The name "OK Gift Shop" is pretty funny. It's like, "go here for the gifts for people you don't…read morecare too much about but have to get one for." Ironically enough, this is actually one of the better gift shops I've come across. I don't make a habit of gift shopping, but I try to make a habit of gift receiving, and I wouldn't mind if I got one from here - if I was overseas that is. On the day I went they had a weird little promotion where buy a number and they spin a thing, if you win you get a prize. There must have been about 40 Japanese school kids on a trip in the shop all hoping to win big so I missed out on having a chance, but it looked pretty cool. For once, a shop that actually outshines it's name.

You can find OK Gift Shop in Downtown shopping Centre corner of Customs Street and Albert Street in…read morethe heart of Auckland's city. They are on level one, not easy to miss in this small mall. I was impressed by the fact this souvenir shop sold work by New Zealand artists, probably commissioned based, but so are galleries. It is a great way to buy a unique gift for someone without having to trek out into the outer markets or surrounding suburbs if you on a tight time schedule but want to buy that something a little bit different and not mass produced overseas. Their was photographic art, ceramics with Kiwi iconography and New Zealand's natural timbers made into crafty useful objects. I personally picked up a small ceramic plaque with a kiwi bird on it and a nice green glaze over the top, it was by 'Art Locker' and cost me $9.20. I was pretty happy with that, and I hope my friends in Perth will too, since it is intended for them. A lovely little, well quite big actually, store to keep in mind when on the hunt for presents to go overseas.

This place is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Remuera shops, it has become…read moresomewhat of a landmark for Remas and it reminds me a lot of being young and visiting with my parents. It is quite an expensive store but it has some beautiful items and the ladies that work in here are always incredibly nice and easy to talk to. It's an excellent place to come for a gift especially for someone who is into homewares e.g. your Mum or Grandma. They stock brands such as Le Creuset, Scanpan, Donna Hay and Bodum. If you are into fine chocolates, Trumps is a stockist of Bennetts of Mangawhai (they make amazing chocolates right here in NZ). You can register your weddings gifts too so that your guests find it easy to choose something and they will have the comfort of knowing it is something that you want. They also take really good passport photos here!

This gift shop in Mairangi Bay gets a thumbs up for always having something new, you've got to be…read morequick if you see something. Beautifully stocked with decorative pieces for your home and things that ladies love - candles, jewellery, handbags. This is where I come for that special gift for a friend and maybe a little something for myself.

Even when I don't plan to have a browse at this shop I always end up stopping in for a quick snoop…read more The staff here cleverly arrange a display outside, which is guaranteed to catch your eye! There's funky cushions and tables and accessories and because of these things I'm always tempted inside. This shop isn't that big but inside is packed with lots of wonderful goodies. The prices aren't extremely affordable and I think it would be possible to find similar kinds of things elsewhere for a cheaper price, but if you wanted to treat yourself or a friend, or you were after something simply amazing and of great quality then head along to Spoilt and spoil yourself!

Another one of those shops perfect for picking out gifts or goodies for around the house. A while…read moreago I was hunting every last corner of Auckland looking for a piece of jewellery for my 21st. I was after something a little different and not something I'd find draped on every second person across the city. At Spinz I was surprised to find jewellery at all as I kind of thought it was more a tacky trinkety shop. I was quite wrong. There was some beautiful jewellery inside including some different brands, designers and pieces locked away in the sparkly cabinet. The staff were very helpful and eager to play a part in my selection. They did not hesitate in whipping out brochures and designer catalogues and checking with suppliers and stockists. They were also not too pushy which I found refreshing as sales assistants can really grind my gears when they say something looks "PERFECT" on you when you know it looks like S***.

This store is great because it doesn't cater to the 'kitschy' side of New Zealand art and design as…read moremuch as some souvenir type stores like it do. It's more of an Art Gallery rather than a store. And affordable too. I love artist Tony Cribbs 'Adventures of Tin man' series and always like to pick something up whenever I see one in a store or gallery. They are just too cute. And funny as well. I always get compliments on them whenever I have people over to mine. They just exemplify the New Zealand sense of humor so well. I like the fact that Mana also has prints of a lot of their artworks so if you can't afford the actual original artwork itself there are still opportunities for you to own a slice of something. I'm currently crushing on one of their artworks, one of a Maori girl/princess wrapped in a traditional woven cloak. I may have to settle on the print of this one myself!

