Gringoes.com: Selling Electronics in Brazil

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Bubbles
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Joined: 17 September 2009
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Posted: 14 May 2010 at 19:55

Interesting, but how do you sell these items - e.g word of mouth, advertising?

The mark-up on perfume is huge there, and other items to think about are memory cards which everyone uses and are small...

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dolyd
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Posted: 14 May 2010 at 21:03

I sell mainly through my students and word of mouth. I usually e-mail my students what I'm selling, and to tell other people who might be interested. Most of my students are business professionals, so affording these things are usually not a problem.

The electronics (except for the laptop) can sometimes take a while to sell as it is more expensive. But the other things such as bags, perfume, watches are usually gone within a week. I have students who make me swear that I will show them the goods first before anyone else!

As for the markup, I usually compare to how much it sells on Mercado Livre, and sell around the same price or usually a little higher. Most things on Mercado Livre are items that have been smuggled into Brazil as well. Usually, the markup is about twice for what you paid for it or a little higher.

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Bubbles
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Posted: 15 May 2010 at 06:31

I guess the only 'problem' would be if word reaches the wrong people....

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Isos
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Posted: 15 May 2010 at 10:27

Is there much of a demand for "netbooks" as opposed to notebooks and laptops, in Brasil?

Thanks
Isos

"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

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MovingSoon
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Joined: 21 January 2007
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Posted: 15 May 2010 at 11:08

I haven't seen anything in Brazil there isn't a demand for...

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave with a well preserved body, but to skid in sideways at a high rate of speed, drink in one hand, totally worn out shouting, "Whoa, what a ride"!

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DUNGA
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Joined: 30 March 2006
Location: Brazil
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Posted: 15 May 2010 at 12:27

How about stun guns and pepper spray?

Tales of Brave Ulysses

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MollyGirl
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Posted: 15 May 2010 at 20:33

Last time home I picked up some Victoria's Secret stuff - splashes, cremes, and washes in the outlet. I paid $30 for 6 pieces and sold them to my friends in Rio for 50 reais for each one.

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sven
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Joined: 14 March 2007
Location: Brazil
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Posted: 17 May 2010 at 10:28

Originally posted by DUNGA

How about stun guns and pepper spray?

If cought with that it's right to jail for you and you do not pass start

We live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities.
~Oscar Wilde

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finrudd
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Joined: 06 November 2005
Location: Brazil
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Posted: 11 June 2010 at 15:40

This has been going on for years in Brazil - it used to be a small industry, and there was a name for the (usually) women who travelled to the US with empty suitcases, and shopped to order.

Clothes are probably a winner - even GAP costs a fortune in Brazil, and also Customs are not going to be too interested.

However, a word of caution - I have been coming into Brazil regularly for 12 years now, before moving here 2 years ago. I have never been stopped in Customs, but was stopped twice in the past 3 months. However, I do not infringe Brazilian importation laws.

One thing - if you are bringing electronics in, laptops etc - if they are new, boxed and unused, you will have more of a job explaining they are yours than if they are not boxed. A camera with a memory card in it might have photos with a date stamp from 3 weeks prior, or a laptop might have some photos, emails on the hard drive. This could always be factory reset before passing on. If I were a smuggler, and let's call it what it is, this is what I would do.

A recent article in Veja actually showed that if you declare the goods you bought and pay 40% tax at the airport, you are still going to be able to resell at a better price than available in Brazil. A US$1,000 dollar ticket item, might retail for R$3 - R$4k in Brazil. If you declare it at Customs, paying 40% tax on US$500 of the ticket value, your end product has cost you US$1,200 - which still leaves you plenty of margin.

Failing that - get yourself a RADAR license and import legally!

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sven
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Joined: 14 March 2007
Location: Brazil
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Posted: 11 June 2010 at 15:46

Agree with finrudd. You should send the boxes seperately by mail

We live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities.
~Oscar Wilde

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Topic: Selling Electronics in Brazil
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