Germans are online shopaholics – they’re predicted to spend in excess of $108 billion in 2008 (up from $27 billion just three years previously). Web-based shopping options are vast and varied, from groceries and clothes to electronics and household goods. If you’re strapped for cash, online rental options are a fun way to sport the latest fashions without taking out a mortgage. For a monthly fee, www.luxusbabe.de ensures you’ll be sporting the latest designer handbag every month (from €29 to €79, plus €14 shipping costs and the option of taking out insurance if you fear for the safety of an on-loan Dior Gaucho saddle bag). Most of the major department stores will deliver to your door. Many require a minimum purchase for free delivery while others will charge based on weight and your chosen method of freight (overland courier services are generally less expensive than air).

Credit cards are the most widely accepted form of payment, but some companies will accept money transfers through PayPal accounts or a direct debit deposit from a German bank account. There are relatively few restrictions on what you can bring into the country, so unless you’re ordering rare or endangered animals, firearms or medication, your goods are unlikely to get a thorough going-over by German customs officials. A tax is often slapped on consumer goods entering the country, but the charge varies significantly depending on the item. Check out www.zoll.de.