Are you going to buy in Paraguay? See 9 tips for going to Ciudad Del Este safely!
- Prevention and Knowledge
- Trustworthy recommendations
- The famous “Salesman’s Talk”
- Street vendors and stores without guarantee
- Be careful in stores without a counter
- Pay attention to the informal “guides”!
- Refuse what you don't want politely
- Where to buy safely in Paraguay?
- Be careful with documentation and your belongings
Are you thinking about buying all those desirable products in Paraguay for your trip, but are you afraid of what to face from the Border?
Don't worry, we have 9 golden tips to go to Ciudad Del Este with ease and take everything you need without going through unnecessary stress.
Because going to any shopping center you run the risk of being bombarded by information, advertisements and more. And this is no different in Ciudad Del Este, to avoid problems we will teach you the following tips:
1- Prevention and Knowledge
An essential tip about Paraguay, or any place you wanted to visit is Always have a prior idea of what the place you are going to visit is like, whether it is very busy or not, whether there is a lot of traffic, etc. By answering these questions you avoid unpleasant surprises and prepare yourself better for situations that may arise!
In Paraguay this is important advice, if you think that getting there and walking aimlessly is a good idea, you are severely wrong! Ciudad Del Este has a very fervent atmosphere of human transition, with cars, motorcycles, vans, etc., which can easily leave you confused! There you will rarely see little movement, especially if your visit is during high season!
So our tip is to make sure you know where to go in Paraguay, look before leaving Foz for advice on the shopping malls and stores you want to visit, you will save a lot of time by doing this, as well as finding what you are looking for more quickly. ease.
Also see this article that can help you when shopping in Paraguay:
2 – Reliable recommendations
For those who already live close to the Border, we are used to shopping in Paraguay following recommendations from friends and people who work there, because they have generally already used or tested products and stores from Paraguay, so they already have the experience to help us know where to go in such a trustworthy mall and store.
But for tourists this possibility seems a bit unlikely, doesn't it?
Okay, even though we don't know a direct source from Ciudad Del Este, we'll leave you with a tip search the internet for official stores and shopping malls in Paraguay, because the description and price of the product is much more reliable on original websites than on individual stalls in the city. So, keep this advice in mind before definitely setting foot in Paraguay.
3- The famous “Salesman’s Talk”
The first tip about “sales talk” is Don't believe everything you hear there, sensationalist traders are very good at selling you the idea that you will buy “extraordinary” products for “very low” prices.
The truth is that many people go to Paraguay looking for incredible promotions, but this does not mean that you should ignore the quality and reliability of the products just to pay cheaper, sometimes this plan backfires and the “cheap” product ends up being expensive after its first use. is lost. So don’t be fooled by “talk” and check the real quality of the products you are going to take.
4- Street vendors and stores without guarantee
As previously mentioned, buying directly from Paraguay from less reliable sources can be a big problem, as purchasing these products from any point in Paraguay that is not an official store will bring you risks such as: the product may come damagedBe counterfeit e no Warranty.
Not having the invoice and warranty is one of the problems with this purchase, since if you are stopped at the customs police you should present all product invoices purchased to let you know if you met the quota limit. The guarantee is something very useful, isn’t it? After all, no one likes to buy a defective product and not have the right to exchange it!
5- Be careful in stores without a counter
Some stores in Ciudad Del Este have the habit of buying products from others, bringing them to the customer and charging for the service provided. Remembering that in stores without a counter this can lead to some situations such as paying for one type of product and getting another, so choose stores that let you test the product to be sure of what you are getting!
6- Pay attention to the informal “guides”!
It may happen that when you are in Ciudad Del Este finding your way around your shopping, some stranger appears claiming to be a “guide” to help you with the purchase you are looking for.
Always focusing on tourists, these “guides” always try to direct people to specific stores, which they are probably hired to do, to make you buy from there anyway, and in the end they may charge you for the “service” of having guided you. until then.
In other cases, some informal “guides” try to attract tourists to areas further away from the urban center, which is a worrying and dangerous risk.
Our tip for getting rid of these guides is, be polite, make it clear that you don't want the service and go on your way. As their intention is for people to be interested in the service, their attitude will save you from having to give a lot of explanations.
7- Refuse what you don’t want politely
We know very well that the people who are there in Paraguay are working hard to sell their products, and that is why out of respect or empathy the consumers who go there are not firm in their refusal of offers.
Unfortunately, this is worse than any refusal, because if you are one of those people who don't know how to be clear and objective when saying a simple "no thanks" You'll have a bit of a problem in Ciudad Del Este shopping, because one of the things that happens the most there is local vendors and street vendors trying to push products of all kinds on you.
To avoid being followed or bothered, make your intention clear, say you don't want to and say thank you, it will be much easier to follow your path this way and not have to go out of your way to dodge street vendors.
8- Where to buy safely in Paraguay?
Nobody likes to fall for scams or pay more than they should, right?
Therefore, to avoid such inconveniences and buy safely in Paraguay, you must consult the locations of Ciudad Del Este in advance with guarantee and quality, avoiding big surprises during your purchases.
Through social networks or official websites that you find on the internet, you can now get to know Paraguay's commercial center better, but we will still list for you some famous stores and malls that you can go to with more confidence:
- Nisei House - Electronics store
- Shopping China - Department store
- Shopping in Paris
- Shopping Del Este
- Madrid Center - Electronics store
- Mega Electronics - Electronics store
- Imported Mega Shopping - Electronics store
- Wholesale Collections – Collectibles Store
- Wholesale Games – Videogames Store
- Pioneer Center – Home Audio and Automotive Sound Store
- Monalisa - Department store
In addition to these, there are thousands of other stores in Paraguay that are worth visiting, but then it's curious about what to buy in Paraguay, then watch this video:
9- Be careful with documentation and your belongings
Don't forget all the documentation you need to enter Paraguay, as well as an updated vaccination card and taking the right currency with you when shopping!
If you need to know more about this information, we again suggest that you go to “10 common questions that arise before going to Ciudad Del Este” and clarify all your doubts!
Below, we will give you basic safety tips that you should follow in Paraguay or anywhere you have to go:
- Be careful with purses, wallets and money:
Always leave your bag close to your body, even when stopping when you go to eat, don't lose sight of it! Always know where her wallet is, a tip is to always leave it in her front pockets. When it comes to money, know where to store it well, the typical “don't waste it” applies here.
- Use shopping mall lockers:
Some shopping malls in Paraguay have luggage storage that helps you not take so much stuff with you while you need to analyze and buy the products, if it is reliable you can use them with peace of mind.
- Go by car? Be doubly careful!
In addition to needing to have all the car's documentation, in Ciudad Del Este it is very necessary to pay attention to how you move around the city, if you are just going shopping it is advisable to leave the car in a parking lot close to the Friendship Bridge (on the Brazilian side obviously) and continue on foot into Paraguay.
See also: >> Safety tips in Foz do Iguaçu <<
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