Archive for the ‘Shopping’ Category

Question: I am planning a shopping trip and would like some advice on which Outlet Mall is better? Woodbury Common or Jersey Gardens? Also, what is the sales tax on clothing and shoes in New York and New Jersey?

Answer: To say which mall is better is pretty much a matter of opinion. The team here at VisitNewYork.ie are not one’s to sit on the fence and we took a vote and the majority of the team here voted in favour of Woodbury Common purely on the basis of choice. Woodbury Common is a one hour bus journey from Manhattan to Upstate New York. Jersey Gardens is only a thirty minute bus journey from midtown Manhattan.  Compared with Jersey Gardens indoor outlet, Woodbury Common is an outdoor mall set in pretty surroundings. It is also the larger of the two malls and subsequently offers a wider choice of retailers which for most means a better shopping experience.

That said, Jersey Gardens across the Hudson is in close proximity (five minutes) to Newark Airport which makes it the perfect opportunity for a convenient and last minute shop en route to the airport. Although there are not as many stores as its New York State rival Woodbury Common, retailers at Jersey Gardens compete on convenience as well as on price via their sales tax policy.

New Jersey does not charge sales tax on clothing period. Ladies note that this includes shoes! The only key difference between the two states is that New Jersey sales tax is 7% compared to New York’s 8.375%.  As of August 1st 2009, each item of clothing and footwear purchased below $110 USD are exempt from the New York State and City sales tax of 8.375%. Items such as jewellery, handbags and sports products and electronic goods like cameras, ipods and laptops are not exempt from the sales tax in both new Jersey and New York.

With the economic downturn retailers are fighting for every dollar and are enticing shoppers with goods at knock down prices.  The weak dollar is also another contributing factor to a stronger purchasing power and even bigger bargains! Sales tax should only really concern you if you are planning on spending in the thousands. If so, check out our previous post to a question we received on customs charges at Dublin and Shannon airport.

So to answer your question which outlet mall is better, we will ask you a simple question. Convenience or choice?
Only you know the answer!

The VisitNewYork.ie Team

Question: Heading to New York first week of December, planning on going to Woodbury Common. Do you need to book the bus tickets in advance?

Answer: The busiest shopping period for U.S. and New York in particular is fast approaching. In 2009, Black Friday falls on Friday 27th November. The following five or six weeks leading up to Christmas and the New Year will be prime holiday season shopping in New York. New York retailers are not immune to the recession and as a result they are battling each other for business which can mean only one thing to the Irish shopaholic…..BARGAINS! With this in mind and the dollar at an all time low against the euro, everyone knows of the great bargains to be had in the Big Apple, but also at Woodbury Common Premium Outlet which is home to the world’s largest collection of 220 designer and brand name outlets. .

Everyone going to Woodbury common tends to travel early in the morning and make a day trip out of it which makes complete sense. There are limited buses so our advice for anyone planning a trip to Woodbury Common is to book your ticket in advance so to avoid waiting around Port Authority Bus Terminal when you could be nabbing a pair of Manolo Blahniks at 70% off! There is a lot of ground Woodbury Common is big so another piece of advice is to wear comfortable shoes, bring a light rain jacket and plan your shop assault en route.

VisitNewYork.ie sells Woodbury Common Bus Tickets at €30.00 return. Buses to Woodbury Common depart Port Authority Bus Station at 42nd Street (right by Times Square) at 08.30 on a daily basis. Journey time is approx 1 hour each way.

Happy holiday shopping!

The VisitNewYork.ie Team

Question: We are a group of four (two couples) heading to New York for five days in mid November and are interested in catching a basketball game in New York. How do we go about getting tickets? Where would you recommend we stay?

Answer: The 2009-2010 NBA Basketball Season has already kicked off its pre-season friendly games with the first official match throw-ins on Tuesday October 27th which is in fact today! The New York Knicks play their home games at Madison Square Garden at 32nd St & 7th Ave right by Penn Station and around the block from Macy’s Department Store.  Tickets for each New York Knicks game can be purchased directly through VisitNewYork.ie. Be sure to check and see if you can pick up some limited e-tickets that are made available. Although tickets are sent by FedEx, we recommend you book your tickets a couple of weeks in advance just to be sure they arrive in the post on time.

