 | Although this entry has been translated, the quality of internal content translation is still poor and needs to be improved. Please help solve these problems! |
Shopping It can be explained in many ways: any form of purchase, or used in recreational activities.
Shopping is always inseparable from tourism. Travelers can buy items that are not available in their hometown, or cheaper, or of higher quality than those bought in their hometown. During or before the trip, shopping can also expand what you needBaggage to be carried 。
Where to and should not shop
There are many exceptions-even a terrible supplier may have some good things, or become the only place where you want to sell, and even a good supplier may have some overpriced rubbish— -But there are some general rules for finding good places and avoiding bad places.
Good shopping place
There are often many discounts in tourist areas. They tend to have better travel-oriented products to choose from, and the facilities you may find elsewhere may be better; for example, they may have more Chinese-speaking employees, or they may accept foreign credit cards, or even Alipay. , WeChat Pay. However, the prices of such places are often somewhat higher than other places, especially in the so-called tourist traps, so buyers should remain vigilant. Especially when buying high-priced goods in tourist areas, you need to be very careful.
If you find out where the locals go to shop, you can often do better. It is particularly worth mentioning that local department stores are often worth visiting, especially if you prefer to use fixed prices instead of bargaining. In many places, such as local markets, bazaars or open-air markets are very colorful, even if you do not plan to buy anything, it is worth a visit.
There are several specialized shops worth visiting.
- Many museums have shops selling high-quality imitations, or even other museum goods. pictureThe British MuseumorSmithsonian MuseumSuch large institutions have very good shops, and even some small museums often have good shops.
- SomeArchaeological siteThere are also good shops.
- Many art galleries also sell good books or printed materials. Local artists or photographers can also be sold elsewhere.
- There are also many government-run shops, such as India’sCentral bungalow industrial co., ltd., Which aims to promote local arts and crafts.
These professional establishments are not very cheap, most of them will notbargain, Although some galleries may be. However, the quality is usually quite high, some of the products on offer are unique, and you are unlikely to charge more than tourist areas or local general markets.
Bad shopping place
As a rule, any supplier with an exclusive market will try to take advantage of this situation and charge more; they may also have many reasons to charge high prices because they pay very high rents. Examples includeAirportAnd some hotel shops, and quite often a shop, this is the only shop used by people who take a tourist bus to a certain attraction.
The bigger the place, the fewer this problem may be. In a huge airport, a mall next to a hotel, or an entire tourist shop district, there is enough competition to keep prices reasonable.Hongkong International AirportThere are even signs advertising "Guaranteed City Center Price".
In many places--AsiaSteering committee systems are very common in most areas of China and elsewhere. When a tour guide, taxi driver, rickshaw vendor or even a random "friendly" stranger takes you to such a store, he or she will get commissions for everything you buy. More or less, all these places are overrated, and the most attractive places for unscrupulous tour guides is because they pay the best commissions and the worst in the traveler's opinion.
Walk into many market buildings, or walk along the streets in some areas, and you will come close (in some places, swarming) touting who will lead you to the store. These people are usually delegated and should usually be avoided.
For some very bad transactions, please refer toCommon scams。
Some points
- Travel lights. When you travel, you can take less clothes and toiletries, especially if you travel to some low-cost destinations that are good places to travel. By donating used clothes to local charities, you can reduce the burden of the journey on the return journey.
- Research/observe local consumption levels. With any possibility of bulk shopping, before starting your trip, you can understand the prices sold through homes, stores and the Internet that day. On your first arrival, you can only guess whether the offer is cheap or expensive by local standards. In such asAirport、Hotel storewithCultural attractionsIn tourist areas, prices tend to increase privately. When you pass several stores elsewhere, you may know the generally accepted prices for common items. Remember the choice and price of the airport or hotel, so you know what the local sales price is like.
- Small shopping only uses experience, large shopping should actively use calculators. Use rough rules of thumb to compare prices. Suppose you live inAmericaAnd visitJapan, 1 U.S. dollar can be exchanged for 88 yen. Since 88 is close to 100, the rule of thumb is to remove two zeros from the price (if needed, those used for math can be adjusted to an additional 7/8). This is a great way to quickly find out if you need to pay 290 yen for takeaway pastries. However, if you buy a camera worth 35,000 yen, you should know that it costs about $310 at home and use a calculator to calculate it.
