The best fashion and gift stores Paraguay
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Practical information : Treat yourself (& others) Paraguay
Timetable
Shops are generally open from 8-9am to 7pm, with sometimes a lunch break. They close on Sundays and sometimes Saturday afternoons, or on Mondays in the small tourist towns around the capital, which fill up at the weekend. Shopping centres have extended opening hours (9am-9pm) and are open daily.
Budget & Tips
In the capital and the big cities, most purchases can be paid by credit card. You can also often pay in US dollars in Asunción, and sometimes in real, especially in border towns (Ciudad del Este, Pedro Juan Caballero...). In most of the shopping centers, by presenting your foreign passport, you can ask for a voucher that allows you to get a 10% discount in the shops (this 10% corresponds to the IVA).
Sales
The black friday is a much awaited event for its important promotions in all fields. It takes place on the last Friday of November, at the beginning of the hot season, so it's not surprising that in the top 10 best-selling items are air conditioners, fans and refrigerators!
What's very local
Paraguay is rich in original and quality handicrafts (wood, leather, metal, cotton, ceramics...). It is always preferable to buy these items directly from artisans and producers in specialized villages. However, the prices displayed in the shops or on the handicraft stalls in the streets of Asunción remain very reasonable. Bargaining is not common practice and it can be frowned upon to try to negotiate. Sometimes you will be offered the "yapa". Originally, this is a brand of small candies sold in bars. The term has become widespread for gifts from shopkeepers (a caramel, an extra tomato, or a chipa), to thank the good customer.
Tourist traps
Shopping is the main attraction of Ciudad del Este. You should know on the one hand that products such as electronics are no cheaper than in France, and on the other hand that the temple of Paraguayan capitalism is known for its copies and forgeries. Prefer stores located inside shopping malls, and if you buy electronics, ask to try them out in the store and keep your receipt.