A city famous for its sartorial elegance and Bohemian chic, New York is a shopper's paradise, hawking everything from cutting-edge designer fashions to flea market bargains in addition to foods and goods from every corner of the globe. With a little hunting, widespread discounting on everything from electronic goods to high-end fashion is available.

The smartest shops are located on Madison Avenue, where most top designers have flagship stores. Nearby, Fifth Avenue is a magnet for the label conscious and well heeled, with stores like Tiffany & Co, 727 Fifth Avenue, serving as neighbourhood icons. The multi-level mall at the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle houses a variety of upscale shops. Famous department stores include Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Avenue, Macy's, Herald Square, Bloomingdale's, 1000 Third Avenue, at 59th Street, and Barney's, 660 Madison Avenue, at 61st Street, which is the trendiest of this retail crop.

Soho is the most European of New York's neighbourhoods, with high-end clothing boutiques and shoe stores, art galleries, spas, as well as modern furniture showrooms. The East Village and the Lower East Side harbour street fashion and cutting-edge young designers, with vintage shops and music stores intermingling with designer boutiques and eclectic outlets. Discount shops selling authentic American goods, such as Levi's, are located throughout the city, particularly along Broadway, between Houston Street and 14th Street.

There are numerous markets to appeal to bargain hunters. On weekends, the Antiques Garage Flea Market, 112 West 25th Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues), set on two levels of a parking garage, spreads a riotous assortment of vintage clothing, jewellery, artwork and more. Along Broadway and around Soho, there are also street vendors that hawk anything from artwork to clothing and knockoffs of famous purse designers such as Burberry and Louis Vuitton. Many ‘green markets', selling locally grown produce, fresh fish, home-made desserts and breads, are located around the city, the most central of which is at Union Square, opening on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 0800-1800.

Shopping hours depend on the neighbourhood. Business areas, such as Wall Street, open as early as 0800, while shops in areas such as Soho and the East Village open late at 1200. Many stay open until at least 1900. Department stores are open on average Monday to Saturday 1000-2000 and Sunday 1200-1800.

In New York, everything but life's most basic necessities is taxable and this includes the sales tax of 8.375% on all consumer goods (clothes and shoes, however, are taxed at a lower rate - no tax for items under US$110, 4.375% for items over US$110). Visitors to New York are unable to claim a tax refund for goods purchased.