Shopping in the USA

If your idea of therapy is of the retail kind, you’ll be delighted to be in the USA, where there are opportunities to splash the cash wherever you are.

Shopping malls

When it comes to iconic shopping streets, there is of course Fifth Avenue in New York, and Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, but realistically, elsewhere in the USA, you’re more likely to go shopping in one of the shopping malls or strip malls that you’ll find all over the country. Shopping malls in the US are practically identical to what we have here in the UK, although usually they are far larger in size. Often these malls will be home to America’s biggest retail chains, including Macy’s, Sears, JC Penny, and Bloomingdale’s. In addition to shops, you can expect food outlets, children’s play areas, and ample parking.

When it comes to iconic shopping streets, there is of course Fifth Avenue in New York, and Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles.

For designer clothes at discounts of between 20-40 percent locate your nearest outlet mall or factory outlet, where you’ll find big brands names at lower prices due to minor manufacturing defects, or being the end of lines.

Supermarkets

Where you shop for your groceries will depend on where you’re located, but there are a few supermarkets that you’ll find nationwide, including Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Target. Often these stores sell far more than just groceries – you’ll find clothing, furniture, beauty products, electronics, homewares, and pharmaceuticals. Should you be sourcing ingredients for ethnic dishes, America has a whole range of ethnic supermarkets, although you might have to pay slightly higher prices for any goods that have been imported.

You will usually be able to find what you are looking for in many malls across the country.

Sales tax

In the majority of US States (excluding Montana, Delaware, New Hampshire, Alaska and Oregon) you will be charged a sales tax on goods at the time of purchase. The rate that you are charged (between 1-10 percent) will depend on which State you are in, and will be charged at point of sale. State laws vary considerably as to what goods are subject to tax, but your realtor will be able to advise you about what you’ll be taxed on.

US shops tend to open around 9-10am and close around 8-10pm.

Online Shopping

You can order anything you want online in the USA and have it delivered to your door. However, rules on what sales tax will be charged, if at all, are a little complicated, as they vary from State to State. You will want to confirm this before you start shopping online.

Opening hours

US shops tend to open around 9-10am and close around 8-10pm. On Sunday, opening hours are reduced to between 11am – 5-7pm. Supermarkets sometimes open earlier, at perhaps 6-7am, and usually don’t close until 10pm every day of the week. Smaller, independent shops tend to close at 5-6pm, and are usually closed one day a week, often on Sunday or Monday.

All shops will be closed on Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, and Thanksgiving, although with the growing popularity of “Black Friday”, when shoppers compete to secure the best bargains on the day after Thanksgiving, some shops have started opening on Thanksgiving evening.