Posted on 12/21/2011 8:52:31 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
Items in the U.S. cost half what they do in Brazil, due to taxes, inflation and the real. Above, a Macy's crowd.
Ana Ligia Paladino traveled 5,000 miles from her home in southernmost Brazil last month to jostle for Black Friday bargains at Macy's in New York City. Waiting in line by 5 a.m., she soon notched her first buys in a planned 10-day shopping spree.
"It was a bagunça!" she recalled, using a Brazilian expression that means both mess and mayhem to describe the scene.
Brazilian shoppers are taking the U.S. by storm this holiday season, a welcome boost for U.S. retailers facing a sluggish economy. Armed with a strong currency, easier access to credit and abundant enthusiasm for shopping, Brazilians have quietly ousted richer nations, such as the U.K., as the biggest overseas spenders in key U.S. markets like New York City and Florida.
Some 700,000 Brazilians will visit New York City this year, more than twice the 2009 figure. That's fewer than the British and Canadian totals. But Brazilians still outspend all other countries in the city, including Canada, the U.K. and Italy, New York officials say. In 2010, Brazilian visitors spent a total of $1.63 billion in New York City, topping the $1.42 billion spent by travelers from the U.K., the $1.27 billion spent by Canadians and the $1.1 billion spent by Italians, according to the NYC & Co., the city's tourism board.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
>>”It was a bagunça!” she recalled, using a Brazilian expression that >>means both mess and mayhem to describe the scene.
The stupid author doesn’t know it’s called Portuguese?
real ping
“Some 700,000 Brazilians will visit New York City this year, more than twice the 2009 figure.”
They will then visit NJ, after which 7,000 will return to Brazil.
Maybe the author only speaks Austrian.
At least the article makes clear WHY Brazilians would come all the way over here to do their shopping
Kin yew say V-A-T boys and girls? I knew yew could!
Right. Amazing what low taxes and tariffs do to spur economic activity.
It’s an expression in the portuguese language, but if it’s unique to Brazil it’s way more accurate to call it a Brazilian expression - just like the phrase “OK” originated as an American expression in the english language, though its usage has spread to other english-speaking countries. As another example, would you consider “hoe-down” an English or an American expression?
Hoe-down? I’d consider it a Charlie Sheen expression.
Fair enough. Thanks for the explanation. Howabout, “Brazilian Portuguese expression”?
Cheers and thanks! Yes, it’s great when they can buy these items, but there’s often a charge for bringing them back into the Brasil. I’ve brought electronics as a gift before. DVD players and PCs. I forgot how much I paid but they were for people I call (adopted) family so I considered it incidental.
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