Shopping Abroad
If you think that shopping is easy, then you are mistaken. Shopping requires some preparation. Our tips will help you make successful purchases and enjoy shopping.
Main secrets of a successful shopping
- Spontaneous purchases are sometimes successful, but money nevertheless requires a rational approach. Therefore, before going to the store, make a list of what you would like to purchase.
To make a list of what you need, look at the pictures on the Internet, download pictures of the things that you like on your phone and you want to see them in your wardrobe. Pinterest can help with this. It collected a lot of pictures. By the categories “clothes”, “accessories”, you can definitely find what you like. Download pictures, save them and go shopping with a ready-made idea of what you want. - If we talk about shopping abroad, then you need to first clarify, maybe in your country the thing that you want to buy is cheaper than abroad. Open two sites, for example, Zara in Ukraine and Zara in Hong Kong, compare prices and conclude where it is more profitable to buy this or that thing.
- Be sure to download offline maps for yourself. The Internet is far from always accessible abroad, therefore offline maps are very convenient. Firstly, they will tell you where the main attractions are located, and secondly, the maps will not let you get lost and tell you where the stores you are looking for are located.
- You need to remember that in some countries the prices even in chain stores may differ, so go to several identical stores and maybe you will find that somewhere the price is more profitable.
- If you have never used the tourist tax refund system – tax free, then it’s time to learn this. According to this system, tourists do not need to pay VAT. You pay this tax at the store. But at the airport or upon arrival in your country, it is returned to you. Therefore, be sure to find out if such a system works for tourists in the country where you eat and how to arrange everything correctly.
- When you buy clothes or shoes in another country, consider the sizes, because in different countries the dimensional grid is significantly different. In order not to make a mistake with the size, it is better to measure a thing in a store.
Other secrets
- Of course, you need to consider the country of manufacture. For example, Apple products are assembled in China, and since there is no VAT in Hong Kong, it is in China that Apple products are the cheapest. If you want to buy things of Italian brands, then it would be more logical to go after them to Italy.
- Outlets probably love everything. Often in large cities there are huge shopping centers, where there are many shops with discounts. Be sure to find out about the availability of outlets in the city where you plan to shop.
- When you decide to buy something, then think about how you pay. It’s better not to pay in cash abroad. Because exchangers usually do not offer the most favorable rate and an additional fee is charged when withdrawing from an ATM. Pay with credit cards. But you need to consider in what currency your card. It is better if the currency of your card is dollars or euros, i.e., the direct currency for conversion. If you have a card in a different currency, you will have to pay a double conversion fee.
- Very often, banks block card transactions that they think are suspicious. Under such a criterion, any operation performed abroad can fall. Therefore, before traveling, call your bank and warn that you are going to leave and take the card with you.
- Remember the ratio of exchange rates to the dollar, or to the currency of your country.
- Find out what tax on various things in the country where you eat. For example, in the USA, taxes vary by state. And are almost never indicated on the price tag. Therefore, when you pay for the purchase, you may expect a small, or maybe quite large, surprise – you need to pay more than you expected.
- Many mistakenly believe that duty free is the most profitable place to shop. In fact, this is not so. If you open the website of the duty free airport where you fly and compare with the prices for the same goods in the city, you will see that the city is often cheaper.
Eastern European Express – international shipping