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No matter where you go, finding the right places to shop for our needs is important to make us feel at home. There are loads of great places to shop for clothes, shoes, tech gear, groceries, fresh produce, and more in Vientiane. In this brief guide, we will share the 8 places to look for your shopping needs in Vientiane, Laos. We will also discuss advice on which places to negotiate and skills to win a great deal.

Top 8 places to shop in Vientiane for clothes, shoes, tech gear, groceries, fresh produce, and more.

1.        Morning Market (Talat Sao): Directly in the city center close to the presidential palace, That Dam, and finance district – the morning market is filled with a variety of products from cheap mass-manufactured clothes to local costumes, appliances, watches, jewelry, and more. Explore the indoor and outdoor sections to experience the full range of products. The indoor section is composed of three main floors. On the ground floor, there are vendors selling watches, beauty products, smartphones, fake designer bags and wallets, and souvenirs. On the 2^nd floor, you can find silver and gold vendors selling a range of beautiful accessories and jewelry. 

2.        Night Market: Located along Mekong Riverside, the night market is a go-to spot for both locals and tourists. Easily find a wide variety of women’s and men’s clothes and shoes at affordable prices. Find awesome gear for your phone and accessories for your laptop. There is also a range of local handicraft products and artwork available.

3.        Chinese Market (Xang Jieng): The Chinese Market is a great spot to find, you guessed it, Chinese made products from technology, clothes, baby and kid gear, and more at affordable and negotiable prices.

4.        Vientiane Center: Located in the city center, Vientiane Center offers a variety of premium international and local brand stores. On the 3^rd floor, there is a Cineplex movie theater with Lao, Thai, and English films.

5.        Parkson Mall: Parkson is the newest developed mall in Vientiane, there is a range of clothing brands, jewelry shops, home goods, restaurants, and a large grocery store in the basement level.    

6.        D*MART: One of the largest home stores in Vientiane, selling a range of groceries, dry foods, frozen meats, office supplies, home organization products, cleaning material, and furniture. If you’re interested in buying furniture, they have delivery options for as low as 20,000 KIP.

7.        Sisavone (expat go-to): Craving for international branded products? Sisavone is one of the only local grocery stores offering a range of products from Europe, USA, Australia, and more. 

8.        Local Markets: Throughout Vientiane, there are various local markets in key villages that sell a range of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables and raw meats and fish.

Negotiating with Locals:

Negotiating can be difficult if you don’t speak the local language and haven’t had time to study the market prices. In many places, particularly the night market, Chinese market, and Talat Sao you can negotiate the prices. You will find similar products offered at multiple vendors. If you want to get the best price, try going to several shops and comparing the prices, then haggle it down to a reasonable price. A good rule of thumb is to negotiate at 20% off. For example, if you find a bag for 150,000 KIP, you can try going down to 120,000 KIP. If you’re an experienced negotiator you can probably go lower but, just be mindful that going too low, can be offensive to the shop owner – be reasonable and you’ll win an awesome deal!

Want some awesome local online shopping options? Check out our wide variety of products from cars, motorbikes, technology, and more here. Easily shop with our free downloadable app here.