As for hotel accommodation we recommend you look at hotels in midtown Manhattan as you will be well connected by Manhattan’s efficient public transport system. There are a number of hotels close to Madison Square Garden. The 2 star Pennsylvania Hotel, the 4 star Affinia Manhattan Hotel Suites as well as the 3 star Holiday Inn Express MSG (Madison Sqaure Garden) are proving popular with people looking to catch a game and do some shopping at Macy’s.

Go Knicks!

The VisitNewYork.ie Team

Question: I am travelling to New York in two weeks for lots of shopping! Will I get hit for VAT and duty tax when I arrive back into Dublin Airport?

Answer: Over the last 5 years an average of 650,00 Irish people made a trip to the U.S. in 2008 with just over 390,000 visiting New York! It was reported in the media that out of the tens of thousands of Irish people who went on New York  shopping sprees in the weeks leading up to Christmas 2008, only a mere €70,000 was collected by customs for items being brought into the country.

Revenue also announced last year that they would be deploying extra resources to crack down on shoppers returning from USA.  Typical items passengers pay Duty and VAT on if stopped are ipods, jewellery, musical and electrical equipment. This has forced many people to do away with tags and receipts states-side which I’m sure makes it harder for revenue and customs to track.

Note, personal allowances have increased and you are allowed to bring in goods (including gifts, souvenirs, perfume and clothing) free of duty, the combined value of which does not exceed:

€430 in the case of an individual aged 15 years or over

€215 in the case of an individual aged under 15 years

See the link for further details on customers and excise information for passengers arriving in Ireland from countries outside EU

Remember to check out our free customisable New York Shopping Guide !!!

Enjoy your trip!

The VisitNewYork.ie Team

Question: My husband and I are going to New York in 10 days time, I want to buy a wedding outfit for approximately 200 - 300 USD, where would you advise me to shop, I am a woman of 49 years and UK size 16.

Answer:  There is fantastic value to be had while shopping in the Big Apple.  You will most certainly pick up a lovely outfit for the wedding while keeping within your budget.

You have a few options, depending of course where in New York you are staying and the duration of your trip.

If you have the time to spend the guts of a day in an Outlet Centre you would be sure to pick up some fantastic bargains out in Woodbury Common. With up to 65% off certain designer stores the value on offer is unbelievable and if you have an eye for a bargain you can’t really go wrong!

It’s about an hour’s bus journey from Port Authority 42nd St. Details on how to get to and from Woodbury Common can be found here

Staying in Manhattan there are some amazing Department Stores that are easily accessible by walking or by subway depending where you are staying. With the kind of budget you have in mind a department store is probably your best bet due mainly to the variety of choice available. We would highly recommend Saks on 5th Ave for something really classy and elegant but also affordable.  Below is a list of other well known Department stores where you should be able to find that perfect outfit!

• Macy’s
• Bergdorf Goodman
• Bloomingdales
• Century 21
• Filene’s Basement

It may also be worth your while checking out some of the fantastic boutique shops on the Upper East Side and in SoHo. If they are too pricey have a look at La Boutique Resale and Designer Resale.

We have compiled a personalized New York Shopping Guide for you to edit. It’s really easy, just Search, Select and print / share!

Also, if you are looking for a wedding dress, please see http://www.visitnewyork.ie/shopping/browse.9.1.Bridal-Gowns/Wedding-Dresses.html

Enjoy your trip (and wedding)!

The VisitNewYork.ie Team

Question: Would you be able to tell me where I could get a polo sleeveless puffer jacket at a reasonable price in NY without going say to Woodbury Common?

Answer: Puffer jackets are all the rage in NYC. There are a number of options for you to check out. Obviously you can check out the Polo Ralph Lauren store , 867 Madison Ave, Phone: 212-606-2100 Website: www.polo.com, Subway: 6, Nearby Station: 68th St or if you like North Face brand….The North Face 2101 Broadway at 73rd St Phone: 212-362-1000 Website: www.thenorthface.com Area: Upper West Side Subway: 1,2,3  Nearby Station: 72nd St Alternatively, you can try the following discounters in Manhattan…

