Mendoza: The fear of insecurity in Chile has not stopped Argentines from continuing to search for cheaper products on the other side of the Andes. After a big weekend, with a strong traffic flow in the high mountains towards the neighboring country, and a recent ambush and robbery during a shopping spree, travelers have decided again in recent days to make the trip, taking some precautions. It was again necessary to be patient to cross the border, as delays of up to three hours were recorded.
The main reason: Black Friday offers, surrounded by the spirit of Christmas, which allow you to get cheaper goods and gifts on Christmas Eve and Epiphany. Thus, although the “wallet effect” still affected the pockets of Argentines, preventing them from putting away their savings for travel and shopping, towards the end of the year it once again weighed heavily on a section of the population when it came to making the trip to Chile to buy whatever was on hand. And no wonder: it is still very convenient to buy everything, from clothes, shoes, toys, perfumes, to home appliances, as well as technology.
He said: “There are those who are interested at this time in special promotions, with good discounts, and are thinking about Christmas shopping. Others hope, to save their pockets, that they will be able to travel in the summer, go to the beach and shop.” Nation Source from the customs sector. Meanwhile, the border coordination office indicated to this newspaper that in recent days an average movement of about 3,500 passengers per day was observed, numbers that are likely to be repeated until the beginning of the week due to the extension of the Black Friday offers, so the numbers will eventually end up similar to the previous long weekend, when more than 20,000 people crossed into Chile. They explained: “We see a large movement of private cars and many small trucks, although there are fewer shopping tour buses, but they still continue to operate, far from the insecurity that occurred on the road less traveled.”
The main stores and outlets in the trans-Andean country have been launching various special offers and discounts, mostly online, which is why discounts of up to 70% are observed on the best branded items, which can be purchased even from home. Thanks to these differential prices and additional discount coupons, products were obtained that cost up to three times their value in Argentina.
In consultations that took place in various fields, this reality could be repeatedly observed. At the moment, the Samsung Galaxy A56 256 GB Graphite cell phone has a discounted price of $ 380, while in Argentine stores its price is about $ 700, even with a special promotion. If you’re looking for a board game for kids and not-so-young, the Monopoly version of Disney’s Stitch costs $20 in Chile, while it’s available in Argentina for over $60. The “Let’s go to the Supermarket” Barbie doll costs $27, while it can be found in Argentine toy stores for about $50.
If perfumes are the desire to give as a gift or for personal consumption, it is also worth purchasing them from the other side of the mountain: the classic women’s perfume Good Girl 80 ml by Carolina Herrera costs $90, compared to more than $150 asked in Argentina. A Tommy Hilfiger girl can be had for $30, while in our country its price has exceeded $90 in recent days. For example, in Falabella Chile, with a Black Friday discount, a 200ml Versace men’s Eros Flame fragrance can be purchased for $75, compared to a price of more than $170 in Argentina.
There are also those who took advantage of the trip to go a little further. In this case, they focused on the “white line,” whether refrigerators, washing machines, or air conditioners. Although it is not a consumption observed by the majority, the growth of transportation in four-wheel drive trucks also explains this emerging phenomenon, after the Argentine government in July of this year opened this possibility: bringing one device per year per person, paying the corresponding taxes. For example, the cost of a high-quality No Frost refrigerator in Chile is about $600, while in our country it exceeds $1,500. To get a top-loading automatic washing machine with time control, you have to spend about $300, unlike Argentina, where the price of the same product is almost $900. The price of a first-class kitchen is about $500, compared to a price exceeding $1,000 in the country.
“I was in Chile on the XL weekend and what caught my attention most was seeing several trucks carrying Argentine patents that they took advantage of to bring expensive household appliances in our country. Until taxes are reduced, the differences will be noticeable, and traveling to Chile this summer would be the perfect excuse,” Marcelo, a professional from Mendoza who does not hesitate to buy “everything” from the other side of the mountain range whenever he can, told LA NACION newspaper. “I even brought alcoholic drinks at a very good price,” he said, even thinking about a New Year’s Eve toast.