Electronics shops ain't dead, at least in Singapore...

[David L. Jones]

For all those who remember the "real" electronics shops in Australia,
whilst they might be pretty much dead in Australia, this ain't the case
in Singapore.

I've just been to Sim Lim Tower, an electonics parts store mecca in
Singapore. Nothing but dozens and dozens of electronics parts shops on
multiple levels in this one big shopping tower. Tiny stores crammed to
the rafters with both old and new electronics parts in bins, grab
baskets, and floor to ceiling component cabinets.

Female staff were prevalent (presumably family members of the owner),
and they instantly know the price of every little part. Marked prices
are generally high compared to Jaycar et.al, but are very negotiable.

Many stores have lots of junked test gear, and some stores are
specialised in say hobby motors and robotics, test gear, HF radios,
soldering gear, or batteries etc.

Lots of kits and things around too, and you also see people sitting in
the back of the stores just packing kits.

I have no real idea who the target market is, and with so many
component shops selling similar stuff I am surprised they all stay in
business. Customers seemed to be a mix of nerdy looking hobbist types,
and the general public wanting general DSE type electronics bits.

A fascinating and compulsary visit if you find yourself in Singapore.
Don't confuse it with Sim Lim Square though, that is a another nearby
(massive) shopping complex for consumer gadget geeks.

Dave

 

[The Real Andy]

For all those who remember the "real" electronics shops in Australia,
whilst they might be pretty much dead in Australia, this ain't the case
in Singapore.

I've just been to Sim Lim Tower, an electonics parts store mecca in
Singapore. Nothing but dozens and dozens of electronics parts shops on
multiple levels in this one big shopping tower. Tiny stores crammed to
the rafters with both old and new electronics parts in bins, grab
baskets, and floor to ceiling component cabinets.

Female staff were prevalent (presumably family members of the owner),
and they instantly know the price of every little part. Marked prices
are generally high compared to Jaycar et.al, but are very negotiable.

Many stores have lots of junked test gear, and some stores are
specialised in say hobby motors and robotics, test gear, HF radios,
soldering gear, or batteries etc.

Lots of kits and things around too, and you also see people sitting in
the back of the stores just packing kits.

I have no real idea who the target market is, and with so many
component shops selling similar stuff I am surprised they all stay in
business. Customers seemed to be a mix of nerdy looking hobbist types,
and the general public wanting general DSE type electronics bits.

A fascinating and compulsary visit if you find yourself in Singapore.
Don't confuse it with Sim Lim Square though, that is a another nearby
(massive) shopping complex for consumer gadget geeks.

Dave

Apparently they have street markets in taiwan where you can buy dev
quantities of components.

 

[Joe G \(Home\)]

I've just been to Sim Lim Tower, an electronics parts store mecca in

Singapore. Nothing but dozens and dozens of electronics parts shops on
multiple levels in this one big shopping tower. Tiny stores crammed to
the rafters with both old and new electronics parts in bins, grab
baskets, and floor to ceiling component cabinets.

<<SNIP>>

Yes.... and if you look around for a while at the Sim Lim Tower component
"buying houses" you will see the staff straitening out IC legs on bench's
with out any anti-static precautions!

And customers using a 3v lithium cell to test batches of LEDs, before they
purchase.

There's reasonably priced electronic book shop on the bottom floor... I
think they sell books to Jaycar.

I spent about 8 hours at Sim Lim Tower (no to be confused with Sim Lim
Square across the road)

Also a little further down in "little India" there is another small clump of
electronic shops..


China has some great electronic centres

-Shanghi, but the best is in Shenzhen City (SEC market).... about 30min
over the board from Hong Kong.


A lot of the worlds electronics products I think are made in Shenzhen Boan
(50min over the HK boarder).... I used to visit the Cordless Phone
factories.


Joe

 

[swanny]

<<SNIP>>

Yes.... and if you look around for a while at the Sim Lim Tower component
"buying houses" you will see the staff straitening out IC legs on bench's
with out any anti-static precautions!

And customers using a 3v lithium cell to test batches of LEDs, before they
purchase.

There's reasonably priced electronic book shop on the bottom floor... I
think they sell books to Jaycar.