If you're looking for some absolutely beautiful local art, jewellery or gifts for someone visiting…read moreNew Zealand to take home with them or even to send to someone abroad, this place should be your one stop shop. They've got a fairly small but carefully curated collection of glassware, paintings and sculptures alongside jewellery and cards and other nick-nacks. My favourite things in here are the necklaces. Long thin silver chains with bird and flower pendants, which were gorgeous and really unusual. Things like this range from around $40 up to $400, so you're sure to find something no matter what your budget. I've been looking for a Green Stone necklace for my partner for quite some time and have never been able to find one that I really love, but the ones in Mana are the nicest I've seen in Auckland. Plus they were playing Ben Howard on the stereo when I walked in, which just made me like it even more.

The lovely Korean ladies who work in this store are just bubbly and happy, and this surely brings…read moreme in from time to time just because of that. I usually will let my son out of the push chair to run around the store and look at all the goodies. I have purchased a few warm leggings in the past from this store during winter, and find that they have all sorts of toys and games to keep the small child entertained for a bit. One thing my little boy loves is Thomas the Tank engine, and they have a bunch of merchandise dedicated to the cheerful tank, which we usually pop in to buy or play with. A great store to look for gifts, and they have some fantastic preschool to primary bags and lunch bag's to purchase. I always walk out with something that's fun for the kid.

I love this store - I found gifts for several people in my family, mainly females and I must admit,…read moresomething for me of course... Beautiful scarves and fashion Jewellery, picture frames, cute clocks and candles with heavenly scents from Living Light Candles hand made in Golden Bay. They also have baby gifts and clothes, leather handbags and wallets - silk and cashmere scarves. The selection of Sterling silver Jewellery is fantastic, the best I have seen in a long time. Mainly from 2 NewZealand companies: Sterling and Evolve. And then a great selection of fun and inspiring greeting cards!

The best thing by far about Inspired is the massive range of jewellery. It's all laid out on the…read morebig central table and includes necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. It's mostly all silver-based and is good quality, but best of all, it's really cheap! So it's a nice place to buy a little something for yourself without breaking the bank. Inspired is quite a big shop and the rest is filled with gifty type stuff - clothes, scarfs, handbags and that kind of thing. There's nothing particularly stand-out about the rest of the stock, but it's definitely a solid gift-shopping option in the CBD that isn't either top-range or The Warehouse.

I had a disappointing experience with this store…read more I received my order and immediately noticed that the clothes had a very strong fragrance smell. Given that I ordered premium organic children's clothing, this was quite concerning and contrary to what many parents expect - minimal processing and no added scents. They also sell diffusers and candles, which may explain the scent contamination. I emailed the same day I received the package to request a return and refund. It then took a full week to receive a response, which simply instructed me to return the items to a warehouse address, with no clear process. I replied the same day asking reasonable questions -such as the warehouse opening hours, whether I could drop the items off in person. It has now been another week with no response. This was also confusing because their company policy states that online orders can be returned to any of their retail stores. This would have been far more convenient, as they have multiple locations with set opening hours and staff available, so you know you can actually speak to someone and have the return handled properly. Overall, the lack of communication, slow response times, and inconsistency with their stated return policy have been very frustrating. For a brand positioning itself as premium, I expected much better customer service and handling of returns. I would also caution other parents who prefer unscented, minimally treated baby clothing to keep this in mind when ordering.

Father Rabbit is the absolute best. It seriously turns me into a gushing 16 year old. They've got…read morebeautiful, beautiful homewares, candles, children's clothing and there's a small amount of adult clothing too. This store is larger than their Ponsonby one and is located inside Bloc, which is dangerous in itself. But back to F.R, the brands they stock are all seriously stunning - lots of whites, neutrals and soft pastels.... it's my dream to make my house look like this one day... Not surprisingly, Father Rabbit has become my go-to for gifts. It isn't outrageously expensive and they've got a wide range of products, something for everyone. Check it out next time you're in Mt Eden....the ultimate one stop shop.