Everyday life in Italy

Everyday life in Italy: how to behave in shops

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Everyday life in Italy concerns how to behave in shops and markets: go it alone or be helped by a shop assistant? If you want to do shopping in a boutique, buy a perfume or make-up, drink in a bar you should know what is polite to do and to avoid in Italy. Italians are quite open-minded with foreign customers but there are some basic rules to follow if you don’t want to be rude and indelicate. Some useful directions on what is in & out in Italian shops.

Are you entering an Italian shop? First of all you should greet. Then try to speak in Italian, even though in the city centre shop assistants usually speak English. Avoid eating, drinking, smoking or chatting on a mobile phone…It depends on the shop, anyway customers can glance at items without the help of a shop assistant. Italian shops have a window space where merchandise is placed with a price list: try not to be tempted to touch it, items are available inside, you have simply to ask and point what you are looking for.

Clothes for men and women (dresses, skirts, sweaters,shoes, gloves, silk ties, shirts) can be tryed on: in shopping centres or outlets you can go directily to the dressing-room after recognizing yor size bringing a maximum of three items, in boutiques and elegant shops customers have to accept being helped by a shop assistant: it would be considered rude to ransack among clothes placed on shelves and cloatheshangers.

Sometimes in elegant and refined shops vendors don’t allow to try on clothes, especially tight t-shirts in summer or sweaters in winter, before and during sales.
If you want to buy an Italian swim-suit you can try it on, keeping on your underwear.

After buying something you can change items bringing them back in perfect condition with the receipt within a reasonable period of time if you change your mind. Change is possible even in case that the product is damaged or has a defect. Changes are often banned for products on sale. At the counter credit cards or cash are accepted.

In Italy shops are open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3:30 or 4 p.m. to 7:30 or 8 p.m.
If you are looking around and accidentally you break an object or pour something on the ground you have to repay.

In big bookshops you can consult books on the shelves but don’t devour it! If the book is wrapped ask for another uncovered.

In a perfume shop remember to use testers if you want to go it alone before arousing the rage of shopkeepers! In Italian perfume and herbalist’s shops you may receive free samples: accept and give thanks.

In a bar you can drink and eat at the counter or sit down. In this case you have to pay for the service. Tips is optional, you can leave it at the counter: coins are acceptable.
For food there are Italian groceries, butcher’s shops, food shops, markets where it is advisable not to touch goods too much, you should also use plastic gloves and bags after choosing them.
If you are doing the shopping in a supermarket and your children are very hungry, they can eat something you haven’t yet paid.

Before leaving a shop you should say goodbye. At your discretion to buy or not something: you are not obliged!

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