Shopping Sales In Spain

I thought I would write this for all you shoppers out there, especially the ones that enjoy rummaging through the sales and picking up those bargains.

I think the sales in the UK are much better although this years winter sales of 2008 / 2009 have seen some huge discounts of up to 70% sometimes even more. I picked up a beautiful Kenzo Jacket for my daughter in El Corte Ingles Puerto Banus which was €110.00 reduced to €30.00.

The first day of the summer sales in Spain is 1st July and they run until 31st August. During the months of August and September the larger stores like El Corte Ingles and La Canada shopping centre on the Costa del Sol also open on Sundays.

The first day of the winter sales in Spain is normally around 7th January and they run until 1st March. The sales normally start the day after Three Kings Day (which is the Spanish equivalent to Christmas Day - it is the UK's Twelfth Night).

Discounts can vary. The past years it has started at around 20%- 40% and when there's not much left it goes to 50% / 60%. A few weeks into the sales El Corte Ingles start to offer extra discounts and normally an extra 20% discount off the sale price. Do ask what the last price is as often it doesn't say it on the ticket.

If you wait until the end of February there are often some amazing reductions in the larger department stores, but be warned that Zara's sales all finish at the end of January.

Most shopping centres are open from 10:00 to 22:00.. High Street shop hours will vary. In July and August El Corte Ingles in Puerto Banus opening hours are 10.30 to 22.30 and they open on Sundays too. There are a few other Sundays that El Corte Ingles is open you can check here.

Always check with the shop's refund policy. Most of the shops do offer a period of one month for refund or exchange but you must have the receipt. There are some shops that will refuse to give a refund and only offer an exchange or give what's called a "Vale" (a receipt with the amount on for you to spend within one month or so). Be careful of this policy as at the moment shops are closing down left right and centre, you don't want to be left with a "Vale" to spend in a shop that doesn't exist any more! Personally I think El Corte Ingles is still the best shop to buy from if in doubt or you want guarantees.

In Spain, well in Marbella anyway, shops don't tend to take on any more staff at these busy times, and queuing can be bad anyway, so you have to be patient or do what I do and go browsing the week before, try all the clothes on, then when the sales start you take what you want off the shelf, pay and go. By about noon, the queues really start getting bad and if they are too long I don't even bother going in the shop.

Generally, like everywhere, the best stuff goes on the first/second day. After that you are restricted on sizes. From after the first week some shops reduce prices again (segundo rebajas), but in my experience, buy it when you see it and when you see it in your size. Most of the shops advertise that their sales are for two months but after a couple weeks in some shops there´s either nothing left or just a small rail at the back of the shop with things that you completely understand why they are left and no one has bought it!.

This is with the exception of El Corte Ingles, Puerto Banus, Marbella. On the first floor where all the fashion is, they do have quite a lot left in the sale until the final day and it never seems to be really busy in there so it actually quite nice just browsing through. Also, most items do go 50% or more towards the end. From the 1st September they have a week called ´Semana Fantastica´ with the final bits left in the sale.Dont be surprised if one day you see something for €10 then the next €25. I'm not too sure of the legal side here in Spain but quite of lot of the time, prices go up and down.

Well obviously La Canada in Marbella is one of my favourite but I never give up an opportunity to go to The Nike factory in Plaza Mayor which is near Malaga Airport, and whilst there I always pop into Toy´s R Us in Malaga which is just down the road as there are just no other toy shops on the Costa Del Sol like it.

I also love going to the new Miramar Shopping Centre in Fuengirola, where there are different/individual shops rather than the usual Massimo Dutti, Zara, Mango Etc.

Puerto Banus is also fantastic with its range of shops all along the port with the big designers like, Jimmy Choo, D&G, Louis Vuitton, Loewe and lots more including a brand new Gomez & Molina Jewellers that's has recently opened with beautiful watches and diamonds, Marina Banus and El Corte Ingles.