Thinking about the pro’s and con’s between buying products overseas vs locally. There are quite a few reasons we choose to buy products from overseas, and I’m thinking mainly in electronic consumer devices.

I was reading in the Overclockers.com.au forum about someone who was thinking of getting a Nintendo Wii from Japan. The pro I can see is that it may be cheaper for the unit, but the cons seem to far outweigh the pro side. If the Wii was bought from Japan it would be cheaper, not by much but definitely cheaper. But if it was bought from Japan, what happens when something goes wrong under warranty? It would have to be sent back to Japan to be repaired, it could be gone months while it is repaired, not only that but there can also be a communication problem between different languages.

I also see that there would be incompatibility issues with the games, the power plug would be different and require a converter so it can be plugged in. The software on the Wii would be in Japanese too.

If you bought something like a notebook from a local store and you had problems, you can take it back and have it repaired. While the time factor is still there, the face to face communication is a plus. But also that the support is local, you can pick up accessories in the shop and look at them. Feel them and see their quality. Not only that, but you’re supporting local business and keeping the economy alive. It may cost a little more but you do get more service with your dollar.

So next time you’re looking at buying something, have a think to yourself if it’s going to be an issue returning it if you have a problem.