Invisapeeps 2.0

Forty-two · Guru

Shopping

genie · Veteran Member

I feel the same way about shopping in the States. When I was a kid, we used to travel to the US to do back to school shopping, etc. as you guys had much better selection and the dollar was in our favour. Now? there's not that much of a price difference to make it worthwhile, and generally we have close to as much selection as the centres that we go to in the states. Plus we don't have provincial sales tax here... (kills me when I go anywhere that does... it's the unhappy little surprise at the end of the purchase!)

I'll occasionally pick up something at an outlet mall if I'm in Chicago or Houston, but generally I don't have time while I'm on business, and I don't want to waste my time in a mall while I'm on vacation.

ana · Senior Member

Well, I shop in the States because we do have provincial tax to the tune of 13%, and with the choices I get, I prefer to shop in the States.

Balloon Animal · Guru

For the most part I do a lot of my shopping online if it is something I cannot find in stores. Amazon is my best friend.

winds55 · Guru

When visitors return home and someone asks them where they got something, they don't want to say run-of-the-mill-town, they want to be able to say "I got this in NYC!" They want to brag about that just like others want to brag about their looks, their salary, or how much their house costs.

living revived · Senior Member

I shop in San Diego for clothing and whatnot because it's cheaper than here. We have 16% tax and importing fees hike up the price on quite a bit.

RichardInTN · I believe in I.D.I.C.

Amazon WAS my best friend... until someone in the legislature got the bright idea to start collecting tax on Tennessee residents...

Now I just "Amazon" it if it's something I'm going to have shipped somewhere else

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

RichardInTN wrote:
Amazon WAS my best friend... until someone in the legislature got the bright idea to start collecting tax on Tennessee residents...

Now I just "Amazon" it if it's something I'm going to have shipped somewhere else

I hate Use Tax, which is what PA calls the same thing.

We get a lot of people coming into PA to shop, as we don't have tax on most foods and clothing.

Forty-two · Guru

winds55 wrote:
When visitors return home and someone asks them where they got something, they don't want to say run-of-the-mill-town, they want to be able to say "I got this in NYC!" They want to brag about that just like others want to brag about their looks, their salary, or how much their house costs.

I cannot imagine that anyone would think buying something in NYC is something to brag about. That is all kinds of crazy.

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

Because NYC is much more exotic than small-town America?

Forty-two · Guru

I think I would have to have some sort of flashing light to go off for me to think someone is bragging because even if I lived in ButtFvck USA I would not think shopping in NYC was something to brag about.

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

I've gone shopping in NYC, live in Small Town America, and I don't think it's something to brag about. I was treated rudely and am not anxious to repeat the experience.

Forty-two · Guru

AArdvark I am scratching my head to even come up with why shopping in NYC would be something to brag about no matter where you lived. That doesn't make any sense to me. ...maye people have been bragging to me all of these years and I did not know it.

Forty-two · Guru

ana wrote:
Well, I shop in the States because we do have provincial tax to the tune of 13%, and with the choices I get, I prefer to shop in the States.

Damn at 13% tax i don't blame you! Not that I have a reason to go to Canada other than to see you, but I know that I damned sure wont be shopping up there.

Balloon Animal · Guru

I think sometimes shopping somewhere else is cool because they might have stores you don't have where you live. So I get that part. But a shirt bought at Macys in NYC is no fancier than a shirt bought in Macys Atlanta if you know what I mean.

Cactus · Senior Member

I think it depends on the item. If you're buying something mass produced it doesn't really matter where you buy it, and in many cases it was just produced in some overseas factory anyway.
But some places do have more stores and an overall larger selection than others -this may reflect the size of the population or the demographic.
And there are one of a kind items that are maybe hand made by a local designer or something. Of course big cities aren't the only places to have these either but might be more likely to have a larger number of them because they are larger markets but also depends on local culture.
I think as far as your visitors it may be partly thinking a larger city will have more stuff/selection in general, and partly for the experience of shopping, not just what they can get.

