There are not only boutiques of the world's most famous brands, but also quite democratic shopping centers and showrooms of emerging designers.
Most major shopping centers in New York City:
Macy's, famous for its huge selection of clothing, cosmetics, jewelry and 10 percent discount for foreigners;
Bloomingdale's — manufacturers from around the world are represented.
Popular outlets in New York:
Woodbury Common Premium Outlets (498 Red Apple Ct, Central Valley) — huge selection, daily discounts from 25 to 65%, easy to get to from the Port Authority bus station, discount coupons available on the bus.
Jersey Gardens (New Jersey) — lots of children's stores, no sales tax. You can get there by bus from the Port Authority bus station.
Fans of premium shopping tours in New York should check out Patricia Field (306 Bowery), where all the bohemians dress. It was "Patricia Field" who created the style for the heroines of the movies "Sex and the City" and "Shopaholic". Prices here are quite reasonable.
For hipsters, New York City has a special store, New York Vintage (117 west 25th Street). The store carries items that were created by world-famous designers from the 1920s through the 1980s. Outfits are priced from 600 USD.
The Evolution store (767 Fifth Avenue at 58th Street) sells everything about life on planet Earth. For example, items that are 465 million years old, butterfly paintings, mammoth tusks, fossils of ancient fish, meteorite fragments, and tyrannosaur teeth. As a souvenir, you can buy a pendant with a meteorite fragment for 21 USD.
And, of course, you can’t leave New York without visiting Forbidden Planet (832 Broadway) — the largest comic book store, featuring around 200,000 issues. However, you can find cheaper copies for 6–8 USD at the secondhand bookstore located at 828 Broadway.
Useful tips for tourists
Almost all types of purchases in New York are subject to a sales tax (Sales Tax) of 7.5% of the total amount spent, so don’t rely on the price tag. The exceptions are groceries, clothing, and footwear under 110 USD, as well as online purchases.
It’s best to buy souvenirs in New York outside Times Square — prices there are extremely high. For instance, a miniature Statue of Liberty can cost 10 USD less just 100 meters away, and even cheaper at the Chinatown market, where prices are lower and tax-free. For 10 USD there, you can buy ten T-shirts instead of one.
New York sale seasons
The best time to shop in New York is from Thanksgiving Day (the fourth Thursday of November) until New Year’s. The biggest sale day is Black Friday — the Friday following Thanksgiving. You can also find great discounts before Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day (the first weekend of September), Valentine’s Day, and Easter.
