Shopping In Rome (pt Ii)

Winter sales (saldi) last from 15 January to the first week of March, summer sales go on from 16 July to the middle of September. The leading designers considerably reduce the prices for their goods. Cheaper clothes, shoes and accessories are sold in the shops of less famous designers.

At other time it's possible to find 20-30% discounts (sconti). You can ask for a discount in the shop, especially if you want to spend a big sum of money. It's a good chance to save up to 5%. But bear in mind that you will not have a possibility to return the article you bought.

It's necessary to notice that the initial cost must be pointed at the label. You can buy something for the lowest price during the total sales (liquidazioni). Such signs as vendite promozionaliand sconti are often placed just to attract the customers. A sign entrata libera means something like just drop in.

Of a particular interest are the shops which promise 60-80% discount.Their shop windows are sealed up. It means that the shop is closing and completely selling all the goods. It's possible to meet such shops almost in every corner of the city. Long international queues (they are inevitable as such sales give a chance to buy a good designer article almost for nothing) will indicate the necessary shop. For example stroll along the main trade street of Rome Via del Corso (although there's a chance to find such shops almost everywhere).

As a rule, the shops are open from 9 am to 13 pm and from 15.30 pm to 19.30 pm (from 16.00 pm to 20.00 pm in summer). In the city center some shops work from 10.30 am to 19.30 pm. If the shop doesn't close for a break there's a sign "Orario continuato" on the door. In the evening open minor shops that sell the goods of not-that-famous designers. In summer they work until 22.00 pm or even up to midnight.

The life comes to a standstill in August. The majority of shops close at least for two weeks as the country celebrates its national holiday Ferragosto.

Many shops are closed on Sunday (except the Sunday before the Christmas). But there are some streets where the shops do not close during the whole week-end.

The majority of shops accept credit cards, some take foreign currency. If you pay cash you may ask for a discount, although there are fixed prices in most of the shops. Important to mention that it's a must to take a receipt in a shop even if you buy just a pencil. The thing is that a tax police officer (guardia fiscale) can stop you in the middle of the street and demand that you show him the receipt. If you won't be able to do it, both you and the shop owner will be fined.

VAT (IVA) is from 12 to 35%. The prices in shops, as a rule, already include this tax. For citizens of non-EU countries this IVA can be indemnified, but it is accompanied by a long
bureaucratic procedure. So it's more convenient to do the shopping in the Euro Free Tax shops.

You won't regret a single purchase made in the eternal city as the goods in Rome are quality and durable!