Growing up I never really spent much time out west, but over the last few years I've slowly become…read moremore and more familiar with what is out there. But it was only really recently that I discovered the outlet mall at Westgate. Located right behind the Westgate shopping centre, this little strip of stores includes the likes of Bendon, a Nike factory store, an all-things-USA shop, and Jet Couture to name a few. The Nike and Bendon stores were two places I was ecstatic to find. Both had a wide selection of products available and everything was pretty reasonably priced. If it is outlet shopping you're after, I would still definitely recommend trying Dressmart in Onehunga first, but if you're already out west and just need new running shoes, lingerie or boardies then the Westgate Outlet will be able to take care of you without breaking your bank! Tip: There's plenty of free parking available both at Westgate shopping mall and in front of the outlet strip!

Not to be confused with the main shopping mall at Westgate, this is selection of outlet shops at…read morethe back on Fernhill Drive. There's not much to it really - just a random collection of outlet stores which attracts the bargain hunters on the weekend. I guess the best stores are the Nike and Bendon outlets as you can get some good deals here. There is nothing over $20 in the Bendon store and my wife comes here to stock up on underwear from time to time. There is a hairdresser called Vivo which my wife had a bad experience in - the sink was really high and she had a crick in her neck for days. Overall, it's not all that exciting or stimulating but that comes with the terroritory in West Auckland. Good for a few bargains but not what you would call great retail therapy.

Waitakere Mega Centre has KMart, Briscoes, Rebel Sport and a range of outlets and retailers that…read morehave suited my needs on many occasion. There is access to an ASB ATM on site. Brilliant. The installation of a few more payment machines at KMart, could be reviewed. I would stop off there more often, if I could pay and leave, as quickly as I arrived. Other than that suggestion, I appreciate that I can obtain a car park nearby and I enjoy Waitakere's decent customer service, which is efficient and often hearty. Kind regards, Maria Cooper

A rather dreary little shopping mall just across from the main Westfield mall in Henderson. I guess…read morethe only thing that would lure you here are some of the stores such as Kathmandu, Trade Aid and the Cheesecake Shop. I guess if you wanted something from these, you can drive in and out as parking is usually available. The only spot to have a coffee is BBs cafe and the last time I went there, it smelt badly of raw onion. I probably would have got a coffee there as I have got it here before and it's ok but the smell in the shop drove me out of there. The Long John Silver shop does a good fish and chips at a reasonable price and there's a Subway if you want a sandwich. The whole vibe of the place is depressing in a West Auckland sort of way - overweight people with sour faces puffing on cigarettes. It's the sort of place you pick up your cake from the Cheesecake shop and drive straight out of there again.

I drove across Auckland on a Saturday to meet some friends, visit the Mall, look around the shops,…read morehave lunch, watch a movie and have dinner and in return I got a parking fine. No wonder the Mall was over half empty, when this is how they treat their customers.

King pow Thai prawn salad is all lettuce, bean sprouts and carrots very disappointed. The prawns…read morewere sliced down the middle to make it look like more. Not worth $9.50. Service was ok, a young boy with no smile.

This lovely store selling mostly women's clothing and accessories is a relatively new addition to…read moreAvondale. The woman behind the counter has always presented herself with a big smile ready to assist the potential customer. The clothing range predominantly stock bold colours and large print designs. Casual or elegant evening wear to chose from. I am especially taken with her gorgeous bags, casual beach bag styles with lovely designs, mostly modern or ethnic prints - for $10!!! I hope those prices stay the same as I am keen to stock up on some for presents for the many female family members later in the year. The clothing appears to be better quality than anything else I have seen in Avondale retail shops and I hope the business is here to stay. They are situated across the road from the local library a few doors down on Rosebank Road.

Oh the clearance shed! This place right here is bargain heaven, it is the place you find all the so…read morecalled rejects st a ridiculous price. You can buy makeup, cds, dvds, books, pillows, sheets, electronics and bean bags! It's s place you find everything that you didn't think you needed. If you are ever stuck for a present the clearance shed is the place to go. I blame this place for the countless pilates, yoga ane aerobics dvds that I have. At the same time I owe this place a massive thanks for helping me with my Bob Marley collection. These cds are usually $5-$10 at clearance shed. Plus if any unwanted or unexpected guests invite themselves over and you don't have any clean linen, you now know where to go.

