America is not only famous for the scenic beauty, but also for the shopping experiences that it provides. Other than online shopping in USA, there are several top notch stores that you can shop your heart out in when you visit the country. It is always clever to bring an empty bag to this country to put all the shopped items. As compared to Europe, the cost of clothing is really cheap in America. Shopping in USA is really fun. But, in order to shop and to save the most as a tourist, you may have to do a little bit of research before you embark on this journey. For that, we have provided an entire guide to shop in the country.
CLOTHING
MALLS AND CLOTHING STORES
This type of shopping is not so practical, and takes up a lot of time. You can ask your hotel where the nearest mall is located, get the directions and shop out there. The malls don’t usually have a grocery shop, but do have a wide variety of cafes and other food joints inside them. You may also find a cinema hall inside them. It is typical in these types of malls to find stores like Forever 21, banana republic, sephora, and also multi store brands like Macy’s. You can find clothing for men, women, as well as children. The prices here are also cheaper than most of Europe.
You can visit these stores when:
- There is a sale inside the outlets.
- If you need to buy something that has just launched in the market of a particular brand.
- If you want to buy something of the exact size. These stores have a wide range of sizes available.
- If the stores are about to close down, and they are providing clearance sales.
These stores are typically used by the middle class people. If you are looking for something top notch, you can look out for single brand stores across the street.
Example of price:
- Non branded designer dress- $150
- Female undergarments- $12
- Calvin Klein shirts- $75
Pros:
- These stores are easily accessible.
- They sell the latest arrivals.
- The employees are very friendly.
- You can also make use of coupons here.
- They also have electronic stores sometimes.
Cons:
- These are an expensive option as compared to the alternate ones.
- Not all brands are available here.
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GENERAL GOODS STORE
OUTLET STORES
They consist of chains like Walmart, Sears, etc. You can find everything here at a very reasonable price. Also, there are wide varieties of sizes available inside these stores. You can find everything from dog shaped purses to H cup bras. Many walmarts are also open during night time. These are extremely famous ones around America, and one should definitely visit them at least once to experience the best shopping in USA.
America is a nation known for its coupon policy. You can easily get one, but the art lies on how to use them. The outlets sell the coupons at a small price. You can also print some out from the website of the outlet, or even ask your hotel to provide you a booklet of the same. You can also see various banners named factory stores or outlets, where you can head in for cheapest shopping in USA.
Example of price:
- Fossils sunglasses- $5-$200
- Armani dress- $600
- Banana republic jackets- $60
- Calvin Klein shirts- $65
- Nike women sports shoes- $35
Pros:
- Lower price as compared to Macy’s or other general stores.
- They also have options to use discount coupons.
- Friendly employees who will be present there to guide on choosing which coupon should you apply.
- You can also get your size measured if you are unsure about your size.
- Wider variety of sizes available.
Cons:
- Not as much as variety as compared with the original store.
- In big cities, most of the customers are generally tourists hence, this tells about the price of these stores there.
LAST YEAR’S COLLECTIONS AND LEFTOVER STORES
In America, the title of the store is TJ Maxx, but this is not the only one. The same brand also owns Marshalls, which is also specialized with selling cheaper items. This could be one of the best places to go shopping for clothes in the country. You can find a wide variety of items here. They also sell kitchen wares, perfumes, kid toys, and many more.
Example of price:
- Sketcher’s Men shoes- $35
- Calvin Klein dresses- $29-$59
- DKNY women’s undergarments- $1.99
- Guess handbags- $80-$150
- Tommy Hilfiger men’s belt- $20.
Pros:
- Extremely cheap options
- Quality products from well known brands
- Assorted with size
- The items purchased can be returned
- They are available in lot of locations
Cons:
- The items may be placed in different sections and oftentimes mislabeled.
- Unorganized sections
- You can only bring seven items to the trail rooms.
- The items and their diversity is dependent upon the shopping location.
- You need to check for damaged clothes.
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BEST SHOPPING STATES IN USA
America is filled with sprawling outlet centers, large malls, and whatnot. Of course, the metropolitan cities stand amongst the most favorite shopping sites for the tourists. We have provided a list of the best cities to shop when you visit America.
NEW YORK
The luxury shops lie in this glitzy city. There are many flagship stores lying around of the famous designers in 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue. National chains and mainstream outlets are also available.
CHICAGO
The magnificent mile is what ranks Chicago among the best cities to shop in the United States. Everything ranging from mainstream to high end stores is available here. To spend your best shopping vacations in the US, you must visit Chicago.
LOS ANGELES
Rodeo Drive has already been made popular by pretty women. And, believe it or not, it is one of the best places to shop in Los Angeles. It is where the stars from Hollywood shop their needs.
SAN FRANCISCO
Silicon Valley being nearby makes this city a testing ground for many gadgets. There are also various boutiques in the city and is one of the best cities for boutique shopping in the country.
HOUSTON
It is not only the biggest city of Texas, but also has some of the powerful outlets of the country. It is home to Houston galleria, which has more than 375 stores and boutiques.
With so many options to shop from, shopping in USA becomes easy and difficult at the same time. Hence, it is better to prepare a list, book a taxi, and visit the centers that you would like to buy the items from and shop your heart out.