El Corte Ingles

[ValenciaSon]

Are there good deals to be had there? What are your opinions/experiences of this department store.

[Ben]

They aren't the cheapest but they do have everything under one roof. Plus they have an excellent returns policy - money back or exchange with no fuss at all. For that reason I always buy computer goods there. I bought a monitor last year with a missing pixel - they exchanged it about 5 times til I had a perfect one, where most other shops would have said 'live with it'.

[Marbella]

Just to agree with Ben really, there are often better deals to be had in places like Alcampo but the service, particularly after-sales, is not usually as good. We have lived in a couple of places in Spain and we always find that we spend a lot of time (and money) in el Corte.

I think the store is seen as fairly up-market and pricey but they always have excellent food halls which are worth seeing just before Christmas. At this time they lay out the most amazing range of wines and goodies and the hampers they sell are amazing.

[timg]

I'm in the UK and have ordered stuff from El Corte Inglés over the web with no problem. When I had to return a DVD that arrived damaged, I phoned them and they immediately sent a replacement by courier and then arranged for another courier to collect the damaged one. Brilliant customer service, though I wouldn't try if you don't speak Spanish!

[poncedeleon]

I love El Corte Inglés! It is not the place to go for bargains, as people have said, but the food section has great variety, a lot of foreign food and lovely delicatessens. And you can buy pre-prepared food that is actually nice! It's a bit like Marks and Spencers in the UK, too pricey to do everyday shopping but great for quality.

There's also a SuperCor in a service station here in Leon which is the only convenience store open Sundays and late nights. They sell posh cheese, nice sandwiches, overpackaged fruit and a hundred varieties of sausage.

[lumpsuckerpig]

Great place to go on a red hot summer day as they always have it like a fridge in there with the air con!! I think thats why I ended up buying my Fuji digital camera there a couple of years ago. I would agree with timg on the forum about the not speaking Spanish bit. I called in the one in Palma last year to have some digital photos put onto a cd as my memory card was full up, and I got nowhere with the lady at the camera section until I spoke to her in Spanish, then the whole world opened up to me in there!! Just like turning a key in a lock really. But, as they say, when in Rome......
I have used El Corte a few times, my missus is not too keen on the prices as they do tend to be a little dearer, but the choice of goods often more than makes up for that. With reference to Ben and his monitor, I work in IT and called in the El Corte in Malaga a couple of years ago for a browse and maybe to pick up a couple of bits and pieces and was knocked out at the range of IT gear in there. They had everything. Can you really not buy from a store who mail you every year on your birthday to wish you Feliz Cumpleaños (sic)!! A nice touch.

[richardksa]

I oscillated between El Corte Ingles and FNAC comparing external hard disk prices and eventually bought from FNAC. I couldn't believe just how expensive ECI was!!!

[Ben]

True, FNAC is very good for electronics too, and also has a decent returns policy - it just isn't as wide spread as ECI.

[gary]

Food is usually very good

If you are coming from the USA prices might not seem so competetive but from the UK perspective they are VAT (IVA / Sales Tax) is only 7.5% as opposed to 17.5% in the UK.

My wife is a beauty therapist and regularly buys Decleor products when we go to Barcelona. You often pay the same in Euros as you do in £ so a 28 Euro jar of face gunk would cost £28 but contain twice as much product.

I am ambivalent about beauty products - on the one hand they pay for my holidays through wifeys job; on the other hand I cant help but think that if one product actually worked there'd only be one product!!

....though I wouldn't try if you don't speak Spanish!

I have to go with Gill as tmig is right - Nobody Speaks any English by and large - suits me cos thats why I go to Spain!! The assistants are genuinly as helpful as they can but have no English - if you attempt even rudimentary Spanish they are delighted and often help by sugesting vocab.

No one behind the counter ever rushes - its great - there can be 20 people clamouring to buy stuff as presents, yet the unflappable assistants will happily gift wrap every purchase!!

[Brian]

I have to agree with the consensus here. The Corte Inglés is a very good place to shop, but quite expensive unless you go during rebajas.

But then, I'm more of a Hipercor or Carrefour kind of guy. :D

[Isabel]

I agree El corte Ingles is a bit expensif, but you have to try the "Oportunidades" floor. Sometimes you might come across a wonderful suit or a lovely dress cheaper than a T-shirt:o ; a great coat; nice and cheap shoes... good luck for your next "Oportunidades" search!

[Marina]

Gary,

Tax is only 7% for primary need goods; like food, hotels and things like that. Everything else is taxed at 16%. However if you come from England I know it looks cheap & conviniet.

My father in law does not like shopping at all, but when they come to Spain they love going into El corte inglés as the shop assistants are very helpful, they ask for your size and they inmediately come with two or three pair of trousers that more or less look like the one you liked but fit better, and best of all they do fittings for free!!!

The food is good as they have lots of vairety, but is much more expensive that other supermarkets.

Every now and again they have "La semana fantastica" (the fantastic week), which ironically lasts two weeks, then they have discounts of up to 20% of kitchenware and lingirie.

[gary]

Gary,

Tax is only 7% for primary need goods;.

Then the prices of cosmetics in spain are WAY cheaper than for the same product in England. As i said Gill paid 28Euros for a product containing 250ml in spain - the same product was roughly the same price in englend but 125ml.

[ValenciaSon]

Will El Corte Ingles ship foods to the US?