Shopping

New York City is known worldwide as a shopper’s paradise. The key to a successful New York City shopping experience is figuring out what you need to purchase and in what area you are likely to find it, and planning your shopping trip accordingly.

For necessities and small household items, it is often simpler and cheaper to stay in your neighborhood—look for “dollar stores,” discount stores, or branches of K-Mart, Duane Reade, Rite Aid, Target or CVS

If you’re looking for one-stop shopping and a taste of New York, visit one of the city’s many department stores where you can find an array of products for a variety of prices all under one roof. Known as “the largest department store in the world,” Macy’s (34th Street and Broadway) is a popular place to start, or try the well-known Bloomingdale’s (59th Street and Lexington Avenue). Manhattan stores and the streets around them will be at their busiest on weekday lunchtimes, after working hours and on Saturdays. Weekday mornings usually offer the best chance of finding stores a little quieter.

Most items purchased in New York City stores are subject to a sales tax of 8.625%. Groceries (food items) are not taxed, but food prepared in restaurants is taxed. Note that the prices marked on goods in stores are all pre-tax; once you make a purchase the tax is added. Smart shoppers sometimes choose to head to New Jersey where there is no sales tax on clothing! There are occasional “Tax Free Weeks” in New York during which no tax is levied on certain purchases of clothing or shoes.

Always ask for a receipt whenever you make a purchase and find out about the store’s refund and exchange policy. Should you need to return a purchase, make sure you show your original receipt and, if possible, keep all price tags intact. Most stores will refund your money in the form in which you paid, issue you a store credit, or allow you to exchange for another item in the store. If a store fails to honor its stated return policy, you can contact the Better Business Bureau at (212) 533-6200 (www.bbb.org), the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs at 311 (www.nyc.gov), or the New York State Consumer Protection Board (www.consumer.state.ny.us).

Food Shopping

Local supermarkets are the best place to do most of your food shopping; small neighborhood grocery stores or “deli’s” generally charge higher prices. One way to save money on groceries is to use coupons, which you can find in newspapers or in supermarket circulars. Coupons entitle you to a discount on items advertised. You must present them to the cashier when you make your purchase. Note the expiration date, face value, and any restrictions before using them.

Farmers from farms outside New York City sell their fresh produce at outdoor markets (called “Greenmarkets”) throughout the year; one of the largest is the market at Union Square (East 17th Street and Broadway). For information on Greenmarket locations and schedules, call the Council on the Environment of New York City at (212) 788-7900 or go to www.cenyc.org.

Sales and Discounts

Sales are a blessing for the budget-conscious student. Department stores and boutiques offer sales at various times throughout the year. Usually the best time for bargains is during holidays (especially just after Christmas) and at the close of each season (for example, summer clothing goes on sale in July, and winter clothing in February). If you watch for sale announcements in newspaper or television advertisements, you can buy quality items at reduced prices. A great bargain shopping opportunity for the clothes shopper is the New York City sample sale—a short sale during which a designer sells off samples of the upcoming season’s collection or leftover stock, usually at reductions of 50% to 70%. For the serious shopaholic, there are publications and websites that detail all upcoming sales and discount offers such as the shopping section of www.newyorkmetro.com.

You can also find inexpensive clothing and other items at street fairs, which are typically held on weekends during the summer, and at flea markets. Prices at street fairs and markets are often negotiable—don’t be afraid to bargain! Go to www.newyorkled.com and click on “New York City Events” for street fair times and locations. For cheap furniture and household items, students often look for used, or “second-hand,” goods. Second-hand stores or “thrift stores” like The Salvation Army (use the “thrift store locator” at www.salvationarmyarc.org/stores/index.shtml to find a branch near you), Goodwill (goodwillny.org/stores.jsp) and Housing Works (www.housingworks.org/thrift/hours.html) are smart places to start. Another resource is the popular website Craigslist (www.newyork.craigslist.org/). In the “For Sale” section of this site New Yorkers who are moving, leaving the city or cleaning out their closets post ads selling all kinds of items—there’s even a “Free” category!