Smarter Shopping in Europe

Part of traveling in Europe is enjoying the shopping. I still recall the beautiful shoe shop in Venice where my aunt bought a fabulous pair of shoes and matching purse - almost 40 years ago. And, I remember the frustrations of not relocating a "locals" shoe shop in Rome - I found several shoes I liked at great prices but decided to return with the other ladies in my group. Well, we returned to the area and could not find that shop again. So, when you see something you really want, buy it.
Part of traveling in Europe is enjoying the shopping. I still recall the beautiful shoe shop in Venice where my aunt bought a fabulous pair of shoes and matching purse - almost 40 years ago. And, I remember the frustrations of not relocating a "locals" shoe shop in Rome - I found several shoes I liked at great prices but decided to return with the other ladies in my group. Well, we returned to the area and could not find that shop again. So, when you see something you really want, buy it.

If you know where to go, Europe can be a bargain hunter's paradise but if you stick to the tourist areas you'll pay high prices. Buy what's considered a good buy in the various locations you'll be visiting - leather goods in Italy, wine in the wine regions of France, chocolate in Switzerland (Just don't let your family snack on it before you get home.) In general, the smaller towns have better prices than the large cities. Don't forget the duty-free shops at the airports. I bought terrific things at the duty-free shop in Vancouver several years ago - all at great prices.

You need to do some research before you go. Double-check how much you're allowed to bring back with incurring any duty tax. And, check what restrictions on the type of items you'll want to bring back.

Determine what you're thinking of buying and check locally (big box stores, discount stores) and on the internet to see if it's worth shipping it back or lugging it around. Then, check into what's considered a good deal in the regions you'll be visiting. Do a little research so you'll know how to recognize that piece of sterling silver really is sterling silver, not silver plate. Figure out how much the exchange rate and possible cost of shipping is - some things are better purchased at home.

Some shops will ship your item(s) home for you for free, or at a nominal fee. It's a great idea because it's no hassle for you and they know how to package their merchandise for shipping. Buy them with a credit card so it's insured against breakage or loss. Check the fine print on your credit cards to determine which card offers the best insurance on items purchased. (American Express is excellent.)

Shop around, especially for the larger ticket items. Compare prices at a few locations. Let the owners know you're shopping around; they'll frequently negotiate with you. Always ask, "Is that the best you can do?"

Location. Location. Location! In this case, you don't want as good a location. If you're shopping in the gift shop at your hotel, you're probably paying way more than necessary. And, if you shop at those gift shops the tour busses stop at, you're also probably paying too much. Ask the concierge at your hotel to give you some good shop locations, the hotel staff, your waiter and other "locals" that can steer you to the stores they like to shop at.

Ask about the VAT (value-added tax) and how the tax refunds work on purchases. Sometimes the country will refund this tax on all items purchased in the country; often it's on certain products only. Find out what you'll have to do to obtain your refund. If it's a big hassle and/or a lot of paperwork, you might decide it's not worth it.

Don't forget the street markets, craft fairs (often at local festivals) and flea markets. Here you'll really want to negotiate and you'll find things you'd probably never see at home. Realize you'll have to go through some junk to get to the best bargains. Shopping at flea markets is best done in the early am for the best selection and late in the day for good bargains.