- When buying imported electronic products, please pay attention to whether its power system is compatible with the power system you use, regional encoding media and incompatible video formats; also, if you plan to buy a vehicle to bring back, please make sure it can be registered in your country use. The beauty of standards is that there are so many standards to choose from.
- At the same time, pay attention to warranty issues. For example, a manufacturer’s warranty for a camera or electronic product usually only applies to equipment sold by authorized dealers in the country. Buyers from Western countries can save a lot of money by buying at duty-free ports such as Hong Kong or buying "gray market" equipment (imported by someone other than authorized dealers) at home, but if there is a problem with the equipment, he will not Will get free warranty service locally. In fact, some manufacturers refuse to repair the products they sell on the "gray market"... even unwilling to sell the necessary parts to independent repair shops.
- At the end of shopping, there are several reasons to save shopping time before the end of your stay:
- You know how much you will spend
- You are more familiar with local price levels, availability and quality (see above)
- You minimize your luggage during the journey and the risk of losing your belongings.
- Tariffs can be part of your cost。
- The store knows what the tax exemption restrictions are in your home country and what fees will be charged if you exceed their standards. The relevant regulations may change unexpectedly, for example,AmericaorCanadaNo tariffs are imposed on unmounted gems, but there are requirements for jewelry, so loading the same gems may exceed the tax exemption limit. Regardless of the price or value, certain items must be declared and accumulated to your work allowance, such astobaccoorAlcohol。
- If you plan to buy any valuables (camera equipment and jewelry are the most common), please refer toHow to prove that something is yours, For information on avoiding liability when you will return to your country.
- In addition to the duties of expropriation,Border officials often enforce other regulations. Please see below for various import laws and otherlimitdiscussion.
- In some areas, you must be prepared to bargain, Because this is the only way to get a reasonable price. Please see us aboutbargainArticle.
buy what
Duty-free shoppingCan save money, especially for commodities such as alcohol and tobacco, as well as fromNorthern EuropeTravelers in high-tax areas of the country. But please pay attention to the precautions in the linked article.
Arts and crafts are popular souvenirs. The cost of handicrafts is often in line with local income levels;Tropical africaPrices are very cheap in other areas, but inWestern Europeexpensive.
At least you need to wear it when travelingclothing. The local climate is usually better. Beware of different clothing size standards; for example, a person who wears L in a Western country may need XXXL in China. If you travel to some low-income countries, please consider asking a local tailor to make one for you. This may be quite affordable because of the low labor cost, especially if suitable fabrics are also cheap. In some areas, handmade boots are also easy to buy.
For tax or tariff reasons, food and beverages may be popular for shopping abroad. But these goods may be fragile and imports may be restricted.
Items like glasses can also be quite cheap overseas. A comparison shopper isCanadaBought the cheapest glasses for $135 for his prescription, andthe PhilippinesIt was $35; he eventually paid $125 for a very good eye in the Philippines. Some travelers can complete dental work or surgery abroad. SeeMedical Internship。
Place for specific goods
Some destinations are known for certain types of goods:
- Carpets have been manufactured on the Silk Road. If the transaction is moderate, their prices here are much cheaper than other places. In each region, sometimes each village has its own unique design.
The finest carpets are produced in the great weaving centers of Iran and Turkey, but the Caucasus, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Baluchistan are also famous for their carpets. Carpet production is almost everywhere in China in the east, Romania and North Africa in the west, and carpet manufacturing is an important industry in India and Pakistan. - Electronic products in duty-free ports such as Singapore, Hong Kong, St. Thomas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or St. Martin in the Caribbean. A few decades ago, these were by far the cheapest places to buy such goods; today, their prices on many products are not better than those of major suppliers in Western countries, but they still have good sales. See alsoTravel photography and video。
- Gems are found all over the world, but certain places are known for certain types:
- Diamonds are mainly mined in South Africa and neighboring countries, but it may be better to buy diamonds at the cutting location. Processed diamonds are one of Israel’s main exports, although Israel has almost no diamond mining operations.
