El Corte Ingles, Barcelona

If you want to queue up to speak to a sales assistant for long periods then this is the store for you! When I was looking to buy new kitchen appliances and spending approximately €3000+ the guy actually tutted when I asked in Spanish if there was anyone I could get advice from in English. He muttered something in Catalan and phoned someone on another floor then simply handed me the phone… As far as I can see there seems to be a lot of staff walking through the various departments with clipboards looking busy but very few to help anyone.
I would say that it has the worst customer service of any retail outlet that I have ever used.
Arrogant and rude staff. i know we are in their city but it is partly foreign money that goes towards paying their wages. In such a touristy and multi cultural city I am surprised that a huge company like El Corte Ingles does not seem to have in house English classes- a missed opportunity to capture a confused foreigner and his cash!
What a pity that unlike other major cities in the world there is just no competition.
However, be warned unless you like spending fruitless hours in a shop, avoid!

What to buy: El Corte Ingles food store has great selection of almost everything. A little pricey but good quality.

What to pay: Quite a bit higher that supermarkets like El Campo

I bought a replacement battery for my JVC camcorder at El Corte Ingles.
I thought it was really expensive at 89.00 Euro - but the salesman told me that the price was normal.
On return from the shop, I checked out JVC webpage - they are selling identical product for 24.99 Euro
The shop El Corte Ingles is a complete rip-off ... avoid it if you value your money !

I visited El Corte Ingles July 2011. Last time I was in the same store was in 1994. I went to the top floor to have a cup of coffee in the restaurant. I was so disappointed: the restaurant looked the same as in 1994, so it was really out-dated. No renovation at all. But the supermarket is a great place to buy some food and water. You can also find some good bargains on clothes.

look up el Corte Inglés webpage and contact them for the specific toy. Its been a long time for me with toys,but sure they have fisher-price.
http://www.barcelona.com/barcelona_directory/shops/el_corte_ingles

hope it helps
cheers

What to buy: department store things

What to pay: dept store prices, the best known in Spain

Supermarket, called El Corte Ingles is said to be the biggest in Europe, anyway we don’t have it (still) in Lithuania.

The one El Corte Ingles, located just on the main square of Catalonia (Plaza Catalunya) was the shop we used frequently, as it was always on our way to hostels. There is a big choice of clothes, other stuff, also big food shop, maybe not so cheap as shops in more outside places, but quite in good location. I think it is good place for budget travelers – just sometimes to buy food and safe some money instead of going to bars or restaurants.

Same as Macy's, the Corte Ingles is the main department store in Spain, with up to 10 departments of clothes, books, home, electric, children, etc.
If you are looking for cheap or high frequency sales (rebajas) its not the right place.
Most of the product are above average, sometimes even expensive.
But if you don't come only to buy - then go see the one in Plaza Catalunya, I believe it's the biggest one there.

El Corte Ingles is Spain's most famous department store chain.

In Plaza Catalunya there is the biggest store of this chain in Barcelona. Here; on the basement you can find a huge supermarket where you can find some gift to take home. I mean something typical from Spain.

What to buy: Turron (see tip on my Spain page; what to buy...); wines.

What to pay: ...

When you arrive and check in your hotel, try to get some initial food and necessities for the first few days until you get to know where to go. An initial one stop place is El Corte Ingles department store.

It's probably Spain's version of Macy's in the US. The main store on Plaza Catalunya is 9 stories tall. Spain souvenirs are on the ground level on the NW end of the building. There's a cafeteria at the top floor with a panoramic view of the city.

At the bottom level there is a pharmacy, travel agency, and gourmet grocery section with a great selection of jamon. Also try some of their marcona almonds.

What a huge department store.
I actually like this one-stop shopping store. It sells everything from a garden rake to Kobe beef (180 Euro/kg).
The supermarket is on the lower level, and is a very nice store to get most things you might need.

El Corte Inglés is the paradise of tourists, specially the paradise of italian tourists!. Don't ask me why because it is very expensive!!!
Another thing that i have never understood is that spring always arrives first in El Corte Inglés than in Barcelona...still cold...
One good thing is that it's opened until 22,00 (poor sales assistants) which is very comfortable in a city where people go out of their offices at 19,00-20,00.
This picture was taken on 24th december at 9.50, 10minutes before opening its doors...crazy world...

What to buy: You will find here everything....but you will pay more for it

What to pay: Everything is more expensive than in other shops around

El Corte Ingles is Spain's largest department store chain, founded all the way back in 1934. Now the big company that exist in all important cities of Spain takes its name from a little shop that made in 1890 tailored clothes for children.

I found the ones (there was three) in Barcelona to have a lot of things but I found the clothes to be a little expensive that I thought. I mean there were designer clothes and accessories for the ones that wants to shop for the brand name.

This is a picture taken at El Corte Ingles in Catalunya Square.There are a few more Corte Ingles in Barcelona,but this is the largest building in all city.You'll find another one just behind of the square,in a nice and old building.
There are also many diferent department stores in the city,another nice one about books,music and electronics are FNAC,located also close to this square.

This is where the Spaniards do their shopping. In July there are sales at almost every department

What to buy: Anything, clothes , things for the household , nice foodstore in the basement and cafeteria at the top ( 9th floor )

What to pay: If you are NOT coming in July , when the big sale is on, try the 8th floor .....there is always promotions there ( good ones , really ) sometimes 30-70 % reduction on almost everything

I spent three hours one night just wandering around. One of the upper floors 6-8 - I'm not sure - is the bargain floor! Lots of neat stuff. I wish I had gone back. Probably the best part is the supermarket downstairs below the main level. It's a great place to shop for local goodies and to find lots of yummy things to bring home to friends and family. I bought coffee, chocolate, cookies and more. It was fun to just wander around. I felt very safe in Placa Catalunya even at 10 p.m. After all, that's just when dinnertime starts!

What to buy: El Corte Ingles also has a nice tourist shop. A bit pricier than shopping at the tourist shops on Las Ramblas but some nice things.

What to pay: Coffee, chocolate and cookies were very reasonable.

Who doesn't know El Corte Ingles?Something very special about the El Corte Ingles in Barcelona is the view that you have from the top floor of this store.You can have a drink,a snack or a complete meal in the restaurant on the top floor and anjoy a great view of this city.

What to buy: Here you can buy almost everything.

What to pay: Depends on what you buy take your creditcard with you