How To Behave In A Brazilian Store

Patrick Bruha

Staff Writer
The Brazil Business

Updated

12 August 2014

When travelling abroad, one of the many things that strike tourists more deeply is the way people behave with each other, especially when it comes to a thing almost every tourist likes to do: shopping in a different country. In this article, we will give you tips on how to behave in a Brazilian store.

Sales Personnel

One of the most important things to know about Brazilian stores is how the salesperson will approach the customer. As Brazilians, in general, are a very receptive folk - and as sellers are encouraged to be nice to customers - the Brazilian salesperson will generally approach the customer at the moment he enters the store. He will greet you and ask you if you need any help with choosing some goods. Although they can generally be nice, some are a little annoying as they do not give you enough space and can even be a little invasive. But this can be easily avoided, as they can be usually dismissed with a simple “I am just taking a look, thank you”.

But there are some stores where the customer will necessarily need assistance from a salesperson: it is the case of shoe stores, for example. Since not all shoe sizes are displayed in the showcase or even inside the store, the client has to ask a seller if he has the model and size he wishes to try - this can also happen in some clothing stores where they may keep some clothes’ sizes in the stockroom.

The salesperson will then proceed to the stockroom and you might be surprised when he comes back as he will be carrying several other models which you did not ask for. The different models may include different colors of the same models, different sizes of shoes, or even other models closely related to the one the customer asked for. In case this happens, there is no problem not trying on the other models or sizes the seller brought you.

It is also worth mentioning that items displayed on the showcase are for display only - although this happens more commonly in shoe stores. Whenever the customer is interested in a good displayed in the showcase, he is supposed to ask the salesperson about this specific item - size and color - who will then proceed to search for the item in the stockroom. Customers are not supposed to grab or even touch the goods displayed in the showcase. This is especially true when buying in small clothing stores, or in shoe stores, as big clothing stores usually display all their item options inside the store.

Fitting Room

In every clothing store in Brazil, expect to find at least one fitting room, or provadores, as they are known in Brazil. In bigger stores, there may be several fitting rooms as the flow of customers intending to try on their soon-to-be new clothes is heavier. Upon entering a fitting room in a bigger store, you may be required to inform how many pieces of cloth you are taking with you. It is also important to state that customers are not supposed to try clothes outside the fitting rooms.

In smaller clothing stores, sellers may even help you choose your full outfit, handing you some clothes over your fitting room’s door.

Nota Fiscal

When buying in Brazilian store, always ask for your Nota Fiscal, the Brazilian Invoice. Despite being guaranteed by law, many companies tell customers that without the invoice, they cannot return a good or change it for another model. Also, in many stores, especially in pharmacies, if the seller does not give you an invoice, the company can be fined.

Tax Free Shopping

A bill is in progress in the Chamber of deputies that, if approved, will establish the refund of the Tax on Industrialized Products, the IPI, to foreigners not residing in Brazil when acquiring goods bought in Brazil. Another bill foresees tax return on PIS and COFINS.

The project also states that the tax return should be made in no more than 90 days, according to the procedures regulated by the Federal Revenue Service. The purchased value will have to add at least BRL 100 per store per day, and each invoice, individually, may not count less than BRL 50.

But there are already some stores, jewelry stores, for example, that exempt foreigners from paying some taxes when buying products in Brazil. The “discount” is awarded whenever the client complies with the following conditions:

• The client does not live in Brazil
• The client must present his passport upon purchase, proving that he is in Brazil for a maximum period of 90 days
• The client must not own a CPF number
• Payment should be done by foreign credit card or foreign currency

Size conversion for clothing and shoes

In Brazil, size for clothes - specially - and for shoes are oversimplified. There are usually less options of sizes for clothes and shoes and in some cases - for jeans or dress shirts - Brazilian stores have a single clothing size, not offering options for different lengths of arm size or leg size.

As there is not an international standard for sizes of clothing yet, there are some differences that can be observed for the same general clothing size in different countries. For instance, the Brazilian P size should be equivalent to the American S size, but is actually a little smaller, as Brazilian clothing's cut is apparently smaller than abroad.

It is also important to note that sizes of shoes with less demand - below 35 and above 39 - are more difficult to find. Some stores have only a few models of these sizes and some other stores do not even have models in these sizes.

When coming to Brazil, foreigners should follow a conversion table to avoid any trouble when shopping clothes or shoes.

General Clothing

Children’s clothing

Women’s jeans

Women’s skirts, dresses, jackets and coats

Women’s blouses and knitwear

Men’s jeans

Men’s suits

Men’s dress shirts

Shoes

Children’s shoes

Women’s shoes

Men’s shoes