The French Quarter is one of the main shopping areas, with plenty of unique craft shops, galleries and other stores. The Central Business District (CBD) and Uptown are also good shopping centres. Lots of the souvenirs are based around the city's unique Mardi Gras, with masks, costumes, dolls, photos, paintings and other artefacts. Voodoo items also make rather unusual gifts. For more tasteful items, there are the many antique shops on Royal and Magazine Streets.

The Shops at Jax Brewery is a large mall on the waterfront in the French Quarter. Other shopping centres include the upscale Shops at Canal Place, Riverwalk Marketplace, New Orleans Shopping Center and Lakeside Shopping Center. Magazine Street is a mixture of fashionable and funky shops, hip boutiques and galleries, beginning at Audubon Park and stretching for 10km (6 miles). You can grab a cup of coffee and a pastry at a local cafe before rummaging through antique stores for treasures and trendy boutique purchases, toys and chocolates. Tax-free shopping is available at the Tanger Outlet Center and Louisiana Tax Free Shopping Center.

Running for several blocks along Decatur and North Peters Streets, the French Market, open daily 0800-1830, is one of the most colourful spots in the city (see Key Attractions). The large covered sheds, built in 1936 as a public works project, house the Farmers' Market, where fresh produce is sold, and the Flea Market, with an assortment of clothes, jewellery, hot sauces and other New Orleans souvenirs.

French Quarter shops have the longest hours of operation, from Monday to Saturday 1000-2200, though on Sundays many close at 1700. General shopping hours in the city are daily 1000-1700.

New Orleans' sales tax is 9.5% and refunds for that percentage of the price of goods purchased in tax-free stores are available to overseas visitors at the international airport's LTFS (Louisiana Tax-Free Shopping) Refund Centre. The LTFS voucher and the sales receipt from the store are required, as well as passport and international air ticket. Refunds under US$500 are paid in cash, otherwise a cheque will be put in the post.