St. Thomas or Aruba?

[skyline]

:confused:Time to replace my Seiko watch. I got it in Aruba (a dozen or so years ago) to replace the one I got in St. Thomas (about 25 years ago). Haven't been in the Caribbean for a long time. This fall we'll be on a cruise that stops at both islands. Has anyone any advice as to which island would be the better place to shop? (Will check local prices before the cruise.) Thanks for your ideas:).

[RotaryMike]

If you are shopping for a Seiko, you might do better buying it in the states on sale at a department store. If you want it as an island souvenier you will probably find them in dept or general merchandise shops. The higher end jewelry/watch dealers will not really have a Seiko display. If you are looking for a more expensive watch, , the duty free allowance will be higher if bought in st. thomas. Have a good trip, and have fun watch shopping, both islands will have shops carrying just about every good watch makes.

[Colo Cruiser]

Amazon. Caribbean deals are not what they used to be.

[Iamcruzin]

Prices in the Caribbean are not what they used to be. It's just like shopping at Macy's. They mark the product up 200% and offer you all kinds of discounts and incentives to make you think you are getting a deal. Your best bet is to shop around in your local stores and the internet before your trip so that you can look for a particular style that you like and have some kind of idea what the going rate is so you will be able to compare prices and make an intelligent decision. The island shops take advantage of the fact that you have a limited time to shop and have to make a quick decision and they know that you won't be coming back for a refund. I purchased a watch for $68.00 on overstock dot com that was selling on the ship for $150 after the a 50% discount . In this day and age with the help of the internet you can really negotiate deals. I manage a retail store and you wouldn't believe how many customers walk up to me with their cell phones and show me the same item that I'm selling for a few dollars less. There are Apps that allow you to scan a bar code with your phone and it will bring up the item and compare prices between different retailers. As a side note the last time I purchased a Seiko watch was 10yrs ago for $50 in BJ's.I'm still wearing it.

Edited August 6, 2014 by Iamcruzin

[jsmac3]

I did this search 10 years ago and the best price I found was in the gift shop on the Sun Princess.

 

Also, agree that the best prices I've seen on Seiko's in the last few years are at Macy's.

[chisoxfan]

As stated, pretty pointless to waste time shopping (unless you enjoy it) and expect to save any money on a Sieko. Overstock and Amazon have them super cheap as does Ashford. Be aware that most of these watches are grey market meaning they are authentic but not intended for sale in America so the usual warranty service may not be available. This would make no difference to me on a few hundred dollar watch but may be a concern on an expensive timepiece. Good luck.