Shopping in Mexico is Different, Better, Okay Sometimes Weird

We're open when it works for us!

Shopping in Mexico is different. I get lots of questions like "Do you negotiate for everything, like people say?" The answer is Yes and No. When we bought our furniture, we negotiated on every single piece. One of the first Spanish phrases I learned, was "Y el precio mejor?" or "And the better price is?" Given that we were furnishing a 3200 sq ft (300 sq mtr) penthouse, that single phrase saved us thousands of dollars! So yes, anything of substance is up for negotiation. For example, my lovely bride wants a Cartier watch for her birthday. While the price is an already absolute bargain compared to authorized dealers in the USA, I'll still negotiate it down, when the time comes. A lot! How about those stories about people haggling over a bag of oranges? No thanks. Even if the locals do it, we're not going to be the "Ugly American" (a phrase which is more accurate than ever, nowadays) and cut into the margins of some street vendor or farmer trying to make a living.

The Store is Open - When We Feel Like It!

I bought a custom "Arcane: League of Legends"

t-shirt from a store in a mall. They did such a good job, I wanted them to make another one for me. I wen by the mall at 10am. They we closed. Another day I went at 2pm. Still closed. Turns out, they do 80%+ of their business after 3pm and they just don't feel like it's worth spending an additional 5 hours in the mall, for

that last 20% of income. Good for them! I finally got my shirt (which gets me smiles and thumbs up and even verbal compliments, everywhere I go!) from them when they drove to our building and dropped it off one day! People are SO nice here!

Same thing happened with my barber. I went by the shop and walked in. No one was there. A woman from the store next to it came in and told me he would be there in an hour. When I finally got my haircut, he told me he'd be happy to come by the penthouse and cut my hair, here. LOVE IT!

Oh No! An Evil Billionaire Won't Get My Money!

2 out of 3 of these earbuds cost $300.

The other thing I love about shopping here is China! China recently released videos showing that luxury brands like Louis Vitton etc. had their wares made in China, and then just had the final touches attached in France etc. Well here in Mexico, they have never cared about selling cheap "knockoffs" or even the real products - just without the branding (and 10x expense that goes with it!). Yes, you can buy whatever you want at Nordstrom or Saks and pay US prices, if you like. But there are so many things where getting the branded item just isn't important. For example, my lovely bride bought some earbuds for her IPhone. Same size, weight, case and they work exactly the same.

Only two differences:

1. They don't have the Apple branding (Oh no! A billionaire won't be slightly richer!) and

2. They cost $15 bucks! That's right! Those $300 Iphone earbuds are fifteen dollars here. At pretty much any store you go into!

Bienvenido a Mexico and see you soon! Frederick