Most of the larger cities which include Berlin, Stuttgart, Leipzig, Munich, Hamburg or Baden Baden, have out-of-town big box specialty megastores offering every conceivable item. Otherwise each town often specializes in different produce such as the Maeklin model railways based in Goppingen. Top quality musical instruments are the Leipzig's specialty not surprising since  Bach, Mendelssohn and Wagner spent not an inconsiderable time here. Woodcarvings are mainly found in the area of the Harz Mountains, while the Alpine region boasts exquisite wood-carved religious statues and Christmas decorations. Other possible  purchases include precision optical equipment such as cameras and lenses, porcelain, crystal, silver, Solingen knives, leatherwear, reasonably priced sports equipment and toys from Nuremberg. Wood carved toys from the Erzgebirge Mountains and Meissen china, as well as Cuckoo clocks from the Schwarzwald region are  favourite items from Eastern Germany.

Big box specialty stores have become a significant part of the landscapes of suburban Germany.  These hyper-facilities range from do-it-yourself stores such as Hela Baumarkt and Hornbach to mega-entities such as MediaMarkt and Saturn all of which sell appliances, consumer electronics, music and video, computers and telephones. Ikea and Moebel Martin are the country’s most widely-known furniture store chains. So-called hyper-stores,  the chains Real, Penny Markt, Kaufland, Karstadt, Quelle or Globus Handelshof, offer a vast range of products including groceries, household appliances, beverages, pet items, clothing, shoes and other supplies arranged along  various categories. These hyper-stores often comprise a special section of shopping centres which also include other large specialty stores. Other popular discount chain stores include Aldi and Lidl, catering to the wallet conscious consumer. The discounting boom in recent years can be  mostly attributed to their low prices and decent product range.

Most  cities also have excellent downtown shopping with ample pedestrian zones filled with open-air cafes, sidewalk musicians and artists, fountains, benches, etc. Some  shopping lanes have even been glassed over. Most  shops restrict their product line to  one kind of item such as clothes, china, leather, metalware, shoes, handicrafts, electronic equipment, musical instruments, optics, books and stationery, flowers, spices, carpets, tobacco, antiques and candles. Howeverthese highly specialised shops might charge higher prices due to the high rent they have to pay in downtown areas. If hungry while browsing through the downtown area, you are very likely to encounter the local Metzgerei (butcher’s), Backerei (bakery) or Konditorei (pastry shop). Another food shop specialty is the Reformhaus (health food store), where you can purchase good-value yogurt, whole grain breads, granola bars, tofu, soy milk and vitamins. Another typically local phenomenon is the Christmas market, the most famous of which is the Christkindlmarkt in Nuremberg. The country currently has some 2,500 Christmas markets offering Christmas lights, Glühwein, roasted almonds, ginger bread and Bratwurst.