Shopping In The U.S. Virgin Islands

The U.S. Virgin Islands hosts over 2 million visitors a year, and the islands’ many businesses and shopping centers have everything the visitors will ever need and want! Special treasures are available in smaller shops scattered throughout the island and customer satisfaction is always a priority for this tourist-driven economy. Prices in the islands are terrific, but don’t be afraid to do a little haggling to try and get a better price. For those of us who call St. Thomas, St. John or St. Croix home, we benefit from the wide variety of shopping opportunities all year long.

Shopping in the U.S. Virgin Islands also has economic incentives, too. Citizens of the Unites States can utilize the U.S. Virgin Islands duty-free shopping quota of $1.600, an amount that doubles that of any other Caribbean island and triples that of European countries. Spend over $1,600 and you will pay a flat rate of six percent duty. You can also mail friends and family back home an unlimited number of gifts so long as they are worth $100 or less each. In addition, there is no sales tax in the U.S. Virgin Islands!

Shopping in downtown areas of the U.S. Virgin Islands means that stores are usually closed on Sunday, but sometimes stay open when a cruise ship is in port. Many items can be found for 40 percent less than in the United States, including cameras, china, perfume, imported clothing, watches, jewelry, gold and more.

St. Thomas Shopping

As the Caribbean’s center of shopping, St. Thomas brings in visitors from all over the world. Shopping highlights in St. Thomas include Charlotte Amalie, where duty-free shopping along Waterfront and Main Streets includes finding the perfect item in restored 17th and 18th century warehouses. Once the home of trade goods like molasses, rum and a variety of spices, these shops now have a large selection of good that range from unique treasures to modern-day necessities.

St. John Shopping

Cruz Bay anchor’s St. John’s shopping area with its incredible array of shops and galleries. Just north of Cruz Bay lies Wharfside Village and Mongoose Junction which offer everything from the latest clothing fashions, unusual local crafts and distinctive selections in jewels and foreign imports.

St. Croix Shopping

St. Croix’s cities of Christiansted and Frederiksted feature local crafts, designer fashions and spectacular jewelry shopping. Christiansted’s shopping district is centered on King’s Alley and Frederiksted’s shopping area lies primarily between Strand and King Street.