What to buy in the UAE? Shopping in the Emirates: what can you buy cheaply in the UAE?

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

The United Arab Emirates is not only a country of the sea, sun and sheikhs, but also a mecca for shopaholics. No self-respecting shopping lover will be able to return to their homeland without any purchases. There is even a saying: "It is as difficult to pass by shops in the UAE as it is not to fall under the rays of the sun in Bali." Two or three shops and at least one market - that's the minimum for our compatriots. What to buy in the UAE? About thirty or forty years ago, you could only buy slippers "a la Hottabych", a dagger or some kind of carpet here. But now everything has changed: numerous shopping malls have grown in the middle of the desert, attracting fashionistas and fashionistas from all over the world. You can buy absolutely everything there: from perfumes and clothes to gold and cars.

Where can I shop?

The most attractive are the three emirates - Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. If you like haggling, go to smallprivate shops or markets. And if not - in shopping malls. There are also so-called "free economic zones" (for example, in the port of Dubai), as well as the well-known duty free.

The best shopping malls in the Emirates are Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Wafi City Mall, Ibn Battuta Mall, Deira City Centre, Bur Juman and others.

What is it that attracts tourists to shopping in the UAE? The answer is simple - prices! A lot of products are much cheaper than in our country, since the Emirates have a very low tax on imported goods. But what to buy in the UAE, we learn from a small rating.

Top most popular items in the UAE purchased by our tourists

The question of what you can buy in the UAE is probably asked by any traveler who goes to this mysterious country. Here is the ranking of the most popular items:

1. Undoubtedly, this is electronics. Phones, cameras, camcorders, tablets, computers and various household appliances - they account for about 15 percent of all purchases. Buying a phone in the UAE, for example, can be very cheap.
2. Clothes, inexpensive and branded, including fur - 13 percent.
3. Jewellery, most often made of gold and other precious metals, with and without stones - 11 percent.
4. 10 percent of total turnover - perfumes and cosmetics.
5. 9 percent are cars.
6. Watch purchases account for about 7 percent of all purchases.
7. Spices are next - 6 percent.

Remaining interestroughly equally share various little things like souvenirs.

Can I buy a fur coat in the UAE?

One of the most profitable purchases is the purchase of a fur coat. In Dubai, you can’t buy a fur coat except at the grocery store. More than 300 stores offer fur products, which are divided into two types: branded (fur coats are sold there directly from Greek and Italian manufacturers) and those that only resell other people's products. In order to buy a fur coat in the UAE, it is worth setting aside one or even two days of your vacation so that you can slowly go around several stores, try on your favorite models, carefully evaluate the quality of products and compare prices. Good quality fur should be smooth, shiny, with a light fur and a dense undercoat. The seams on the outside of the product should be almost invisible.

Buying jewelry

Another popular product category is precious metals and stones. Most purchases are made at the famous Gold Souk in Dubai. This is a huge quarter, completely occupied by a myriad of shops. There is probably no such number of decorations per square meter anywhere else in the world. There you can find all kinds of products, different in cost - from cheap to fabulously expensive. Gold jewelry 18, 21 and 24 carats with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, pearls - everything is very massive, catchy, bright, large and often even clumsy. However, inside the product may be hollow: this is done so that the thing can be worn without bending down to the ground.

Because the people of the Emirates love all the very best, there is an exhibition sample of the heaviest gold ring in the world on the market, the weight of which (together with precious stones) is 63 kg 856 g. As a rule, there are no price tags on the products, or they are, but there is written such a price that only Rockefeller can easily lay out. It's made for bargaining. Bargaining is in the blood of Eastern people. They get real pleasure from a good bargain. Do not be afraid to bargain, you will not offend the seller and leave his children hungry: even having thrown off 30-40 percent of the originally announced price, he will still win.

What to buy cheap in the UAE? Of course, spices

Not far from Zolote is the spice market. Here you can find everything your heart desires, especially a soul who is not indifferent to the culinary arts. Mountains of cinnamon, saffron and pepper, jars with rose petals and orchid roots, boxes with mixtures of dried herbs and seeds, bags of dried fruits and packages of oriental sweets are waiting for their customers. You can also find traditional Arabic medicines and incense here.