- The emeralds are mined in Colombia.
- China still has some good sources of jade, especially Hetian jade, but most of the best jade in China today is imported from Myanmar. There are a lot of jade in the border town of Ruili, but if you can, try to go to Myanmar.
- Australia produces most of the opal in the world. The largest mine is located in Coober Pedy, but opal can be bought in any major city. Mexico is also rich in opal.
- Many of the best moon stones come from Sri Lanka. India also has some high-quality gemstones, but there are also many lower grade gemstones, usually larger in size or lower in price.
- Almost every tropical coastal area has some pearls, and Japan is also known as the birthplace of pearl cultivation.
- Ruby and sapphire are the same mineral; different impurities give different colors. Myanmar, Sri Lanka and India are the main sources. High-end gems are very clear and can be cut with small faces; other stones are cut cabuchon (curved, not faceted) to give star rubies or star sapphires. Gemstones of different colors, such as the gray star sapphire in Sri Lanka or the "Plum Star" common in Agra, are much cheaper than bright red or blue gems and may still be lovely.
- There are some exquisite jewels in the main shopping area of gems or anywhere. However, some of the best deals are to sell copies of ancient works in museums or shops at archaeological sites.
limit
There are legal or other restrictions on many types of goods, and they vary greatly from country to country.
Anything that may cause disease may be restricted; most countries restrict the import of plants, animals, seeds (including unroasted coffee beans) and some foods. For example, the United Kingdom does not have rabies and will not accept most animals that are not quarantined. Australian customs will burn sheepskin products in certain areas due to the risk of anthrax.
Many countries restrict the export of antiques or cultural relics, please refer to the national article for details (and assuming that even if it is not mentioned, there are at least some restrictions). Tourist places or museum shops usually have good copies that are perfectly legal (acquire and keep documents, because good copies can sometimes be mistaken for the original).
There is an international convention that restricts the export of ivory and other products from endangered species, and the penalties are quite severe. If you want to buy ivory products, the easiest way is to buy only fakes. Some antique items are exempt from the ban, but dealing with these things is complicated; at least you need to check the legal details and make sure that the supplier provides good documentation showing that the item is indeed an antique. Then worry about restricting the export of antiques.
There are restrictions on the shipment of hunting trophies. After an apparently illegal and controversial incident of a lion named Cecil in Zimbabwe in July 2015, many airlines completely banned shipments. For details, please refer to our hunting article.
Copyright or trademark law can also be a problem; cheap imitations of all kinds of luxury jewelry are easily available everywhere, but they may be confiscated at the border, and you may even be arrested, especially if you have a large number of these goods.
Of course, you should be very cautious about introducing illegal goods such as drugs or weapons; even if you have a prescription or license in one country, they may be illegal elsewhere. For example, it is very unwise to buy cannabis products in a tolerable or legal place, such as some states in the Netherlands or India, and try to bring some homes to most countries. Carrying cannabis products may even be illegal, if both ends of the travel are legalized-in the United States, and even from Colorado to California (the two states that legalized the drug) is illegal from federal law. If you try to take them abroad, guns that are perfectly legal in the United States can cause big problems; for example, people are arrested at the Canadian border from time to time. It is illegal to import alcoholic beverages or pork products into Saudi Arabia. and many more.
There may also be problems with books or newspapers. Anything that might be considered "propaganda" from North Korea will get you into trouble in South Korea (although North Korea's troubles may be worse). Religious items can bring you more benefits, as missionaries who are politically unbiased as missionaries for potential missionaries, because they refuse to enter or even go to jail, because even in more extreme Muslim countries, The same is true for personal use of the Bible. Although works in your own language or in a reasonably "obscure" language are often overlooked or ignored, the introduction of potentially inflammatory literary works in English, local language or a wide range of regional languages will still make you more unfree The country is in trouble.
Items such as medicines, vehicles, or electrical equipment may also be problematic because even if they are located elsewhere, they may not be considered as safety certification at the destination. In addition, items such as weapons and some drugs may not be unconditionally prohibited, but you need to obtain special permission to import them into destination and/or transit countries.