely happy simply return it within the time frame and get a full refund, no hassles.

I'd rate their performance on rebates as way below average, but when the their rebate companies have tired to stiff me, the store manager has made good with a store credit for the full unrebated amount.

I've also gotten refunds when something I bought was put on sale the week after I bought it, bring in the ad and your reciept, if its within the return period they'll give you back the difference.

I don't see how its possible to do really do any better.


Unfortunately B&H Photo-Video is strictly a NY store. They are amoung the best web/phone/mail order places. If a price is significantly lower than B&H be careful, you can do a bit better but its not easy. I don't think anyone can match their selection.

Their service is top notch. I bought a JVC SVHS deck from them recently and when it needed warrenty work I couldn't find my reciept, an Email to B&H got me a text copy the next day and they faxed the original to the repair depot. JVC's wervice is another story :-(

--wally.

[Peter B]

Thanks guys, good advice. I was aware of voltage and PAL vs NTSC differences, but with internal components it should not matter. I was also going to stick to brands I recognise for warrenty purposes. However, Sony for example do not honour warrenty agreements for products purchased internationally I noticed in the fine print of a prevouis repair I had done on a camera!

Does the Matrox RT X100 have PAL and NTSC versions or are both capture/render options available in the standard card? I wasn't planning on buying one but you never know, the US$ vs the NZ$ is improving in my favour every day (the local distributer wants $US1600 for them!!) so maybe...

[Greebe]

If a price is significantly lower than B&H be careful, you can do a bit better but its not easy.

B&H sells everything at full suggested retail price... just about anyother place can beat their prices. Do have to agree on their grand selection tho

[wkulecz]

Since when is $2399.95 for a Sony VX2000
or JVC HR-S9800 for $329.95 full suggested retail?

Their price on the Canon D60 was "full" but when they advertised them, they actually had some in stock, given how hot this product was, what do you expect?

I've no stake in B&H, sure you can find lots of lower prices from pricewatch, pricescan, & yahoo "bait and switch" operators, but try to buy only that one item at the advertised price from any of them. At B&H what you see in the ad is what you pay.

I certainly don't blindly buy everything from them because as I said, you can usually do better, but you do have to be careful. If I need it and don't have a lot of time to mess around, that's when B&H is my first choice.


Brian,
You're experience with CompUSA is very typical based on my experience around here, I guess they figured you as a forigneer and skipped the hard sell on the "extended warrenty & service contract". I stopped going there and only look at their ads because Fry's will price match.

--wally.

[Greebe]

Wally I've bought a mess of photographic equipement out of NY before over the last 20 years... including a hard to find item at B&H, all were >20% cheaper.

[CaN-o-PuS]

For a 3.5 year old Knotts, Disney & Sea World are good choices.

I would advise staying out of Los Angeles myself. La Brea tar pits is not worth the drive, hassles & risks.

Not to take anything away from the San Diego zoo but my family prefers by far the Santa Barbara zoo. Although it doesn't have the variety of animals as SD zoo, it is a gorgeous park like setting beside the beach and the animals are in much more attractive and interesting settings than the SD zoo. Also there are far fewer visitors typically and it is a place that really puts a smile on the faces of kids and adults alike. They have enough animal variety to keep you busy for a whole day.

The drive up the coast is not to shabby either. If you do make it up that way and can spend the night you may want to check out nearby Solvang, CA a small town of shops and restaurants with quaint danish architecture.

I've seen the Santa Cruz card at CompUSA for around $70-80.

Fryes is a cool place to go until you've been there several times, then you begin to feel like you need a shower after you leave. The only thing that will suck me into one of those nowadays is a rock-bottom deal, but many times you'll only find retruned items on the shelves.

[Peter B]

Thanks again for the suggestions, I have found CompUSA on the web and planned a look.

I don't understand the 'returns' concept. If goods are faulty they should go back to the manufacturer, if not why would they be returned? If the box has been opened the goods are 'secondhand' or 'shopsoiled' and cannot be sold as retail?