Shopping in the UAE
Thirty years ago, in the UAE, you could only buy carpets, local crafts, daggers and food. Today, the UAE is a country with one of the highest per capita incomes, new wonders of the world, huge shopping and entertainment centers..
The leaders of shopping in the UAE are Dubai and Sharjah. Due to the low import duty (4%), the prices of goods in the UAE are lower than in Europe. The best brands of clothing, footwear, accessories are presented in abundance, there is electronics, interior items, watches, jewelry.
What to buy
Gold jewelry is made from metal in 18 and 22 carats (these are 750 and 917 standard), there are 24 carat items - 99.9% gold content. You can buy just gold bars weighing from 1 g to 1 kg. In the UAE, you can import and export jewelry without restrictions, and at the Gold Market in Deira, you can buy any jewelry, because this is the center of the world retail trade in precious stones and metals..
If you are going to buy electronics in the UAE, do not forget to check the availability of Russification and warranty in your country.
Where can I buy
The most popular place for shopping is Dubai Mall, its area is more than a million square meters, prices are quite high. In addition to shops selling everything - books, gifts, clothes ... in general, there is everything here, you can also see the aquarium-oceanarium and an exceptional fountain-waterfall. Singing fountains can be seen outside. Next in price category «Beach Juman Center». For the Swiss watch you need to go to Sabra Road. If you want to buy a fur coat, you will «Abrazh Center». Deira Street and Burj Street have the best selection of clothing and footwear.
Head to the markets to buy souvenirs and national goods. In any of the emirates, in the shopping arcade, you can buy pieces of furniture made of pink or walnut wood, caskets made of different types of wood, handicrafts made from «soapstone», dalla coffee pots, daggers and sabers in the national style. Silver jewelry and dishes, ceramics and carpets, Somali incense, oriental spices, camels in all forms - from products made from their wool, toys, carpets, to living things - all this is the Arab market. Feel free to bargain, the price is declared 30-50% higher than the real value of the goods.
In spring, a shopping festival is held in Dubai, during which a special village is being built, where shows, entertainment programs, bullfights and horse races are held. Discounts on such sales are up to 70%. Moreover, you are guaranteed to buy the goods of the company declared on the label. There are also shopping malls on the outskirts of cities, prices are lower there, but goods differ for the worse in quality and abundance of Asian counterfeits.
