POUNDLAND / 99P SHOP

HI

CAN ANYONE TELL ME IF THERE ARE ANY EQUIVALENT POUNDSHOPS OR POUNDLANDS IN SPAIN  LIKE THERE ARE IN THE UK.THEY SEEM TO BE THE LIFELINE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ECONOMIC CLIMATE.AND TO BE FOUND EVERYWHERE.

HERBY

In Spain we have similar they are known as Chinese Shops as they are run by Chinese, everything cheap. Every town has several.

HI

THANKS 4 YOUR REPLY, BUT IS EVERY ITEM  JUST ONE  EURO OR UNDER OR JUST CHEAP? IN UK EVERY ITEM IS ONE POUND OR UNDER  SOMETIMES SEVERAL ITEMS FOR ONE £

HERBY

 Just cheap.

 But often junk - so beware.  You will not find any brand names you recognise in Chinese Bazzars - and a lot of the stuff is not even cheap.  Always worth a look though.  

I have not come across anything similar to Poundland, though some markets have stalls where everything is 3 euros or even 2 euros.   

 In some cities there are shops mostly known as "Todo a 100" or "Todo a 1€" where most things are 1€ (or 100 pesetas in the old days).  The original concept was that the price of most articles was 100 pesetas and later 1 Euro.  However, currently the prices, although still very cheap, are often 2 Euros or even 3 Euros.  Very few products still sell for 1 Euro.

I agree with Bri that it is often very poor quality products, mostly from China.  Even so, they are good for certain things and are open every day, even on Sundays.

 Yes you are right -  I remember now seeing something iike that in Barcelona, but that was a long time ago.    

Sorry, a bit off track this one....

Every time we go to mainland Spain or Tenerife, I like to go into a Chinese Bazaar....to buy knickers!  The Chinese ones are fantastic value and you can't buy any like them in the British shops. They are small but incredibly stretchy so they 'fit like a glove'.

However, the last time I went into the one near Puerto Colon on Tenerife I was made to feel like a shoplifter while I was looking through the piles of knickers to find the right sizes and colours that I wanted.  I heard the Chinese lady and chap (looking after the shop that day) have a loud argument about something.  Obviously, the argument was about the guy telling the lady to keep an eye on me in case I was trying to steal something because the lady started following me as I searched for what I wanted, standing right next to me in a most initmidating way whilst I looked through a pile of knickers.  I thought I would try to ease the situation by talking to her so I smiled and explained to her exactly what I was looking for.  She just scowled at me and said they didn't have any of that particular brand.  Well, I knew they did as I had just seen them but I hadn't been able to find my size!  I walked out of the shop there and then and promised myself I wouldn't enter that particular shop again! 

I have since learnt how to say, in Spanish, 'A smile costs nothing' as it's not only the Chinese in Spain that find it difficult to be civil to their customers sometimes!

Una sonrisa cuest nada!

Hi

I also find a lot of items especially toiletries, paper plates

ect for b.b.q. s are a good price in DOMTI shops.

liquid hand soap is very good value for 60 cents

also stationery, notebooks and pens. I also buy

air freshners,drinking  glasses, hand towels, all cheap

and good value

Near me in Los Altos, Torrevieja there are 5 Chinese shops. All of them are housed in former supermarkets, selling identical items although the prices vary a little. 

The staff (mostly Chinese) are often disagreeable and unwelcoming and reluctant to exchange goods. In fact quite a few have a notice at the till - NO REFUNDS. Why do people frequent them -  it's an unpleasant experience when lightening your wallet.

Personally I shop at the Bazzar Espanol which I find is competative pricewise, and owned by a helpful Spanish family. It doesn't make sense to shop at these huge emporiums unless you can't find what you are looking for elsewhere at a decent price.

We should all support the local trader in this economic crisis, and spend a few more cents in order that we don't lose sight of what our towns and suburbs are becoming.

Brownhog