This op shop would have to be in my list of top 3! I found out today that they were previously in…read morePonsonby, then K Road, now in Avondale, but looking for new premises again. I hope they don't move too far away where ever they go! The woman behind the counter has always been really friendly, chatty and helpful when I have been in. They have a long rack of children's clothes for those with youngsters, a decent range of men's wear (generally x-large though), lots of women's clothes, books in an organised fashion, some great crockery (I have bought some matching vases) and glassware. The best bit really is that it is the most affordable I have seen in Auckland. Not only do they have a $1 rack out the front with decent enough clothes, but they also have on offer 50C containers of clothes (children's and adults). It offers prices that most of us would expect to pay for second hand. This isn't me being stingy, this is me being practical - these charity second hand shops support the needy and they sell to those of us who struggle to fill a wardrobe with brand new clothes. Keep up the good work guys!

I pinch myself because I know I'm not on K-Road but today I'm intrigued so I step inside to take a…read morecloser look. First thought, is this stuff legal? What an eye-opener this place is, here's just some of what they have on offer at this specialty tobacconist store. If you are a smoker then this might be a place you'd frequent. They have a whole medley of herbal smokes and the grinders, vaporizers, tobacco flavouring and pipes to go with it. DIY tobacco can be found here and if you haven't already heard of electronic cigarettes, I suggest it's THE answer to the nicotine user who really wants to quit. Incense, jewellery, lighter accessories and, wait for it, contact lenses, what an eclectic collection of products but I still haven't found anything I am likely to purchase. I guess this place just isn't for me.

Do not, I repeat DO NOT go to this place to buy your eliquids or any other products. They are…read morerancid and disgusting. Definitely expired and dangerous to use. went not long ago to buy some eliquid and after a week of using it I noticed 3 of my teeth began to ache. I take great care of my teeth with regular checks to my dentist and find it too much of a coincidence that after using this awful tasting eliquid (vomited twice when using it) I find all of a sudden I have severe tooth ache in nearly half of my teeth. Obviously havent used it since and thinking of throwing my vape away. DISGUSTING TASTE. DONT SAY I DIDNT WARN YOU!!!

Just Plane interesting is the best antique store in West Auckland, and possibly one of the best in…read moreall of Auckland. It's quirky, it has a huge range of antiques, the staff are excellent... I could go on and on. It's situated amongst the orchards out in Oratia and they have grown so much they now have two stores. They also sell a lot of their stuff on Trade Me. They've got taxidermy, heaps of really old records, furniture from all eras, old fur coats, collectables, including a dedicated Coke section. You can always spend hours there, and there's a cafe on the premises too that has nice food but not the best coffee. It's a great place to buy gifts, not just for antique lovers but for anyone who likes things a bit different.

This is a fantastic little junk shop filled with all the typical little Asian shop gifts. Make up,…read morenail polish, other beauty products, bags, toys, quirky ornaments that I would never buy. They've got a great range of earrings that are super cheap, just don't put them in your ears if you've got sensitive skin or itchy earlobes. The staff aren't overly friendly and aren't going to go looking for certain products you can't find, but they are right there when you are ready to make a purchase. Good thing about them though is they don't mind you taking your sweet time looking around, and they'l leave you alone.

I'm not sure why I have not been outlet shopping my entire life. I was on the hunt for new football…read moreboots and was advised the Nike Outlet at Westgate had a 30% off sale. Half an hour later I had new football boots for $90, which had originally been on sale for near $200 at their time of release. I got sucked into the outlet trap (some would argue bargain bin) immediately and explored the store that was full of deals. Replica soccer shirts were only $30, a fraction of the price at other sports stores and running gear was also much cheaper, such as shorts and singlets. Outlet shopping appears to be all about timing however. Many of my first preference boots were not the ideal size (way too big or way too small) with the limited range for the most desired and popular sizes being the trade-off. It is possible to find out from the retail Nike stores when they are sending products to the outlet stores, something I would suggest doing.