From: jcliu@four-lab4.Berkeley.EDU (James C. Liu)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: D O E S A M E R I C A S A Y Y E S T O J A P A N ?
Date: 13 Dec 1992 18:22:29 GMT
Organization: UC Berkeley Dept. of Nuclear Engineering
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: four-lab4.berkeley.edu

In article <Bz5zp0.Myt@ncifcrf.gov> masuda@fcs280b.ncifcrf.gov 
(Michiaki Masuda) writes:

>   As for some brand goods, the price is said to be the best indicator of
>genuineness. Although I don't mean to say that your information is unreliable,
>I wonder how you confirmed that the L.V. is genuine.

If you have sisters like I DO, you'll know HOW, WHEN, WHERE, WHAT to
Shop for.  Also, the store was reputable and the bag was a slight
defective so it was placed on the basement racks.  Sometimes, the
defects are unnoticeable, like small zipper stitching, a slightly
stained brass buckle or clasp...etc...

>   Yeah! I really need to know!! Would you e-mail me and let me know how, 
>where, and when, please? I've got to get some souvenir.

This is important information, so I think I'll share it on the net.

I tend to shop at:
  1.  Membership warehouses.  Costco, Price Club, Sam's, etc.  I can
      usually get excellent deals at membership warehouses.  Example:
      A Sony MC2600 mini-rack stereo system w/ CD player sells on sale
      at Circuit City or Good Guys for $899.  Costco carries it every
      day for $699.  The Good Guys don't honour their price protection
      against membership warehouses because they claim that these stores
      aren't open to the "public."  But all you need is usually a
      business license, professional license, contractor's license, or
      a bank account at a local credit union.  I've bought Camel Hair
      sport coats (regular $250) for only $75, gaberdine wool slacks
      for $35, bulk packs of Polish sausages...for $10 and bottles
      of wine at dirt cheap prices.  In fact, they even have Dom
      Perignon Champagne (good year too!) for $49 a bottle!
      Hey, guys out there in netland, it is VERY ROMANTIC to always
      have that bottle of DP Champagne around for those unexpected
      candlelight meals! 8-)
  2.  "Rack" stores...discount name brand stores like Macy's Clearance
      center, Nordstrom Rack, Burlington coat factory, London Fog
      Factory outlets, etc...these stores can be found in usually run
      down urban areas.  But they can also be in the suburbs.  SF, for
      example has a garment district south of Market ST.  Girls go to
      the Gunnysacks Factory outlet to pickup dinner gowns for as low as
      $20.  Many times, look in the closeout section where they put stuff
      that they no longer carry, returned merchandise, slightly blemished 
      items, etc. 
  3.  I look for stores going out of business.  Example, C&R Clothiers
      closed its stores in Northern California.  I picked up a Pierre
      Cardin, DB wool suit (I'm size 48 Long), fully tailored for
      just $150.  The same suit, if they had my size at Macy's or
      Men Wearhouse would cost over $450 with all the alterations.
  4.  If you live on the East coast, you have better discount places.
      My favourite is Filene's Basement in Boston.  I picked up a
      returned suit, all wool, dark navy, which just happened to be 
      tailored right (I did need to take up the waist in the pant)
      for $75.  It was originally $400.  But, they discounted it to
      $300 in the basement, and then it sat there for over 3 weeks,
      and at Filene's basement, for every week anything sits, it gets
      marked down another 25%.

My giri-no-ani is working in a Japanese firm, he has lots of people
working with him.  He ALWAYS goes to Price Club eveytime he returns to
the states and picks up omiyage.  You know those Hawaiian Chocolate
Covered Macadamias that the pretty OL's sometimes get on White day 
(after Valentines),  well, Costco and Price Club have bulk packs of
those too, and you don't have to go to Hawaii. :-)  Plus, they have
stock on lots of little stuffed animals and dolls guaranteed to bring
a heart warming smile to your favourite Nihon no OL. 8-)

Speaking of Filene's Basement, the week I was there, they just had a
shipment of Gucci purses come in.  They dumped the purses, all in
original plastic bags on a counter and they sold for $45 each.  I'm
talking about stuff that goes for Y60,000 in Tokyo, for $45!  I saw some
ladies take 3 and 4 purses.  Michi-san, you just gotta know when, and
where and then go!  Half of the work is seizing the opportunity.
But opportunities abound.  You just have to look for them.

Ganbatte, James
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James C. Liu |    KARAOKE Addict!     Karaoke: You're the STAR!!!!    |
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Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan