Shopping opportunities in the USA are truly vast — the country is filled with all kinds of stores, many of which are aimed at tourists. Here you can buy almost anything, from souvenirs to clothing from well-known brands. Prices in most states will pleasantly surprise you. Shopping trips to the USA are especially popular in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Orlando, San Francisco and Miami.
Among well-known retail chains popular with tourists are Wal-Mart Stores, which sell all kinds of goods and groceries and belong to a large national network; Costco self-service warehouse stores; Macy’s stores offering clothing, footwear and electronics, which are also available at Best Buy Co. In the USA you will also find supermarket chains such as Kroger, The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, as well as small convenience stores like 7-Eleven.
Types of Stores in the USA
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Shop. A regular, usually small store.
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Store. Compared with a shop, this is a larger store offering various products.
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Mom & pop store. A small privately owned shop, usually located in a city’s business district. Traditionally sells unique or exclusive items.
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Department Store. A large store with a wide variety of goods, a department store.
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Cash & Carry. A store where goods are sold only in bulk and for cash — but at very low prices.
Small private stores usually operate on their own schedule, but most of them are open Monday through Friday from 09:30 to 17:30. Large supermarkets are open Monday through Saturday from 09:30 to 21:30, Sundays from 12:00 to 17:00, but there are some open 24 hours a day.
There are sales in the USA practically all year round. So you should keep a close eye on the signs on the stores. The most active season of sales in the U.S. happens twice a year: in August-September and in December-January, and at this time among shopaholics begins a frenzy of excitement.