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 discounted than the Spanish Sales but then I find it is normally cheaper here the rest of the time.

The first day of the summer Clothes sale in Spain is 1st July until 31st August.

The first day of the Winter Sales in Spain is normally around 7th January until 1st March. The sales normally start the day after 3 Kings Day (Spanish equivalent to Christmas Day when giving and receiving gifts).

What sort of discounts can I expect to get?

Discounts can vary. They´re not that generous here at first and start around 20% - 40% then eventually, when not much is left reduce to around 50% plus.In El Corte Ingles, winter sales 2007 I noted that towards the end of January they gave an extra 20% off the sale price on clothing - this offer was on for about 8 days. Then after this most of the clothes went 50% off the original price.

What are the opening hours?

Most shopping centres are open from 10am to 10pm. High Street shop hours will vary. In July and August El Corte Ingles in Puerto Banus opening hours are 10.30am to 10.30pm and open on Sundays too. There are a few other Sundays that El Corte Ingles is open.

Can I exchange or get a refund at shops in Spain?

Always check with the shops policy. Most of the shops do offer 1 month refund or exchange but you have to have the receipt. There are some shops that will refuse to give a refund and only offer an exchange or give whats called a "Vale" a receipt with the amount on for you to spend within 1 month or so.

In Spain, well in Marbella anyway, shops dont tend to take on anymore 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 shelve, pay and go. By about 12pm, the queues really start getting bad where if its too long I dont even bother going in the shop.

Generally, like everywhere, the best stuff goes on the first/second day. After that, you are limited to 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 2 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 noone 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 10euros then the next 25euros. Im 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, Malaga which is just down the road, 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 thats has recently opened with beautiful watches and diamonds, Marina Banus and El Corte Ingles.