ZAGAT RELEASES 2008 NYC SHOPPING GUIDE
The City’s Best Shopping Destinations Now Available on ZAGAT.mobi

NEW YORK, NY. March 5, 2008 – Zagat Survey today launched its comprehensive 2008 New York City Shopping guide with over 7,500 shoppers weighing in on the hottest spots to shop in all five boroughs. Covering 2,463 of the city’s best stores, including 167 additions, the updated guide proves once again that New York City has anything and everything available to satisfy both local and visiting shoppers.

"Sixty percent of Zagat surveyors report that shopping in the Big Apple is more expensive than last year," said Tim Zagat, CEO of Zagat Survey. "However, the strength of the euro is making it seem like 'Bargain Central' for visitors."

With the recent launch of ZAGAT.mobi, for web-enabled cell phones and smartphones including the Apple iPhone, shoppers have more options to find what they need on the go. ZAGAT.mobi allows anyone access to ratings and reviews, directions, phone numbers, store hours, maps and photos of shopping, restaurant, hotels and nightlife destinations.

Top Newcomers: From glossy boutiques, where 68% of surveyors say they prefer to shop, to flashy flagships to insider finds and European exports - this year’s guide offers a wealth of choices certain to satisfy visitors and locals of all budgets and tastes. Uptown, deep-pocketed shoppers are descending on Parisian footwear favorite Roger Vivier, the diamond leviathan Leviev as well as Louis Féraud, the iconic French couturier. Downtown, style-mavens alight at 3.1 Phillip Lim while nesters turn to craftsman Michael Aram for handmade home accessories, Luceplan for contemporary lighting and the Salty Paw for essentials for Fido.

TOP RATED NEWCOMERS

Designer Redux: Surveyors still like designer labels, with 66% of them loyal to specific brands. Suggesting that the NYC economy remains strong, the principal complaint about local shopping is crowds/lines (40%). Only 12% of surveyors cited high prices as the most irritating thing about shopping in New York, while poor service netted 31% of complaints. Fortunately, there’s been no shortage of haute houses opening this year, including Allegra Hicks, Roberto Cavalli’s spin-off Just Cavalli, Louis Féraud, Tom Ford, Roger Vivier, Helmut Lang's newly reconceived label and shop and hot property 3.1 Philip Lim. Furthermore, the line between show biz and the retail biz grows increasingly blurry, with stores being backed by boldface names from other fields: Ivanka Trump debuted a namesake jewelry boutique; music mogul Pharrell Williams opened Billionaire Boys Club & Ice Cream, with apparel for real and wannabe rappers; and decorating doyenne Charlotte Moss offered her patrician wares in a tony townhouse.

Style for Pennies: Meanwhile, budget-minded shoppers found salvation in SoHo, voted surveyors’ favorite shopping neighborhood. Many of the most sought-after destinations for high-style, low-cost merchandise, including Crate & Barrel’s cheaper offspring CB2, Spanish import MNG by Mango and Japan’s home/fashion fusion Muji followed the lead of Uniqlo, one of last year’s most welcome newcomers, opening on Broadway below Houston Street.

Green is the New Black: When asked how important it is that the products they buy are eco-friendly, 76% say that it was at least somewhat important and 45% say they’re more eco-minded when shopping than two years ago.

There’s No Business Like Shoe Business: Shoes moved into the limelight as the "it" accessory du jour. Bargainistas got their kicks at full-on phenomenon Crocs, the trippy Irregular Choice and flip-flop favorite Rainbow Sandals, while well-heeled fashionistas steered over to Diana Boussard, Edon Manor, Iris and of course, Saks’ new floor-long footwear department 10022-SHOE. And men of means have the slightly subversive Brit brand Barker Black.

The Guide: As with all Zagat guidebooks, the 2008 New York City Shopping survey is made by consumers for consumers. In addition to Top Lists for Popularity, Quality, Display, Service, and Good Values, the guide includes a map of Brooklyn and Manhattan shopping destinations. Store Quality ratings are also categorized by fashion/beauty, home/garden, lifestyle, and location, with subcategories from activewear to accessories, silver to stationery and cookware to cameras.

The 2008 New York City Shopping guide ($15.95) was edited by Catherine Bigwood, Randi Gollin and Troy Segal and is available at bookstores, by calling (888) 371-5440, and online at ZAGAT.com.

About Zagat Survey, LLC
Known as the wildly popular "burgundy bible," Zagat Survey is the world's most trusted source for information about where to eat, drink, stay and play around the globe, and as such has become a symbol of quality. Zagat Survey rates and reviews airlines, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, movies, music, golf, resorts, shopping, spas, and a range of other entertainment categories in 104 countries and has been lauded as the "most up-to-date, comprehensive and reliable guides ever published" and as "a necessity second only to a valid credit card." Zagat content is available in print, on the Web, on the Palm and Windows Mobile operating systems, on BlackBerry, on mobile phones, and on TV. For more information, visit ZAGAT.com.