UP FRONT | SHOPPING
Duty-Free Details Get the scoop on what the term means and how to save on your travels
Shopping while traveling abroad can often be a hassle. Duty-free shopping makes it easier by offering tax-free advantages and savings on large purchases. Here are some pointers to make your next trip kinder to your wallet.
THINKSTOCK
BY ADRIENNE JORDAN
UP FRONT | SHOPPING
SAVE ON THESE ITEMS Matt Granite, the YouTube deal guy, recommends these duty-free products:
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Cigarettes, cigars, alcohol. “If you’re looking for a celebratory cigar or ... some type of alcohol line that is national or tied to a specific country, huge duty-free savings.”
A “duty” refers to a tax or fee placed on goods by government entities. Merchants who import goods and sell them to consumers leaving the country are not charged a duty on these products, so they are able to pass the savings on to customers. But be sure to keep the exchange rate in mind.
WHERE CAN I SHOP/BUY DUTY-FREE? Travelers can find duty-free products at international airports, cruise ships, ports and onboard international flights.
HOW CAN I SHOP DUTY-FREE IN THE UNITED STATES? To be eligible for duty-free shopping, you must be leaving the United States for more than 48 hours and take the items with you into another country.
WHAT ITEMS SHOULD I BUY? “Duty-free and airport purchases are usually more appealing for liquor and tobacco because of the heavy taxes imposed on these items, especially in Western countries. Often, you can get
the value-added taxes (VAT) refunded at the airport,” says Jean Yves Chainon, founder of OOAworld, an online travel and photography magazine. Also worth checking out are beauty products. For instance, “the DFS Duty Free Galleria recently opened at Terminal 4 in JFK, and you can find things there that you cannot find in most other stores, like Tom Ford, La Mer, Jo Malone, Bond No. 9. and some discounts on brands that usually are not discounted, like Estée Lauder and Lancôme,” says Lois Pasternak, publisher and editor of Travel Markets Insider.
DO DUTY-FREE SHOPS OFFER UNIQUE ITEMS? A little of both. “If you are a scotch drinker, certain brands like Macallan, Johnnie Walker and Glenfiddich offer duty-free exclusives that can only be found at duty-free stores. Collectors love them,” says Pasternak. Another tip is to buy souvenirs last minute. For example, at Qatar’s new Hamad International Airport, travelers can purchase Qatari-themed souvenirs such as colorful pashminas and jewelry at the souk-style Bazaar boutique. ●
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Hair care, makeup, perfume products. Beauty products are sometimes sold at prices up to 60 percent off regular retail.
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Handbags and designer goods. But be aware that these deals rotate through the year. “At times they’re 30 percent off ... sometimes they’re on par with what you would spend at a regular department store and sometimes the designer goods are 10 percent more.” What’s not a good deal? Souvenir T-shirts and trinkets. Leave those I Heart London shirts at Heathrow.
THINKSTOCK
FIRST, KNOW WHAT DUTY-FREE SHOPPING IS.