The great thing about picking up the guitar nowadays is that it’s far easier to buy a good instrument to learn on than it was 35 years ago when I started. Electric guitars were either the real deal or what we used to call ‘copies’ which were cheap things that looked like Strats or Gibsons, usually LP or SG and they were pretty diabolical. Now you can get really great instruments for a fraction of the price of a name guitar. Same with acoustics. My advice would be whatever you do go to the store with someone who plays, most stores are friendly and live on their reputations so ripping beginners off is relatively rare, but having a player with you is very handy when the guy in the store says ‘I’ll leave you to play it awhile’, because whatever he has said about the instrument will have gone straight out of your head, because it’s always slightly intimidating buying something you know nothing about, and your friend can then give it the once over and let you know if it’s going to be any good for you to learn on.
The only part of Bob’s post I would slightly differ from is that large stores, with big turnovers of stock are sometimes great places to get deals if they want to move old stock off their shelves - but, you do need someone with you who knows their stuff. Smaller stores can be great but sometimes they will price a bit higher and might not have the choice. Don’t buy the first pertty thing you see and take your time; you are doing them the favour not the other way round. In most respects think about buying your first car from a dealer, lots of the things you would tell a young person about to get their first car holds true for musical instruments.
And when you can play a bit, and you want your second instrument, find out whats on the banned tunes list in the locals stores before you go and debut your painstakingly learnt ‘Stairway to heaven’ for the sales staff;)