Think shopping in the Netherlands and Amsterdam immediately comes to mind. While Amsterdam certainly can boast some spectacular shopping including the Nine Streets area, there is a lot more to shopping in Holland than just Amsterdam. Rotterdam and The Hague are also cosmopolitan cities with shopping ranging from haute couture to markets. Markets in Holland are everywhere in both the city and in the countryside.
Fresh food, culinary delights and exquisite hand crafted artefacts are just some of the treasures to be found in the Netherlands many villages and towns. Because Holland is a relatively small country geographically with an outstanding road network, getting to and from the major cities and everyone in between is easy. For the bargain hunter that is good news. Tourists and locals alike can enjoy the many treasures to be found shopping without having to travel too far. Generally the big sales in Holland are held in December/January and then again in July/August.
For every taste, both literal and figurative, Holland is a great place to shop for variety in food, arts and crafts, haute couture and in the markets. This site boasts only a fraction of the options and opportunities available in Holland. Come in and explore all that the Netherlands has to offer to the shopper.
Dutch Shopping Law
In addition the Dutch government affords far reaching rights to consumers. Consumer protection laws are excellent and there is no time limit for consumers to seek remedy if a product is defective, and retailers are required to repair any defects. The currency in Holland is the Euro and all prices include a tax called the VAT. The VAT cannot be charged in addition to, but must be included in the price shown. There is also a tax on some goods (a hefty 19%) called the BTW tax. This may be charged on top of the price of the item.
On top of that, the price of the product must be displayed on a price tag. The consumer can insist on getting the item for the same price shown on the tag. If there are two different prices on one item, the consumer can ask to pay the lower one, except if this price is obviously out of proportion with the real value of the product. Most stores in the Netherlands will accept cash, debit card or credit card payments. Some restaurants will not accept credit cards and some market stalls may only be equipped to accept cash.
The Dutch are very family oriented and Holland is one of the few western nations that still take uniform time off, so shops are closed on Sundays and Monday mornings. Typical shop hours are listed below.
Opening hours
Shops’ general opening hours are:
Monday : 13:00 – 18:00
Tuesday– Friday: 09:00 – 18:00
Saturday: 09:00 – 17:00
Sunday: closed
Banks’ general opening hours are:
Monday – Friday: 09:00 – 17:00
Saturday & Sunday: closed
