Cancún offers two very different shopping experiences that rarely overlap: resort-area malls selling the same international brands you have at home, and a genuine craft and market scene with regionally specific things worth bringing back.
Hotel Zone malls
La Isla Shopping Village and Kukulcán Plaza are the two main Hotel Zone malls. They contain international chains, resort wear, restaurants, and some craft vendors — convenient if you need something specific, but not a shopping destination in themselves. Prices reflect the location.
What's worth buying
Hammocks — Yucatán is Mexico's hammock-making heartland; handwoven hammocks here (especially the mayan hammock style with fine cotton string) are of noticeably higher quality than equivalents sold elsewhere or online. Buy from Mercado 28 or a dedicated hammock shop rather than hotel gift shops.
Hand-embroidered textiles — Blouses (huipiles), tablecloths, and runners embroidered by hand (check for machine stitching on the back as a quality tell). Authentic pieces take days to make; pricing should reflect that.
Talavera pottery — Traditional blue-and-white ceramic work, though technically a Puebla speciality — quality varies enormously; heavier, more detailed pieces are a better investment than thin, mass-produced versions.
Local honey and food products — Yucatecan honey (including the native stingless bee variety), habanero sauces, and achiote paste all travel well and are genuinely regional.
What to skip
Anything made from coral, turtle shell, or black coral (illegal to export). "Aztec" calendar art (which has no geographic connection to this region). Branded resort wear at resort prices. Day-of-the-Dead skull figurines that are mass-produced in China rather than handmade in Mexico — the difference is usually visible in the finish quality.
Negotiating prices
Expected at Mercado 28 and craft markets. Start lower than you want to end up, stay good-humored, and be ready to buy if you hit your number — walking away repeatedly and coming back kills goodwill. In shops with posted prices, negotiation is usually less appropriate.