Duty free tablet prices in Qatar Dubai or London

[gamini]

I cant seem to find much about buying tablets at the duty free airports. I was wondering if I could buy a Galaxy Tab 4 10.1

cheaper at one of the duty free airports than I can in Thailand where it costs Bt14,500. It is advertised online USA much cheaper

[Upnotover]

For the UK you can go to Dixonstravel dot com and there are some priced items shown, for others you have to ring them to get the price and can then reserve an item to pay and collect at the airport. I suspect that the reason price information is not widely available is that most of the airport prices offer very little in terms of saving.

[Chicog]

Who in their right mind would buy "Duty Free" from London, which I assume is the only one selling Dixons kit?

Everything they sell is an utter rip off.

[gamini]

I since checked Dixons duty free and they cost much more than Thailand.

[Chicog]

I remember reading an article a few years back that highlighted that some items in Heathrow Duty Free could actually be purchased cheaper outside the airport.

[KittenKong]

I remember reading an article a few years back that highlighted that some items in Heathrow Duty Free could actually be purchased cheaper outside the airport.

Duty-Free prices usually only deduct part of the VAT from the MRP. So for an example a thing with an MRP of GBP120 incl VAT may be sold for GBP110 in Duty-Free, rather than the real GBP100 ex-VAT price. But of course the item you are looking at may well be discounted outside the airport and if so you could find it for under GBP100 incl VAT on occasions.

I bought a Sonos unit back from the UK recently. UK list price (MRP) is GBP349 incl VAT. Price ex-VAT should be GBP291. Dixons Heathrow price is about GBP320, which is a fair saving if you cant do better. But I paid GBP299 including VAT and UK delivery on a special online offer, though it took a few months of patience and searching to get that.

One other option is to buy from a UK vendor that offers VAT refunds to tourists, but there are several hoops to jump through to get the refund and many vendors actually have a hidden processing charge that can eat away a large part of the refund anyway.

Yet another option is to buy in Thailand and claim back the 7% VAT paid here. Again, a few hoops to go through in the shop you buy from and above all you MUST get the paperwork stamped BEFORE going through security at the airport and asking for your refund in the Duty-Free area. The airport customs office for this is easy to miss and, I suspect, is deliberately hidden.

[Chicog]

I bought a Sonos unit back from the UK recently. UK list price (MRP) is GBP349 incl VAT. Price ex-VAT should be GBP291. Dixons Heathrow price is about GBP320, which is a fair saving if you cant do better. But I paid GBP299 including VAT and UK delivery on a special online offer, though it took a few months of patience and searching to get that.

One other option is to buy from a UK vendor that offers VAT refunds to tourists, but there are several hoops to jump through to get the refund and many vendors actually have a hidden processing charge that can eat away a large part of the refund anyway.

All you need is a tax refund form from the appropriate vendor, then you present it, with the goods, at Heathrow.

VAT refunds

Visitors from non-European Union countries can reclaim the sales tax (VAT) on purchases from a number of British retailers.*

To claim, first purchase goods from any merchant displaying the Tax Free Shopping sign. You'll be given a tax refund form by the retailer – keep it along with your receipt.

Then when you get to the airport, take your receipt and form to the Travelex counter or the Customs desk (located before and after security). Please have the items with you for inspection. Anything large and bulky (including clothing) will need to be presented before check-in. High-value items including watches, cameras and smartphones must be presented after security control.

It may be possible for the refund to be paid in cash but this will depend on the retailer where the goods were purchased. You may also be able to have your refund paid in your own local currency – just ask at the desk.

Please note at peak times, you may have to queue for 30 minutes or more so please allow extra time to complete the process.

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageVAT_ShowContent&id=HMCE_CL_000141&propertyType=document

Edited July 7, 2014 by Chicog

[nidieunimaitre]

OP, think twice before buying duty free in Dubai.

When I looked at my receipt, it mentioned:

"I have chosen not to use the Mastercaerd currency conversion process and agree that I will have no recourse against Mastercard concerning the currency conversion or its disclosure."

Never again will I buy something from them.

[Chicog]

OP, think twice before buying duty free in Dubai.

When I looked at my receipt, it mentioned:

"I have chosen not to use the Mastercaerd currency conversion process and agree that I will have no recourse against Mastercard concerning the currency conversion or its disclosure."

Never again will I buy something from them.

What?

You mean "Never again will I buy something using Mastercard".

Or you should do.

