The opening hours of most stores is at 09:00 am and close at 18:00. To make shopping at night you should go on Thursdays since on that day the shops are open until 21:00. The main shopping area is located near the Dam Square, including the streets as Kalverstraat and Leidsestraat. An expensive but very street elegant shopping is the PC Hooftstraat near the Museumplein.
Some stores:
If you like to compare products and prices may also go to great shopping area in Amstelveen near Amsterdam called "Binnenhof. All major brands are represented and also a good atmosphere.
Supermarkets
There is an abundance of supermarkets in Amsterdam. In general are open until 20:00 on weekdays, until 19:00 on Saturday and Sunday are closed. There are some nightshops which are quite useful when you forget things, but it has attention because prices are too high.
Supermarkets:
In some supermarkets it is necessary to weigh vegetables and fruit on a scale, after pressing a button called "bon" getting the label below the price which then puts on the product. Sometimes at the cashier they can ask if you have have "spaarpunten", "zegels" or "airmiles" at Albert Heijn or "AH-bonuskaart" (discount cards - without it you lose the special offers!). If you become a regular customer might want to use these discounts. It is typically Dutch!
In most supermarkets there is a machine where you can return empty soda bottles getting a receipt in the amount of € 0.25 per bottle. Glass bottles you should put in the "glasbak" and paper on "papierbak. If you do not want to buy vegetables at a supermarket, you can go to speciality stores or street markets. There are also many (but quite expensive) "natuurwinkels" in Amsterdam that sell 100% natural products.
Markets
The largest and most famous street market, Albert Cuyp has practically a little of everything from food (meat and even fish!) to clothes, home products and hygiene, etc.. It is located in Albert Cuypstraat (trams 4, 6, 10 and 16). There is another very interesting market, Waterlooplein Flea Market, it has clothes and second-hand goods around the City Hall and Opera (trams 9, 14, 51 towards the Waterlooplein).
The Flower Market is located on the Singel between the top of Leidsestraat and Munt Tower, as the name implies this is a market of flowers, plants and seeds (trams 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 11, 14, 16, 24, 25).
Finally out of curiosity, if you pass the street of Flower Market search for a store with Christmas ornaments it is a store that sells Christmas products all the 365 days of the year!!