I spent about 8 hours at Sim Lim Tower (no to be confused with Sim Lim
Square across the road)

Also a little further down in "little India" there is another small clump of
electronic shops..


China has some great electronic centres

-Shanghi, but the best is in Shenzhen City (SEC market).... about 30min
over the board from Hong Kong.


A lot of the worlds electronics products I think are made in Shenzhen Boan
(50min over the HK boarder).... I used to visit the Cordless Phone
factories.


Joe

And don't forget all the little electronic parts booths right near the train
station in Akihabara in Tokyo.

 

[Merlin]

[...snip]
And don't forget all the little electronic parts booths right near the train
station in Akihabara in Tokyo.

and in Bangkok - hundreds of shops in the ban maw area. You could spend
days walking around there and not see it all.

 

[Franc Zabkar]

There's reasonably priced electronic book shop on the bottom floor... I
think they sell books to Jaycar.

That would be Tech Publications Private Ltd. When I worked in
Singapore some 15 years ago, TP used to sell "Asian" editions of
computer books for about 1/3 of the Australian retail price. These
were English texts that were "illegal for sale or distribution outside
Asia".

- Franc Zabkar

 

[Franc Zabkar]

For all those who remember the "real" electronics shops in Australia,
whilst they might be pretty much dead in Australia, this ain't the case
in Singapore.

I've just been to Sim Lim Tower, an electonics parts store mecca in
Singapore. Nothing but dozens and dozens of electronics parts shops on
multiple levels in this one big shopping tower. Tiny stores crammed to
the rafters with both old and new electronics parts in bins, grab
baskets, and floor to ceiling component cabinets.

There is also Jalan Besar Plaza at 101 Kitchener Rd. That's where
Radiospares, Peking Radio and GEIC (a Motorola distributor) used to
be.

- Franc Zabkar

 

[David L. Jones]

That would be Tech Publications Private Ltd. When I worked in
Singapore some 15 years ago, TP used to sell "Asian" editions of
computer books for about 1/3 of the Australian retail price. These
were English texts that were "illegal for sale or distribution outside
Asia".

Yeah, that's the one, saw it on the bottom floor.
Prices weren't too bad.

There is an online shop (name escapes me) that sells Indian re-prints
of technical books, supposedly only for sale in India, but they were
happy to take my money and send me one.
Much cheaper than here and pretty good print quality. Very thin paper
though.

Dave

 

[David L. Jones]

For all those who remember the "real" electronics shops in Australia,
whilst they might be pretty much dead in Australia, this ain't the case
in Singapore.

I've just been to Sim Lim Tower, an electonics parts store mecca in
Singapore. Nothing but dozens and dozens of electronics parts shops on
multiple levels in this one big shopping tower. Tiny stores crammed to
the rafters with both old and new electronics parts in bins, grab
baskets, and floor to ceiling component cabinets.

Female staff were prevalent (presumably family members of the owner),
and they instantly know the price of every little part. Marked prices
are generally high compared to Jaycar et.al, but are very negotiable.

Many stores have lots of junked test gear, and some stores are
specialised in say hobby motors and robotics, test gear, HF radios,
soldering gear, or batteries etc.

Lots of kits and things around too, and you also see people sitting in
the back of the stores just packing kits.

I have no real idea who the target market is, and with so many
component shops selling similar stuff I am surprised they all stay in
business. Customers seemed to be a mix of nerdy looking hobbist types,
and the general public wanting general DSE type electronics bits.

A fascinating and compulsary visit if you find yourself in Singapore.
Don't confuse it with Sim Lim Square though, that is a another nearby
(massive) shopping complex for consumer gadget geeks.

Dave

For those who are curious, here is an inside shot of a typical
electronics store in Sim Lim Tower:
http://alternatezone.com/stuff/DSCF3126-SimLimElectronicsStore.jpg

Dave

 

[Herbie]

and in Bangkok - hundreds of shops in the ban maw area. You could spend
days walking around there and not see it all.

Yes, very interesting area. Although my transliteration would probably be
more like Ban mor. Ban Mor Road is located in Chinatown near the Memorial
Bridge.
This street goes from the Chaho Praya river to Charoen Krung road. Exact
GPS location - (Ban Mor), N, 013º44.753', E, 100º29.921'.

Regards,
Herbie.