They simply ask you what currency you want to pay in, the local or billing currency.

All that statement means is that you accept that the merchant, not Mastercard, will determine the exchange rate and you won't bitch at Mastercard when you see what it is.

I always use Visa because they tie their daily rates within a certain range and merchants are not allowed to exceed it.

[nidieunimaitre]

OP, think twice before buying duty free in Dubai.

When I looked at my receipt, it mentioned:

"I have chosen not to use the Mastercaerd currency conversion process and agree that I will have no recourse against Mastercard concerning the currency conversion or its disclosure."

Never again will I buy something from them.

What?

You mean "Never again will I buy something using Mastercard".

Or you should do.

They simply ask you what currency you want to pay in, the local or billing currency.

All that statement means is that you accept that the merchant, not Mastercard, will determine the exchange rate and you won't bitch at Mastercard when you see what it is.

I always use Visa because they tie their daily rates within a certain range and merchants are not allowed to exceed it.

They didn't ask me nothing....

I am aware of this exchange rate scam, but forgot....

Anyway, thanks for the advise to use Visa, I did not know that Visa does not allow that scam.

[KittenKong]

I bought a Sonos unit back from the UK recently. UK list price (MRP) is GBP349 incl VAT. Price ex-VAT should be GBP291. Dixons Heathrow price is about GBP320, which is a fair saving if you cant do better. But I paid GBP299 including VAT and UK delivery on a special online offer, though it took a few months of patience and searching to get that.

One other option is to buy from a UK vendor that offers VAT refunds to tourists, but there are several hoops to jump through to get the refund and many vendors actually have a hidden processing charge that can eat away a large part of the refund anyway.

All you need is a tax refund form from the appropriate vendor, then you present it, with the goods, at Heathrow.

Have you actually done this? Many UK vendors do not issue the form themselves; they employ an agent to handle it and this agent may charge several tens of GBP for doing so. And many other vendors aren't part of the VAT refund scheme anyway and just wont issue the form at all.

And have you ever seen the queue at Heathrow for presenting the goods? And maybe you dont wont to have the goods in your carry-on luggage and want to check it.

There are thousands of negative comments about this to be found online. I looked into it and decided it wasnt worth the trouble, not least because I just could not find a cheap vendor who was part of the scheme.

[Chicog]

I bought a Sonos unit back from the UK recently. UK list price (MRP) is GBP349 incl VAT. Price ex-VAT should be GBP291. Dixons Heathrow price is about GBP320, which is a fair saving if you cant do better. But I paid GBP299 including VAT and UK delivery on a special online offer, though it took a few months of patience and searching to get that.

One other option is to buy from a UK vendor that offers VAT refunds to tourists, but there are several hoops to jump through to get the refund and many vendors actually have a hidden processing charge that can eat away a large part of the refund anyway.

All you need is a tax refund form from the appropriate vendor, then you present it, with the goods, at Heathrow.

Have you actually done this? Many UK vendors do not issue the form themselves; they employ an agent to handle it and this agent may charge several tens of GBP for doing so. And many other vendors aren't part of the VAT refund scheme anyway and just wont issue the form at all.

And have you ever seen the queue at Heathrow for presenting the goods? And maybe you dont wont to have the goods in your carry-on luggage and want to check it.

There are thousands of negative comments about this to be found online. I looked into it and decided it wasnt worth the trouble, not least because I just could not find a cheap vendor who was part of the scheme.

Finding the vendor is the key. As for employing agents, they don't need to, you're paying them the VAT, they just need to issue you the form. If they are in the scheme they will have VAT 407's.

[KittenKong]

Finding the vendor is the key.

Indeed, and hence my comments. But finding the right vendor is much easier said than done. Especially if you are looking to buy at the best price.

As for employing agents, they don't need to, you're paying them the VAT, they just need to issue you the form.

I know they dont need to, but using an agent is what some of these vendors choose to do and the buyer has no choice in the matter (apart from buying elsewhere). Hence my comments.

Getting a UK VAT refund looks like a good idea on paper but may be unexpectedly difficult, tedious and expensive in practice. Caveat emptor.

[astral]

Airport duty free is generally a rip off

Even tax refund facilities are dubious as KK mentions

When I went to the customs desk in Heathrow Terminal 1 to get a form signed there was no one around

Eventually I found an officer, but she just signed and did not stamp the form

so I did not get my refund.

Before someone asks I was flying out side the EU from T1