Perfume Paradise

Of course, you can buy perfume in the Emirates! The UAE offers perfumes both of their own production and imported, produced under the brand name of well-known brands. The latter should be purchased only at the airport duty free, otherwise there is a risk of running into a fake. In addition to outright fakes, there is such a thing as "licensed perfume". Is notthe original and not a fake, but perfumes produced under the license of the brand in the UAE. Since the license prohibits making changes to the aromatic composition of the perfume, the buyer can be sure that the composition will be identical to the original product. But why are they cheaper? The fact is that the production uses cheap labor (usually Pakistanis work for 50-70 dollars a month) and a cheaper bottle, and there are no transportation costs.

As for the local oil-based perfume, this is undoubtedly a worthwhile purchase. In addition to the usual application to the body, they can be added to aroma lamps, shampoos and shower gels. Amber and musk are part of almost all Omani perfumes. Since they have a rather strong smell, just 1 drop is enough to keep the fragrance lasting all day.

How without gadgets?

Many of our compatriots bring all kinds of gadgets from the Emirates. What to buy cheaply in the UAE, if not electronics? However, there are several rules for buying equipment in the UAE. For example, you want to buy a watch in the UAE or a mobile phone. To avoid unnecessary problems, it is best to purchase any electronic goods in large shopping malls or in branded stores. When buying, it is advisable to immediately check the IMEI. If, according to the data, it does not correspond to the product that you are buying, then you should not make this purchase: the phone is most likely "gray". Do not rush to pay right away, especially if you are "talked" or urged on. Look carefully andtest the product you are purchasing (case, speaker, cords, connectors, etc.).

And what else to buy in the UAE? How about a car?

Wife - a fur coat, perfume and jewelry, teenage children - gadgets, but what remains for men? The most important male toy is a car. Every fifth Russian, vacationing in the UAE, cherishes the dream of returning home with such an acquisition. The Emirates do not have their own car industry, but since the inhabitants of this country are used to changing their "iron horses" at least once every 2-3 years, there is always something to choose from in the car market. Excellent roads and climate help to keep almost the factory look and quality of the car. The benefit when buying a car in the Emirates is about 30 percent compared to the average Russian prices. That is why buying a car in the UAE is a profitable business!

The two most popular car markets are Al Avir in Dubai and Abu Shagara in Sharjah. The first market, located on the outskirts of the city, in the industrial zone, specializes mainly in expensive brands such as Mersedess, Ferrari, Porshe and Bentley. The second is located in the heart of Sharjah; cars are parked right along the road.

When buying a car in the hot Emirates, you need to take into account the equipment, taking into account the Russian climate. Do not be too lazy to test for damage to the body and suspension (it is paid, but worth it).

In order not to accidentally buy a car that was previously used in a taxi service, carefully inspect the interior of the car: in such a car it will be more worn than the interior of a regular car, and a trace of an information sticker may be visible on the dashboard,which is usually stuck in taxis of this country.

Basic shopping rules in the Emirates

1. Don't rush to buy the first thing you like. In a nearby store, the exact same one may cost less.
2. Handle friendly, don't get angry. Joke, smile, try to win over the seller.
3. The final chord of bargaining - the magic words of the last price. Ask for "last price" when you're ready to buy.
4. You can bargain even in fixed price shopping malls. You may well be given a small discount - a discount.
5. Friday, from 11:30 to 13:30, shopping centers are closed - this is prayer time.
6. It is better to pay in cash, as when paying by card, you will be charged a commission of 2-2.5 percent. And if you're buying an expensive item like a car, that 2 percent is going to be pretty nasty to lose.
7. Electronics and household appliances should always require a warranty card.
8. You should beware of street barkers: they offer their help and say they will help for free, but in fact, the cost of their services is included in the price of the thing that they persistently offer you. They will receive their money from the seller after you pay for the purchase.

What not to buy in the UAE?

The British say: "We are not rich enough to buy cheap things." But Russians are attracted by the sweet word: "cheap." You already know what you can buy in the UAE, and what you can’t buy inEmirates? The answer is obvious - base fakes of expensive goods. This purchase will bring you nothing but disappointment. It does not matter what it will be - a cheap fur coat bought hastily, a Rolex watch for $ 80, an iPhone or Chanel No. 5 perfume for the same amount. They will not last long: the leather on the strap of the "Swiss" watch will peel off, the paint will peel off, the perfume will last no longer than a couple of hours, and the phone will stop working altogether after a few days. Think about whether such "savings" are needed? Now you know what to buy in the UAE!