August 24, 2001
Computer Prices on the Decline Following G.C.T. Removal
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Commerce and Technology, Philip Paulwell, of the removal G.C.T. on
computers, the Consumer Affairs Commission in its August 2001
survey of computer hardware, software and accessories, has found
significant reductions in retail prices on the Jamaican Market.
These price reductions range between 1%and 53% for a sample of printers, monitors, scanners and computer software surveyed by the CAC at 34 computer retail outlets in Kingston, St. Andrew, Portmore, Spanish Town and Montego Bay. However, the information available to the CAC did not include prices in nrespect of one (1) Montego Bay and four (4) corporate area retailers, who did not provide the price information required to meet the CAC's deadlines.
Most computer retailers indicated that they import computers from the U.S.A. and Canada. However, using current exchange rate conversion, the CAC notes that the prices of several items sold on the Jamaican market exceed those in the U.S.A. by over 100 percent.
For a custom built system, depending on the brand, size of the computer monitor, memory, manufacturer and other specification, a complete computer system with reasonable processing speed, of say 700 MHz, can be found in the U.S.A. for the U.S. dollar equivalent of J$21,000. However, based on the CAC's August 2001 survey, similar systems available currently in Jamaica were found for less than J$46,000.
Information obtained by the CAC from an electronic survey of overseas prices shows that a Jamaican consumer can shop for selected items outside Jamaica and save sums of money exceeding amounts shown below for the following items:
1. J$25,000 on a Toshiba 700Mhz laptop
2. J$19,000 on Microsoft Office 2000 software
3. J$17,000 on an HP Lazerjet 1200 printer
4. J$25,000 on a complete computer system with processing speed
of 700Mhz.
5. J$33.000 on a complete computer system with processing speed
over 1Ghz.