Shopping in Azerbaijan - outlets, shopping streets and boutiques

Shopping for Azerbaijanis is, first of all, not about visiting shopping centers. Even though there are modern malls in the country, bazaars are still the most important place to visit. Do not hurry to visit local bazaars early in the morning! Yes, residents of Baku and people in Azerbaijan, in general, wake up early and try to do as much as they can when it is not hot yet because a refreshing morning quickly turns into noon with scorching heat. However, visitors will not find bazaars that work at 7 am or 8 am. Bazaars are generally open at 9 am or half an hour later.

For centuries, Baku has been a city of merchants, an important stop in caravan routes. Baku residents respect the traditions of their ancestors, and this concerns trading as well. Rumors say that absolutely every Azerbaijani person has “business acumen” regardless of occupation of parents. That is why if you plan to visit an Azerbaijani market, prepare to play by local rules. Polite “thank you” and “goodbye” are not enough here – prepare to communicate with sellers and, of course, bargain.

So, you arrived at a bazaar at 9 am or so. Do you know for sure what do you want to buy? Perhaps, you even have a shopping list. Forget about it. Middle Eastern bazaar is a place that people often visit to buy one item and leave it with something completely different. There is no tragedy in this! Colorful bazaars offer so many attractive items at such low prices that it is hard to resist the temptation. Especially if you don’t mind bargaining with sellers. Most bazaars in Baku offer fruits, berries, and vegetables. If you want to buy souvenirs and other authentic goods, consider visiting Sharg Bazaar. This is a modern indoor market that sells many interesting items, including ceramics and silk. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

That being said, it is not hard to find interesting and memorable souvenirs in shops on Nizami Street (or Merchant Street) that is located in the historic part of the city. Of course, the prices are generally higher compared to Sharg Bazaar. In any case, it doesn’t matter where tourists shop, sellers will always name the price that is higher than the actual price that they want to sell the item for. This is when buyers need to start the show: they need to bargain, naming reasons why the price should be lower, questioning the quality, offering to buy several items instead of one, and so on. The most important thing – tourists do not need to be worried about making sellers angry. Some sellers may pretend to be angry to make visitors buy at higher prices, but open and communicative buyers can easily overcome this “trick”.

An important thing to consider when buying food in local bazaars. Azerbaijan is a hot country, so food has a shorter shelf life here. Always check the production date of packed goods. If the date is all right, do not hesitate to smell the item that you plan to purchase. No one will consider that unusual. This way tourists can save their money and, what’s even more important, to protect their health from potential problems like an upset stomach. That being said, travelers, who are used to pleasant music, cold refrigerators, carts, and cashiers, can visit large supermarkets in Baku and Ganja. Even in these large cities, food hypermarkets are located at a distance from the center.

Tourists, who prefer classical Western-type shopping and do not want to explore local bazaars, can, of course, visit shopping centers in Azerbaijan. For instance, these are Park Bulvar Mall and 28 Mall in Baku. Both of these shopping centers are open from 10 am to 10 pm daily. They have shops of famous mass-market brands, cinemas, cafes, and restaurants. In Ganja, there is a similar shopping center, Aura Park Mall. It stays open a bit longer – until 11 pm. In Baku, there are boutiques of such famous internationally acclaimed brands as Montblanc, Bershka, Guess, Bvlgari, Tiffany, Tom Ford, Zara, and many more.

What special and authentic can tourists buy in Azerbaijan? First of all, take a look at local carpets – a true and traditional gift from Azerbaijan. However, don’t forget to get a certificate that allows exporting this item. Otherwise, there will be problems when leaving the country. Caviar is one more popular gift, but it is allowed to have only 125gr of caviar per person. Jewelry created by local artisans and Turkish fashion jewelry are widespread in Azerbaijan. The last but not the least, fruits and oriental sweets – the latter, by the way, are not only cheaper than in neighboring countries but also more delicious.