The 23-Hour Shopping Frenzy: Argentines Stampede Over Border

[MilHojas]

The 23-Hour Shopping Frenzy: Argentines Stampede Over Border

Argentina’s currency has become so strong that it’s given rise to a cottage industry catering to people looking to shop in Chile

Archived version

 

[carride]

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The 23-Hour Shopping Frenzy: Argentines Stampede Over Border

Argentina’s currency has become so strong that it’s given rise to a cottage industry catering to people looking to shop in Chile

www.bnnbloomberg.ca

 

[Redpossum]

Wow, what a trip, in both senses.

 

[arvest]

How the tables turn from people flooding in to Argentina when it was cheap!

Chileans, Uruguayans cross border to take advantage of low prices

Citizens from neighbouring countries cross borders to go shopping; Increased visitor numbers seen in Mendoza, Río Negro and Entre Ríos as day-trippers cash in on currency woes.

www.batimes.com.ar

 

[carride]

How the tables turn from people flooding in to Argentina when it was cheap!

Chileans, Uruguayans cross border to take advantage of low prices

Citizens from neighbouring countries cross borders to go shopping; Increased visitor numbers seen in Mendoza, Río Negro and Entre Ríos as day-trippers cash in on currency woes.

www.batimes.com.ar

I was thinking the same. If I recall correctly, that was a brief period during 2023. Food items were cheap which attracted Chile and Uruguay shoppers. What is happening now with Argentina shoppers crossing to Chile is similar to how it has been for the 15+ years. Imported items into Argentina with high tariffs, have been historically cheaper in Chile. Plus the strong currency today makes it even busy. I did that bus trip and car trip for tourism several times from Mendoza along with a quick purchase. Usually electronics, though once a push rotary non-motorized lawn mower that I could not even find in Argentina.

 

[LuckyLuke]

The article comment about the "strong currency" makes no sense to me. The ARS has been plummeting against all currencies. In fact it's finally at parity with the Chilean peso. So if both currencies are the same domestically, then the real question should be why does it cost 40% more for domestically made products in Argentina? And where is that extra 40% money going if Chile can not only afford to charge less but has a poverty rate of only 5.37%? There's obviously a very strange difference between the two economies. Perhaps rent is a smaller share of disposable income in Chile...

 

[gringoexpress]

The article comment about the "strong currency" makes no sense to me. The ARS has been plummeting against all currencies. In fact it's finally at parity with the Chilean peso. So if both currencies are the same domestically, then the real question should be why does it cost 40% more for domestically made products in Argentina? And where is that extra 40% money going if Chile can not only afford to charge less but has a poverty rate of only 5.37%? There's obviously a very strange difference between the two economies. Perhaps rent is a smaller share of disposable income in Chile...

Taxes.

 

[Ries]

I read the article as saying your DOLLAR buys more in chile. Which makes sense, because anyone with enough savings to drive to chile and buy laptops and game consoles will keep their cash in dollars.
They specifically say the woman had 1100 dollars and bought a $620 computer.

 

[Redpossum]

The article comment about the "strong currency" makes no sense to me. The ARS has been plummeting against all currencies. In fact it's finally at parity with the Chilean peso. So if both currencies are the same domestically, then the real question should be why does it cost 40% more for domestically made products in Argentina? And where is that extra 40% money going if Chile can not only afford to charge less but has a poverty rate of only 5.37%? There's obviously a very strange difference between the two economies. Perhaps rent is a smaller share of disposable income in Chile...

Because Argentina.

 

[carride]

So if both currencies are the same domestically, then the real question should be why does it cost 40% more for domestically made products in Argentina?

I do not think it is domestically produced products. I believe it is the same as most years in the past. Certain imported items are more expensive in Argentina because of high tariffs.

The article directly addresses the strong peso question a few times farther down. Starting with this:

It’s so strong against other currencies, after inflation is factored in, that it’s eroding trade and investment flows and heaping pressure on Milei to devalue the exchange rate for the second time since taking office in December.