Shopping

YOU MUST ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING YOU BUY HERE IS WITHIN 
YOUR DUTY FREE ALLOWANCE

200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g smoking tobacco; 
1L spirits over 22% or 2L spirits under 22%, 
2L sparkling wine and 2L of any other wine. 
£145 worth of other goods including gifts and souvenirs. 
60mL perfume, 250mL eau de toilette

EXAMPLES OF PRICES IN EUROS

CARTONS OF CIGARETTES
Benson & Hedges	22.00	Camels	20.00
B & H American Blend	12.00	Viceroy	8.00
50g (Samson) tobacco	3.50	Box of 50 King Edward Cigars	31.50

BOTTLES OF SPIRITS
Bells Scotch Whiskey	12.00	Local Equivalent	6.00
Bacardi White Rum	11.00	Local Equivalent	6.00
Smirnoff Vodka (red)	10.00	Local Equivalent	6.00
Gordon's Gin	10.00	Local Equivalent	6.00

BOTTLES OF LIQUEURS
Jack Daniels	15.00	Tia Maria	14.00	Bailey's	13.00

Bottles of Wines (70cl) 
range in price from cheap and nasty - 1 euro cheap but very nice €2.00 and anything over €5.00 you start talking a bit of quality. Bottled or canned beers go from around 40c to 80c each, depending on which brand you buy. The local Spanish (cheap - 25c) beer is not too bad by the way.

After shaves & Perfumes 
These vary in price as in duty free shops here in Puerto Rico, it's normal to "haggle" over the price. They are cheaper here than Las Plamas airport, also cheaper than airports from the UK so most other places too I would imagine. Any products with an aloe vera base are not only cheaper here but a heck of a lot stronger too.

Electricals
Again, comparing prices here to those in the UK (sorry, I don't know enough to compare them with other countries), cameras and camcorders here are around 20% cheaper, sometimes more, again the prices can be "haggled" over. Other electrical goods are at least 20% cheaper. Don't hand over money until you've compared prices and are happy with your deal, you won't get any kind of refund, whatever the shopkeepers say!! WHEN PAYING BY CREDIT CARD, always check the amount on the slip before you sign it, convert the currency if necessary to ensure it's correct. Once you sign the slip, that's your money spent and if you discover later it was wrong, your credit card company WILL NOT alter the amount, that is up to the establishment and im my experience they don't refund. I only know of one electrical shop in Playa del Ingles that guarantees your money back if you're not happy and it also provides international guarantees for everything it sells, called "Visanta" in the Yumbo shopping center. If you find another one, let me know!!

Some advice on buying electrical goods such as camcorders
relevent for all islands?

 

General Opening Hours

Banks Monday-Friday 08:30 until 14:30 
Saturdays from September to April 08:30-12:30

Post Office Monday-Friday 08:30 until 14:30 
(a stamp for Europe costs 50c by the way)

Shops and Supermarkets in the shopping centers 09:30 until 22:00

Car Hire/Hairdressers/Travel Agents 09:30 until 13:30 and 16:00 until 20:00