Street Shops

In a developing nation like Vietnam, you'd might think that there is no presence of franchise stores and brand name shops. In fact, there are plenty of signs of Western influence in businesses, stores like Levis, BMW, Rolex and KFC are prominent. There are shopping malls, supermarkets and convenience stores but these are mainly used by government officials or foreigners; the only ones who can afford such luxuries. The majority of daily shopping is still done in traditional markets and roadside stalls.

To buy any groceries, go no further than to the end of your street. There are usually multiple women pushing small carts catering to many different (but simple) foods. The area where these women congregate is usually bustling in the morning with people buying fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and fish. The food here is sometimes cheaper than in supermarkets but the quality can be compromised. There's something about buying unpackaged beef that has been sitting on a table in 35-40 degree heat, that I just don't trust.

Buying food on the street helps to become part of the community. It keeps money local and provides some of the locals a chance to make some extra money, or it may be the family's only income. For a foreigner living in Vietnam, it is the only way you can become part of the neighborhood. Visiting the markets for your daily fruits and veggies gives you a chance to practice speaking Vietnamese in a comfortable, laid back environment. Many of the vendors see the markets as an active social activity, and what better place to become involved with the people in your neighborhood?

As for clothes, name brands from the West are huge! However, the range of fakes and copies of name brands is also huge. You can buy knock-off shirts, pants, shoes, wallets, purses, bags; anything at all. Keeping up with the latest styles from Europe is simple, especially when they make the products in the country. Some of the knock-offs are painfully obvious and quite laughable but others are remarkably identical to their store bought counterpart. The quality of some goods can be unmistakable with the real thing and this means one of two things; the owner doesn't realize that they have something authentic or these things "fell off a truck."

Some of the shop owners take advantage of having "name brand" goods and see it as an opportunity to raise the prices exceedingly high, especially for foreigners. Since nothing in Vietnam has a price tag, the store owners charge whatever they feel like charging on that day, and the prices can change from person to person. The only way around this is to familiarize yourself with the ancient art of bartering; a skill that needs its own article to be explained effectively.