Lee Family

Hi everyone, we will be arriving in Brisbane mid October and would like to know where is the best place to buy "things" i.e. new TV, fridge, washer, microwave, general kitchen electricals and also beds. Would we get a better overall price buying all the electrical items from 1 place and what sort of discount should we be looking for? Any recommended shops/websites for the above for us to start to investigate.

Thanks

Jon

iamthecreaturefromuranus

For electrical try the Good Guys, Harvey Norman and Domayne. Buy the lot from one place. Ignore the price on the ticket. Get a quote off all three and keep playing them off against one another. You might find that the items are now very expensive compared to UK prices, particularly European brands.

Beds here always seem to be very expensive to me so I would look at as many places as possible before choosing those.
Forty Winks always seem to be having a "forty hour sale" so give them a go.

cookiestar

We found this place cheapest for white goods: http://www.appliancesonline.com.au/

Siren & Brian

Still dont pay retail...

We just bought a new bedroom suite, saw it in forty winks, best they could do was $8600 (retail was $9400) got it from Bedshed for $7200

Sally Simpson

Furnitiure, Amart is cheap & cheerful. Harvey Norman & Freedom have lots to choose from. (Freedom is a bit like Habitat)
If you are needing crockery etc Big W, KMart & Target are all worth a look. Towel Man often have good deals on manchester.

PS Isn't there an Ikea in Brisbane?

emelems

yes there is an Ikea in Brissie.. go there and stock up!

If you want different and classy looking furniture then you have arrived in the wrong country!

hehe!

Em x

PamE

I had no idea you could haggle in electrical goods stores! We got a good chunk off a netbook in Dick Smiths. Go round all the stores and get quotes as prev poster said - just make sure you get them written on back of business cards with a contact name, and be aware that the store you try and bargain with will phone the place whose quote you are using as a bargaining tool, to verify it (so don't be tempted to make anything up). Happy shopping!

ABCDiamond

As a guide, The Good Guys will almost always give 12% off the ticket price where they say "less for cash", which is almost everything.

From there, you start to bargain...

Juliecabs

This may help you. This is what we spent 3 years ago when we first arrived in Brisbane, so obviously the prices a a bit out of date but you'll get a rough idea hopefully. Back in the UK now so I have no idea of up to date costs.

Furniture bought from Super Amart

Outdoor glass and metal table and 8 chairs $700
2 x matching sun loungers $340

Bedrooms:
1 x 4 drawer chest in Beech $180
2 x 3 drawer chests in Beech $200, $100 each
1 x 6 drawer chest in Beech $200
1 x 4 drawer chest in Black $323
2 x glass bedside tables in Black $80, $40 each
1 x queen sized bed in black metal and dark wood $180
3 x silver metal queen sized beds $420, $140 each
5 x mattresses queen size $1325, $265 each
2 x 2 drawer bedside chests in dark wood $340, $170 each
1 x 6 drawer chest in dark wood $369
1 x queen sized bed in dark wood $360

Dining suite - All matching in dark wood:
Coffee Table $140
Table with 6 chairs $700
Buffet unit (Like a sideboard) $300
Entertainment unit (to stick the tele on!) $300
Lamp table $100

Double sofa bed in suede $400
Scotchguard $65

Study furniture:
2 x desks $240, $120 each
1 x 3 shelf bookcase $70

Lounge:
Corner Suite in coffee colour suede. Has a chaise at one end, 2 recliners at the other and a sofa bed in there too $2656
Scotchguard $130

Total $10021.
Should have been a bit more but we bartered the price down although they wouldn't give us too much discount.


Electrical stuff bought from The Good Guys

LCD HD TV 32" $2055
Extra 2 year warranty for TV $169
DVD & Video combi player $195
Multifunction printer/copier/scanner/fax $200
Dishwasher 12 place setting $390
Fridge/Freezer (Silver) $1180
Chest freezer $327
Fridge (for the beers!) $222
Whirlpool Front Loader Washing Machine $849
Microwave Oven $175

Total $5762, again we bartered them down a bit.

All this so far (furniture and electricals) equates to around £6.5K GBP.

We've probably spent a further £1K on bedding, everything for the kitchen, towels, lamps, vases etc, etc, etc. Go to KMart, Big W etc for this sort of stuff.


Other costs:
$59 to get Telstra connected.
$180 for 2 school uniforms consisting of shorts, skirts and t-shirts.
$65 for school text books.
$80 for Energex (electricity to be connected, but that amount is refundable).

shiels

The Good Guys get my vote too!

Sally Simpson

Me too! Got a good deal & excellent service

mulben

If looking for good furniture as against mass produced rubbish, not actually any help for Qld but I presume there are the same up there.
These are available to Melbourne.
http://www.glengrayfurniture.com.au/index.html
http://www.redgumfurniture.com.au/
or
do a google on: FURNITURE DESIGNED & MADE TO ORDER - NSW - QLD....etc

ABCDiamond

There are quite a few specialised places around, lots of imported quality stuff also.

rajj

When we first came over, we bought some white goods from Auctions - helped save heaps....
Else how about Costco which opened up here in Melb recently (& other cities??)..
Another I recommend is the GUMTREE site - heaps of people doing the opposite and selling everything at once before leaving the country ...have to say my experience with this site is that its not all tat..and over the years I've bought some good qualty stuff from this site.

Good luck peeps

Les Avalook

The Ikea is about 20 mins south of Brisbane on the M1 heading for the Gold Coast, just before you get there at Springwood is a large Amart on your left, almost the next juntion is Ikea on your right and then about another 10 mins further on is the Hyperdome (like our Lakeside) where you will find a large Good Guys.

As people have said the best deals come from buying most of your items (fridge TV etc) from one shop. Getting used to hagging in a shop like our Dixons or Currys seems odd but it is worth it.

Also in Oz if they say a discount is for 'cash' you can still pay the same with your credit card.

You could also try Crazy Clarks for basic electrical goods like toasters, microwave and kettles rather like the Tesco value range.