Information on shopping in Virginia

[Rika]

My husband is being sent to Fairfax Virginia for training for a week.... I really want him to bring back a great deal from the states for me ... but we have never shopped in the states, plus he is not a shopper so I will have to tell him exactly what to buy and how much to spend for it to be a good deal.... keep in mind he will only be able to bring it back in a suitcase as he is taking the plane..... PLEASE does anyone have any suggestions on what is the best deal in the states generally speaking.

[pippinelkhound]

Nothing that you can really bring back. I visit friends in that tri state area. Actual groceries are cheaper (eggs, milk, bread, veggies and gasoline) but they don't travel well.

You can buy naproxene over the counter and it's cheap.

If he's near a Burlington Coat Factory and he knows your sizes and you trust his taste their clothing prices are great.

[Rika]

do you think clothing in general is cheaper.... if so maybe I should get him to shop for some clothing for himself.... I would NEVER trust him to buy clothes however....many christmas presents have shown me his taste lol

[Tweetybird999]

I don't think clothing is cheaper, even when it is on sale in the USA. But over the counter pharmacy items can be a very good deal if you specifically know what you want and the max to pay.

[Hailey'smommy]

Every time I've been to California clothes are definetly cheaper there

[pippinelkhound]

Outfits by "Le Suit" (a business/dressy type line) are half the price down there. Jones NY is the same. Penny's is good for everyday stuff like dresses.

The selection is far greater than ours due to the population difference.

[Pinkflowergirl86]

I was at a Burlington Coat Factory in Buffalo, NY during the first week of December. Clothes are definitely cheaper there! I got 2 outfits (top/bottoms) each for 5 nieces/nephews, 3 pairs of children's shoes, numerous (10+ outfits for my son, 2 winter jackets for myself (Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein - down filled), 2 sets of adult PJ's and 3 5 pks of Gerber bibs for around $250.

Target was a waste of time, Walmart was good, but after the front runner (Burlington Coat Factory), K-Mart was awesome! Be wary of 'outlet malls'. Most that I've been to in California, Minnesota and New York were not great because of their prices. But their selection was phenomenal. I have found that department stores are where the deals are at.

[Rika]

department stores are where the deals are at. ... now that is an easy tip I can give him ... I have been thinking I should get him to buy some jeans and shirts ... I can tell him the cheapest price I have found here and that would get him started.... he is not the shopper usually

[kschott]

Yep, clothes are WAY cheaper in the US! Make sure he checks out clearance/sale sections because real bargains are to be had in most stores most of the time there. Good luck!

[RedEng]

Electronics are usually much cheaper in the states. Lots of things on amazon.com or other American sites can not ship to Canada, but you can order them and have them shipped to his Hotel, just add Hold for Guest in the address box, check with the hotel first.

Here is a google search for Outlet Stores in or near Fairfax.
http://www.yellowpages.com/fairfax-va/outlet-malls

There are many american sites like Smart Canucks that can give you tips if you want to spend time googling.

[Rika]

I checked the I Pad just out of curiosity and the prices were not much different

[pippinelkhound]

That's a good point. Avoid the destination outlet malls (big ones are called Premium or some such tag). They are all individual stores in a strip mall type area and huge.

I found Eddie Bauer, Saks Fifth Avenue Outlet stores in large suburban malls. Eddie Bauer was fantastic.