Posts Tagged ‘Jersey Gardens’

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

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