• Hardware

  • Is there any computer store in Lebanon accepting debit cards?

High quality veggies and fruits - i have some doubts. Some - yes, some is really not up to date tech and quality (mostly because of tech) is so-so comparing with competitors. Like for example i checked some mediterranean/african countries, they have very up to date tech(controlled atmosphere, precise biochemicals, automated farming, etc), and because of that they can ship to Russia their veggies and fruits from afar, but Lebanon is not, cause most veggies from Lebanon, even it is closer - wont pass strict sanitary controls at end of shipping.
I researched also on number "fertile land per capita", Lebanon numbers are not so good. Mostly because major part of land is rocks and high population.
Compare with Georgia, who has good climate, this number is much higher, and yet still they need to import lot of stuff.
But there is some hopes, some Lebanese produce is good, hydroponics can be done (and water available, especially if not wasted), but on my opinion major issue is LAWS, and then investments technology.
I doubt anybody will invest in new agriculture tech, if laws wont protect those investments and wont provide any guarantees.

P.S I'm really sorry, as it's offtopic, but i think its really important to discuss it.
I don't think it is entirely off-topic as exports will mitigate the decreasing purchasing power and increase electronics sales.

I also have another idea. Can the government make trade deals with foreign manufacturers and suppliers for lower rates in exchange for exclusivity of imports? It will be close to Ogero but with electronics.
Well, didnt you noticed that everywhere in the world internet backbone cost $0.1/Mbit, while Ogero sell it $50-$55/Mbit? :)
I think its bad idea. And honestly i think its already done, major brands are imported by guys who have "wasta", this is why many branded things are batshit expensive.

Only good idea to import parts and assemble everything possible here. Lebanon market is very small, and "multinationals" wont invest in assembling, so local businesses have to do that. This will lower cost of many items and employ lot of people.
And, still Lebanon has most qualified people in arab market, as i know, so some complex stuff can be done here, if investment climate is good, but "most qualified" is not forever, UAE/KSA/others boosting their education system and new generation is much better, while Lebanon is stalling in this subject.
I meant like instead of people with wasta, the government can regulate imports and hence prices.
Sorry I won't read everything in this thread.
But back to the question in the title, does anyone have a positive answer?!
VincentKeyboard wroteI meant like instead of people with wasta, the government can regulate imports and hence prices.
They will regulate with preference for "wasta" guys. It's not even lebanon, its just creating preconditions for corruption anywhere.
Regulations should be clear and minimal, Lebanon regulations are not proper even in food safety, because outdated.
And it should be only to provide quality standards and against cartels/monopoly.
Like there was example of guy with chinese mouses and etc. Seller should have meaningful way to provide warranty, e.g. keep some % of stock of replacements for last items sold until warranty ends, have ways to repair items (agreement with manufacturer or repair shops), keep statistics of returns and etc. As soon as this is enforced properly - those who manufacture locally will be leading, and importers of outdated unreliable crap that end up in garbage bin - will evaporate, as they can't be up to standards.
LifeEngineer wroteSorry I won't read everything in this thread.
But back to the question in the title, does anyone have a positive answer?!
Try Carrefour or another similar big store---they have other things to sell beside computers so you should be able to use your card there. Of course your selection may be crap, but it's a start. As for trading in, it is next to impossible to get a decent deal, especially now. I would suggest you sell your goods/parts first and then buy what you need somewhere else. If you get lucky and get actually USD currency, you can use that to pay the difference.

Or you could try your luck with Aliexpress or another online reseller--maybe shopping.io? Still be cheaper than buying here.
Buy a motile 14 laptop from walmart with onyourway, 600 usd shipped to your door, you can pay card including american express. Blown away considering the price.
xazbrat wrote
LifeEngineer wroteSorry I won't read everything in this thread.
But back to the question in the title, does anyone have a positive answer?!
Try Carrefour or another similar big store---they have other things to sell beside computers so you should be able to use your card there. Of course your selection may be crap, but it's a start. As for trading in, it is next to impossible to get a decent deal, especially now. I would suggest you sell your goods/parts first and then buy what you need somewhere else. If you get lucky and get actually USD currency, you can use that to pay the difference.

Or you could try your luck with Aliexpress or another online reseller--maybe shopping.io? Still be cheaper than buying here.
shipping.io would be a good choice, I'm always ordering books from amazon through them with fair pricing and without being rippped off. Plus, they have a very fast shipping.
nuclearcat wrote 1500LL to USD it is not something somebody just decide and put.
For the record, the official rate is still just above 1500.

And yes, they can just decide and put. Is that not how centralized currency works?
VincentKeyboard wrote
nuclearcat wrote 1500LL to USD it is not something somebody just decide and put.
For the record, the official rate is still just above 1500.

And yes, they can just decide and put. Is that not how centralized currency works?
You can make your own currency at home, let's name it Vincents, circulate it inside, give your kids and wife for good deeds, smiles, and all relations in the house are about Vincents. You want wife to make salad or lunch, you pay Vincents, but she pay for veggies from her funds, just will charge you double... One problem, eventually some home members who go outside to "import" food(those veggies too), toys, etc and they will want some real cash, cause nobody want Vincents outside your home.
You can say you exchange 1500 Vincents to 1USD.
Its piece of cake if you are rich man with large farm behind. But, you own small but known and cozy coffee shop, which barely makes profit, more likely loosing.
So you dont earn much USD, but you generously give Vincents for your family members. Your wife smile all day, and she bought gucci, large petrol guzzling jeep, your kids have latest Apple gadgets with max subscriptions. So how did it happen?
Your uncles living abroad sending you money, and you told them your coffee shop is really kicking and you can give them nice % from investments.
In reality you just give USD of your uncles for your family. And giving uncles fake reports how their investments are doubling, tripling and so on...
Coffee business go really bad, hard times, and your family didnt bothered to invest in it a penny.
Uncles realized that his USD are not really invested, and coffee shop got really rusty crusty, and almost no people want to visit it. They stopped sending you USD and demand money they invested - back.
So, you are free to put 1500Vincents to USD. But you have little USD left, from barely kicking dying coffee shop, your wife and kids have lot of Vincents on hands and they want to pay for gadgets subscriptions, wife need to put fuel in her huge jeep...
And you know you can't afford that anymore.
Yes you have centralized currency and your Vincents. And no USD, all is left barely enough to feed your family.
But they got used for good life and think they deserve it, that each their smile and salad still worth lot of USD.
Unfortunately... reality is bad. Time to realize it.
And not only Vincent who did this scheme are one to blame(while mostly its his scam). Others has to be more realistic that smiles are good and worth a lot in family, but they are not convertible to USD. It's not even really work. And they had to open eyes and take care about family business, coffee shop, instead of buying jeeps and gadgets.
It's time to do real work, grow some veggies in backyard, sell them, and get used for a while for using cheap android and motorcycle. Your family is known to be talented, so for sure you will make something. But, if you, your family, uncles come to senses, which is not happening yet.
Sorry, for such comparisons, but this is what happened and happening, IMO.