Valuable Argentine Goods In Us (Peso Exchange Workaround)

jakeseifert

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Hey all,

I need not explain why I want to get rid of my extra pesos... I leave in 2 months and I've accepted that I've been shafted with all the pesos I've got here.

I was wondering though, if there is/are any Argentine good(s) that might be 1.) cheaper to buy in Argentina than the US, 2.) relatively valuable, and 3.) light enough to be able to pack a good quantity into an extra suitcase. Then, when I get stateside, I could theoretically craigslist whatever it is and recoup my cash.

Thoughts? This seems to be the only option I can think of to avoid the black market dollar rate. I was thinking high-end Mendozan wine (I live in Mendoza) but wine is relatively heavy and I'm not sure how it would go over at the airport, trying to ship a whole case of wine.
 
Most US states frown on private sales of alcohol. Usually you need to have a license to sell booze.

That said, Fernet is always cheaper in Argentina, and things like Hesperdina are pretty much unavailable in the US.

How about Carpincho leather jackets?
Or live Carpincho? there is a woman in Texas with a pet Carpincho, it has its own Youtube channel. You would have to buy it a seat, though- they weigh 100 kilos or more.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d0nBcQyeBA

Mate? (in my local health food store in Washington State, organic mate is over ten bucks for a half kilo bag- 20-25$ a kilo. Whats that- 120 to 140 pesos?

I have heard of a friend of a friend who brings back a box of crystal chandelier parts every time he flies back to NYC, and sells reassembled chandeliers for triple or more what he paid- but he knows the market, and how to sell them.
A lot of antiques are very cheap in Argentina, compared to NYC or LA prices- including jewelry- if you actually know jewelry, there are incredible deals to be had- but, again, its not for amateurs- you have to really understand the market.
 
Alpargatas. Buy them for 30 pesos, sell them for $15 dollars (I think Toms is charging around $60 a pair in the US).
Leather Jackets/belts/purses/etc.

But honestly, just buy dollars on the black market. It's a lot easier and less headache probably than having to deal with selling all the items, postage, etc when you get back to the US.
 
A friend that comes to BA every year takes back a suitcase full of dulce de leche in glass containers, and another case full of cheap bijouterie from Plaza Francia, plus ponchos and ruanas, he sells the goods at his Hair Salon. With the proceeds he pays for the airfare and hotel costs. Never had problems with customs in DC.
Again agree with Citigirl unless you have regular customers and a place to display the goods.
 
I'd say check ebay for whatever ideas you might have and see what's selling/getting bids. It's difficult to say what would be good, alpargatas at first sounded like a good idea when I read it but after thinking about you, chances are you'll just get stuck with tons of alpergatas.

The dulce de leche might not be a bad idea, and maybe even some bottles of chimichurri sauce or something like that... tophatter.com does little auctions and has a food portion, you might be able to sell each jar on there for 10 dollars. Would that be worth it?

Leather belts bought at the ferias might not be a bad idea, they sell for tons on Etsy and if you play up the "handmade in Argentina from the finest leathers in the world" people might be into it. Those small, fashionable purses that are really in style right now. Hmm I just looked an see that you are male, so that might not be up your alley. The organic yerba maybe from a diétetica, I like Kraus Orgánica.

If you have a lot of money I don't think it'd be worth it, but if you just have some and you'll have time to turn it over when you get back, then maybe. First check if you have any buyers or markets back home and then buy the stuff. What city are you going to? If you're going anywhere with a polo market that could be an option, I bet you could get some good, cheap stuff in Mendoza. People pay big money for tack in the states, but again, know your market...

Let us know what you decide! I'll be curious to hear what you find out and decide upon.
 
What you can do, if you have friends with credit cards drawn on an Argentine bank is this - you set up a PayPal account, that is linked to a US bank account and send them an invoice for "X" amount, they pay you with a credit card, which then credits your US bank account money in US Dollars and leave the pesos with them. The beauty of this is that they can pay YOU in pesos by credit card and YOU get the dollars back home. Of course, you have to figure out a rate that is mutually beneficial to both of you considering the exchange rate and commission charged. It works very well. If you will accept around 6:1, this will give you a lower rate than having to accept the blue rate and it will leave whomever does you the favor with a profit on their end.
 
Davidglen, aren't PayPal payments on a local cc
1) subject to 15% let's-call-it-anything-but-a-tax?
2) subject to full govt scrutiny?
 
If you have a lot of money I don't think it'd be worth it, but if you just have some and you'll have time to turn it over when you get back, then maybe. First check if you have any buyers or markets back home and then buy the stuff. What city are you going to? If you're going anywhere with a polo market that could be an option, I bet you could get some good, cheap stuff in Mendoza. People pay big money for tack in the states, but again, know your market...

Argentine tack doesn't have a great reputation as the quality control is dubious here. So unless a) you know what you're doing and can check tack while shopping and B) can answer every buyer's questions when shopping and reassure them, I wouldn't advise tack. And many items are more expensive here than they are in the US.

And re the paypal suggestion, yep, I believe that loophole was closed a month or two ago.
 
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