A shopping stop is a scheduled visit on a group tour to a shop, factory or showroom. The tour operator arranges it with the seller, and it sits inside the daily programme. It is common enough in some packages that it affects both your time and your wallet.
Where you meet it on a trip
You meet it on group tours, listed on the itinerary as a visit to a tea house, jade shop, silk factory or similar place. It usually takes a block of time that could have gone to a sight. You may sit through a talk or a demonstration before you can walk around.
A practical tip
Ask before you pay, not after you arrive. Request the number of shopping stops and how long each lasts.
Ask whether you may skip a stop and wait outside, and whether the price depends on a minimum spend. Get the answers in writing. Our guides on questions to ask about shopping stops and how much itinerary time shopping stops take give you the list.
If you decline, do it calmly and politely, and keep your plans for the free time. You can also compare quotes with the package comparator, which shows shopping stops beside the real cost.
Related terms
- Join-in group tour, the format where shopping stops most often appear.
- What a no-shopping package really means, to read the fine print.