Germany is among the top 10 best shopping destinations in the world.
The largest cities, such as Berlin and Munich, are at the top positions of the list.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that everyone goes there.
In fact, in some of the smaller cities there are better prices while the diversity of brands and shops is comparable.
Although Dortmund is not the most popular tourist destination in Germany, the city is definitely one of the top shopping centers in the country.
Located in the richest and most developed German province of North Rhine-Westphalia, the city is a place where you can find everything.
Here are 7 tips that could improve the quality of your shopping experience.
1. Take Advantage of the Christmas Market
The Dortmund Christmas Market is one of the largest in the world.
It usually starts approximately one week before the end of November and lasts until the end of December.
It includes 200 pavilions with traditional food, beverages and handmade items, as well as a huge variety of Christmas toys.
2. You can Shop in English
Although the official language of the country is German, in Germany you can find a surprisingly large number of people with impeccable language skills in English.
Dortmund is no an exception of this rule.
In practice, in every clothes shop you can speak English and explain what exactly you are looking for.
3. The Malls
The shopping centers in Dortmund have a very big advantage and this is the fact that they are located in the very heart of the city.
The most famous is the Tier Gallery, which houses a large number of shops and boutiques on several floors.
Here you can find goods from both Germany and other parts of the world.
4. Payments
No matter how strange it sounds, in the world’s healthiest economy, people still prefer payments in cash.
In many places, you can not even buy a product or service with a credit or debit card.
Even when card payments are allowed, you should not be surprised if you get a cash payment discount.
5. Black Friday
Although black Friday has emerged in Western societies and has oldest traditions in countries such as the United States, Germany and the UK, today there is not much left of it.
Discounts of 50% have remained back in the past.
Most of the merchants offer up to 20% discount, and larger discounts of 50 or 60% they offer only when it comes to some individual goods or if you buy for example a second or third good.
6. Everything is within walking distance
Among the advantages of Dortmund is that there are hundreds of shops and boutiques which offer goods from all over the world.
All this is just a short distance away from you because all shops are concentrated in the central part of the city, including the shopping malls.
The downtown’s shops could be completely crawled just within two to three days.
7. Luxury Goods
Dortmund is a good place for you if you are looking for luxury goods.
Clothes from renowned manufacturers, boutique goods, expensive jewelry and luxury watches could be found at every corner.
On the other hand, the prices here are better than they are in the most famous and big shopping centers in Western Europe.
Do not miss the fact that here you can easily find a good hotel at an attractive price for the period you are in the city.
