The UAE is a mecca for shopping lovers and the Arab center of high fashion. There people can enjoy purchasing various goods with absolutely any budget because most often the main thing is the pleasure of the process. Even choosing a magnet among a thousand of them while shopping at a real oriental bazaar is a good leisure activity, isn’t it? At the same time, the UAE is a country where you can easily buy something that you’ve never thought about before, for example, an island! There it solely depends on the amount of money you have.
The country ranks 3rd in the world after Hong Kong and Singapore in terms of re–export: a huge range of goods is presented there, and VAT refund for purchasing goods is a common practice.
Experienced shopaholics will likely notices that prices in the UAE are often higher than in European shopping centers but take into account that new collections get to the country much quicker and the range of choices is always much wider.
World-famous celebrities regularly come to the Emirates for shopping, since privacy is of great importance there. Shopping in the UAE is guaranteed to be at the highest level because much attention is paid to staff training: a shop assistant won’t ask for an autograph, and paparazzi won’t snap pictures behind clothes racks.
The best things to buy in the UAE are electronics and household appliances, fur and leather coats and jackets, and pieces of jewelry.
Leather & Fur
Prices for leather and fur products are really among the lowest in the world, even Greek fur coats are cheaper in the UAE than in Greece. Fur and leather coats should be purchased only in certified stores that provide a guarantee for the goods.
Jewelry
Gold and precious gemstones are delivered to the UAE directly from mining companies which are the leaders of the world market, so prices for jewelry are lower there than in other countries. Many jewelry shops provide a five-year guarantee for pieces of jewelry with the right to exchange them and with the preservation of the price. Thus, the buyer is allowed to wear a piece of jewelry for several years, and then, exchange it to another one, provided that it is not damaged and there is a receipt.
Electronics & Household Appliances
New gadgets and electronics are released in the UAE weeks or even months earlier than in other countries. Electronics and household appliances should be bought only in the certified stores that provide a guarantee for the goods.
Herbs & Spices
There’s a spice souk (market) in every emirate of the UAE. Such a market is a dozen of narrow streets with hundreds of shops. There you will find a great variety of original spices and herbs, both mono and multicomponent ready-made mixes at attractive prices.
Shopping in the UAE. Part 2. How to Avoid Being Deceived
