Shopping Guide to Mexico

From pottery and ceramics to hand-crafted leather goods and art, there’s an abundance of shopping south of the border. Everywhere you go in Mexico, you can find interesting items and great values, particularly if you know how to deal with vendors and proprietors.

Here are some Shopping Guide Tips When You are in Mexico:

Just remember before you start buy Mexican automobile insurance as your US and Canadian policies are invalid. Mexican Automobile Insurance is now required in order to drive on highways in Mexico.

Plan to shop with cash, and don’t keep all your money in one place. Before you go shopping, break down your large bills into several smaller ones, and keep your money in separate pockets or places. That way if you barter with a merchant and get the price of something you want down, you don’t have to ask them to make change for a hundred when you go to pay for it.

Mexico Souvenir shop

When shopping, don’t ooh and ahh over an item and then try to haggle for it. If the merchant thinks you really want it, they will be less likely to drop the price. A “I don’t care if I get this or not” attitude will take you farther than a “I really want this attitude,” particularly if your objective is to get the item cheap.

Vendors in Mexico expect you to barter, but be realistic. Offer 50% of the marked price and see what happens. Typically merchants will act offended, but they aren’t. It’s really just part of the game. Just be sure you really want the item before you start bartering, and know how high you are willing to go, because chances are, they will deal with you.

Finally, don’t be afraid to walk away if you can’t get agreement on a price. Many vendors will chase you out the door in order to not lose a sale, and it’s also possible you can find the same thing just a few doors down.