• Century 21 NYC, 22 Cortlandt St. btw Church St. & Broadway, Phone: 212-227-9092 Website: www.c21stores.com
  Subway: 2,3,4,5 A,C,J,M,Z, Nearby Station: Fulton St
• Bloomingdales Department Store, 59th St btw 3rd Ave & Lexington Ave, Phone: 212-705-2000, Website: www.bloomingdales.com
  Subway: 4,5,6,N,R,W   Nearby Station: 59th St
• Macy’s Department Store 151 West 34th St & Broadway, Phone: 212-695-4400, Website: www.macys.com,
  Subway: B, D, F, V, N, R, Q, 1,2,3  Nearby Station: 34th St
• Filene’s Basement New York 14th St & Union Square  Phone: 212 358-0169 Website: www.filenesbasement.comSubway: 4,5,6, N, Q, R, W, L  Nearby Station: 34th St

You can customise your own New York shopping guide to help plan your New York shopping itinerary.

Enjoy your trip!

The VisitNewYork.ie Team

New York City is an extremely popular destination for Irish females going over as a group of friends for a short break. We get loads of enquiries, be it for a Hen party, birthday celebrations, shopping trips.  Whatever the ocasion may be, there is probably an excuse in there somewhere to head on off to NYC!…

Obviously shopping is a huge draw due to the fantastic choice and range of shops and the unbelievable value that comes with it. We get bombarded with enquiries about all the Outlet Centers in New York and in particular Woodbury Common. If there are a group of you prepared to tackle the hundreds of designer retail stores, then your best bet is to go on a scheduled day trip to Woodbury Common. Tickets for this service and more can be purchased here

Aside from the shopping, but keeping relatively on the same theme, one of our most popular tours is the Sex And The City tour.  This tour is fantastic, especially for you groups of girls heading over and fancy re-living some of your favourite memories of Carrie and the girls! This is a Luxury motor coach tour guide where you are given the opportunity to drink, shop and gossip in the same spots that were made famous by the hit TV show! This tour comes personally recommended by VisitNewYork.ie and seems to grow in popularity each year! Tickets for the tour are available here.

The Times Square Walking Tour is a cost free way of seeing and learning about Times Square.   A great way to wind down with friends while in the heart of Manhattan after blowing your budget perhaps?…

Enjoy! - The VisitNewYork Team…

An amazing total of 270,000 Irish people visit New York City every year to enjoy the trip of a life time in the shopping capital of the world.
 
You can now join them for a dream trip to the Big Apple and this is your simple guide to saving lots of cash by knowing exactly how you can save money and where you buy must have items at the best price.
 
It goes without saying that New York is the most famous shopping destination in the world. You can pick up anything you want at Macy’s or get the latest cutting edge fashions at Jimmy Choo or Ann Taylor stores on Madison Ave and then take a short ten minute taxi journey to indulge in the dozens of designer boutiques dotted around SoHo. Where else could you be than to be in Marc Jacobs one minute then walk across the road to buy a pair of Manolo Blahnik’s?!
 
Also remember that the euro is still relatively strong against the dollar so there are plenty of bargains to be had even though Irish shoppers can’t claim back sales tax in New York
 
You will simply not believe the prices in New York compared to the cost of the same items in Ireland. A pair of UGG boots which can be snapped up for $180 USD in the UGG Australia Flagship store in SoHo cost over €250 ($312 USD) Irish price.  A pair of corduroy Levis will set you back €75 in Dublin vs $46 USD in New York. So the bottom line is that prices are still a hell of a lot cheaper in the U.S. than at home and you can enjoy a great break away while stocking up on your shopping.
 
It may sound a bit unpatriotic in these tough times but every euro counts and you will undoubtedly get better value for your money on many must have items in New York compared to Ireland.  We all know commercial tourism is a fact of life and this works both ways. OK Ireland may not be the best value for some items but there’s still good shopping to be had here and www.visitnewyork.ie will be doing our bit with a new website to attract visitors to enjoy a trip to Ireland to take in our beautiful country. They may not come just for the shopping but they’ll stay for the craic and amazing scenery.
 
Note, you do not have to pay tax on clothing or footwear so pick up a pair of the latest Jimmy Choo’s or UGG boots  at a fraction of the price of Grafton St. There is however a small tax on jewellery, handbags and electronic goods but prices still come up a lot cheaper than Ireland.

The VisitNewYork.ie team