I hear ya - I really do. But... come on man.
I too am born and raised in nyc. I'm not 50, but I'm 36 so I've been around at least a little bit. I've also lived in all the boroughs.
If a store price matches, they price match... No amount of inflated manhattan rent will change that price-matched price. Trust me, I'm the most vocal anti-manhattan person you'll ever meet. I grew up in Staten Island of all places...
There are so many reason I could mention to not like the place, but I wouldn't say shopping is one of them.
LOL great points all around! Yes you're right. My deal with shopping is this...if it's strictly Manhattan and you're doing it for the experience, then go for it. If it's something you want or need...shopping around can often get you better. I'm not just talking about HQ audio here, I mean in general.
Deals can be found in manhattan. Heck, that "Best Parking" app some of us mentioned is a pretty good example of that. Don't expect to randomly find a brand new pair of Utopia's at B&H for $2500...
I also use the parking app and definitely recommend using that also.
That ain't gonna happen. Also don't expect to eat a decent dinner for any less than $50-60 in midtown (unless your down with Papaya King which, I mean, is delicious).
Papaya King is absolutely delicious!! Totally worth a try if you've never had it. Practically grew up going to that place with my grandmother! The key word is midtown...if you want to save a few dollars, hit the Lower East Side, Lower West Side or the Village. Go uptown and the prices will follow...east or west side.
Here's the deal with manhattan (specifically midtown). Services/entertainment/food/drink/lodging will cost you more than you've ever paid in your life. Consumer goods you want to purchase (pretty much anything) will be whatever the MSRP is for that thing. No price gouging here,
The MSRP will rule in Manhattan. You won't get any great deals, you'll pay what the manufacturer says. I agree with you there
UNLESS you're looking to purchase souvenirs or cellphone chargers, or silly airport level tchotchkes like that. Certain retail stores may even price match (the amazon app with it's barcode scanner is clutch for this). If you really want to try and find a deal, you could head into the seedy underbelly of nyc's grey market and check out china town. I remember back in the day rummaging those sketchy shops for MiniDisc paraphernalia back in the 90s... fun times.
Yeah...back then we were hitting those "shady" spots for car stereo's, receivers, etc....and never asked where they came from...lol.
Regarding Yelp - I never really trust yelp. Way too many people only leave negative reviews when they have an axe to grind. Also, yelp reviews for places in mid town will be littered with tourist reviews... tourists are fine, but their reviews I don't know about. When you see an Arby's with a 4 out of 5 rating, it makes you wonder... I'd recommend something like Foursquare or Swarm.
I also agree with you about Yelp in Manhattan to a point....mostly bloated reviews or tourist reviews. But...big but coming...if you ARE a tourist...then Yelp can be invaluable. If you have the time to read reviews elsewhere...you probably have more time than the average tourist has. Especially since the Jam is only two days. I've found Yelp to be more accurate in Queens and Brooklyn.
I didn't mean to come across as argumentative Rero, for that I apologize. Perhaps I just needed a laugh this morning before I posted.
Steve from NYC