Desdenova · Motherhood: Sleep is for the weak!!

Oh I buy thing in the US because it sometimes cheaper than in here. And also I buy clearance and use coupons and we can't really do that here.

A good example is Carters clothing, we have some stores that sell the brand here, a few months ago I got 3 bibs for $10 and also used a coupon, then I saw one here (exact same one) 2 weekends ago and it was priced the equivalent of $9 for one.

Cactus · Senior Member

I think even living in one big city people want to shop when they go to another big city. It is part of the travel experience and seeing another place.
I am not a big clothes shopper but even I might be interested in seeing a shopping district if it's something the city is known for or just to see it as part of the culture of the city. I understand for the people you are talking about it seems to be more about the merchandise so maybe those reasons don't apply.
Stores don't always have the same exact stock and sometimes you just happen to find something in one place that you don't in another.

OpheliaDev1 · Guru

I would want to shop in NYC, not necessarily to buy a lot of stuff, but to see the department stores, etc.

ana · Senior Member

Forty-two wrote:
ana wrote:
Well, I shop in the States because we do have provincial tax to the tune of 13%, and with the choices I get, I prefer to shop in the States.
Damn at 13% tax i don't blame you! Not that I have a reason to go to Canada other than to see you, but I know that I damned sure wont be shopping up there.

It's all good. We have no health care costs. biggrin

RichardInTN · I believe in I.D.I.C.

ana wrote:
Forty-two wrote:
ana wrote:
Well, I shop in the States because we do have provincial tax to the tune of 13%, and with the choices I get, I prefer to shop in the States.
Damn at 13% tax i don't blame you! Not that I have a reason to go to Canada other than to see you, but I know that I damned sure wont be shopping up there.
It's all good. We have no health care costs.

Tease. wink

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

Forty-two wrote:
AArdvark I am scratching my head to even come up with why shopping in NYC would be something to brag about no matter where you lived. That doesn't make any sense to me. ...maye people have been bragging to me all of these years and I did not know it.

Maybe because NYC is a big, fancy city that's supposed to be the cultural capital of the US? I don't think so myself, and can find plenty of culture in good old Pittsburgh, but there is a perceived aura of superiority of NYC.

OpheliaDev1 · Guru

When I was in London, I made a point to go shopping in Harrod's. It's a landmark. I got some candy's in a Harrod's tin and I still have the tin. For me it would be about the experience of seeing things like the Garment District, the historic buildings, etc. Rather than an outlet mall.

Balloon Animal · Guru

I would want to go to Times square just to see it and "shop" but more really just wanting to go see all the cool huge nifty stores like FAO schwartz and the giant Disney store etc.

OpheliaDev1 · Guru

And the Mattel store!

RTL · Member

There is no Trader Joe's where I am, so when I travel, I do a good deal of shopping there, and mail it home to avoid extra baggage fees.

I visit shops and restaurants that I see on the telly but which do not exist in my area. I also like to shop where the locals shop.

ana · Senior Member

Dh is such a little kid. I have been ton NYC numerous times, but he hasn't. We went last May and he loved the M&M store! He bought so much candy. To be fair there was quite a few varieties we had never seen before.

Balloon Animal · Guru

Ooohhh M&M store. I would love to go there! Just stick my mouth under the dispensers.

Cactus · Senior Member

I am not a big clothes shopper but I do like to go to bookstores when I travel. I also like museum gift shops and places like that. It also depends on if a city or region is known for something in particular. Some places have specialty foods or local crafts or something.
Some types of clothing are easier to find in some parts of a country than others due to cultural differences. Country vs city, North vs South, ethnic and economic demographics etc etc.
I would also rather go to a shopping street than a mall.
Not sure any of this is on-topic really

Forty-two · Guru

If I were in London I would go to Harrods because they don't have Harrods here. But if I was in NJ I would not go NYC to go to Saks, Nieman Marcus, Prada, etc. since they have them here.