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Japanred
·
So there are fines then, which is contrary to what DennisTheMennace said above
Buying at Airport
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lindo
·Some years ago I bought a nice Co-Axial from one of Sydney's duty free watch shops on the way out of the country. The staff suggested that instead of me taking the boxes etc with me, they would hold them until I returned and transfer them to their city office for me to pick up. No problem.
I cannot see that this was not legitimate, as I purchased the watch duty free, wore it overseas, and returned with it as a used personal item.
However, as it was an impulse buy I did not have enough market information to know whether I could have done better from a local AD who offers good discounts. In retrospect I think I could have done better with the AD (and a bit of arm twisting).
I cannot see that this was not legitimate, as I purchased the watch duty free, wore it overseas, and returned with it as a used personal item.
However, as it was an impulse buy I did not have enough market information to know whether I could have done better from a local AD who offers good discounts. In retrospect I think I could have done better with the AD (and a bit of arm twisting).
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Larry S
··Color Commentator for the Hyperbole.Some years ago I bought a nice Co-Axial from one of Sydney's duty free watch shops on the way out of the country. The staff suggested that instead of me taking the boxes etc with me, they would hold them until I returned and transfer them to their city office for me to pick up. No problem.
I cannot see that this was not legitimate, as I purchased the watch duty free, wore it overseas, and returned with it as a used personal item.
However, as it was an impulse buy I did not have enough market information to know whether I could have done better from a local AD who offers good discounts. In retrospect I think I could have done better with the AD (and a bit of arm twisting).
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STANDY
··schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collectorIf this is the case why would anyone declare anything? Surely you would just chance it every time and if you get caught just pay what you would’ve paid anyway...
On the same card
Try not declaring Meat/pork, fruit or plants in Australia and face a $420 fine and possible visa cancellation and 3 years exclusion ( or prosecution for a resident )
It is a legal document, that’s why you declare 😗
and talking about not declaring on a Government forum is not smart or condoned by the forum...
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guppydriver
·I’m sorry for the nube question. I’m confused. I saw a great deal on an omega in SFO at the duty free. As an airplane pilot , can I buy a watch, have my layover in...say Vancouver... and then legally bring it back the next night through US customs?
Isn’t that why it’s called duty free?
Isn’t that why it’s called duty free?
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guppydriver
·Ummmm..not like I’ve done that or anything. Asking for a friend.
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STANDY
··schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collectorI’m sorry for the nube question. I’m confused. I saw a great deal on an omega in SFO at the duty free. As an airplane pilot , can I buy a watch, have my layover in...say Vancouver... and then legally bring it back the next night through US customs?
Isn’t that why it’s called duty free?
Yes you can but there is a limit on most things.
Say in Australia you have 2.25 litre limit on booze and $900 on goods
So US you have
$800 Duty free exemption
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guppydriver
·Thanks Standy.
i thought that was for stuff bought abroad and were bringing into the US for the first time. If I buy it in a US airport, I didn’t know it was subject to duty (above a set limit) when I bring it back in upon return.
i thought that was for stuff bought abroad and were bringing into the US for the first time. If I buy it in a US airport, I didn’t know it was subject to duty (above a set limit) when I bring it back in upon return.
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wolfe44
·Thanks Standy.
i thought that was for stuff bought abroad and were bringing into the US for the first time. If I buy it in a US airport, I didn’t know it was subject to duty (above a set limit) when I bring it back in upon return.
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CanberraOmega
·Thanks Standy.
i thought that was for stuff bought abroad and were bringing into the US for the first time. If I buy it in a US airport, I didn’t know it was subject to duty (above a set limit) when I bring it back in upon return.
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Thegreatroberto
·What about if you take an internal flight and buy the watch?
I often travel Gatwick to Glasgow. And have bought a watch or two at VAT free prices.
No need to declare anything. Well not until Scotland returns to the EU!
I often travel Gatwick to Glasgow. And have bought a watch or two at VAT free prices.
No need to declare anything. Well not until Scotland returns to the EU!
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p4ul
·What about if you take an internal flight and buy the watch?
I often travel Gatwick to Glasgow. And have bought a watch or two at VAT free prices.
No need to declare anything. Well not until Scotland returns to the EU!
Theoretically flying internal the shop should ask for your boarding pass and tell you can’t buy d/f, same across Europe - d/f is for outside eu....well it was yesterday!!
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Thegreatroberto
·Theoretically flying internal the shop should ask for your boarding pass and tell you can’t buy d/f, same across Europe - d/f is for outside eu....well it was yesterday!!
The Omega place at Gatwick just give you a 18% discount rather than call it VAT free.
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p4ul
·Always provided the boarding pass, and never an issue.
The Omega place at Gatwick just give you a 18% discount rather than call it VAT free.
Yeah, I got my Diver there early 2019, The guy said as it is discount (I got the full 20% vat equivalent) no need to declare as it is not a duty free purchase so did not ask for my boarding pass.
As someone said above know the market, I knew going in the best uk price was full retail as it was a new product so I was really pleased with 20%.
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Thegreatroberto
·The boarding pass bit is always odd. They want to see if even if you buy a bottle water. And sometimes not.
Best discount I could get on the high street for my mk2 speedmaster was 9%. At Gatwick a bit if haggling got 25% off retail!
If you phone ahead they can get accessories etc too. Again with a decent discount, usually double what if get on the high street.
Me passing through Gatwick has saved me lots. Its cost me a whole load too!
Best discount I could get on the high street for my mk2 speedmaster was 9%. At Gatwick a bit if haggling got 25% off retail!
If you phone ahead they can get accessories etc too. Again with a decent discount, usually double what if get on the high street.
Me passing through Gatwick has saved me lots. Its cost me a whole load too!
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Graemega
·I had a look in T5 last year.
As far as I could tell the Watches of Switzerland prices were ‘airport prices’ rather than VAT free.
The prices amounted to about the same (20% off)
Definitely worth buying there rather than high street if you are able to.
It seemed like you could buy these even if you were flying on a UK internal flight.
As far as I could tell the Watches of Switzerland prices were ‘airport prices’ rather than VAT free.
The prices amounted to about the same (20% off)
Definitely worth buying there rather than high street if you are able to.
It seemed like you could buy these even if you were flying on a UK internal flight.
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mjb
·Rather than trusting anonymous advice from the internet, it's always a good idea to check your country's rules for yourself before attempting to break the law.
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Donn Chambers
·I had a look in T5 last year.
As far as I could tell the Watches of Switzerland prices were ‘airport prices’ rather than VAT free.
The prices amounted to about the same (20% off)
Definitely worth buying there rather than high street if you are able to.
It seemed like you could buy these even if you were flying on a UK internal flight.
Your semantic differentiation makes no sense - if “airport prices” are lower than high street prices by exactly the amount of VAT (20%), then how are they NOT VAT free?
Also, it’s NOT 20% off the price after VAT has been added. Instead, it is the base price without VAT added. For example, say the base price is 5000. Add 20% VAT = 6000. But a 20% discount of 6000 = 4800. A lot of people get confused by this and say that it isn’t VAT free because the effective discount on the base + VAT is < 20%.
For all the watches I saw at the T5 Watches of Switzerland store there were two prices - the retail in the UK including VAT, and the price without VAT. As an international traveler, I only paid the price without VAT.
Ultimately, as others have said, if you know what the price of a watch is in your area (where ever that is, and accounting for local discounts and taxes), and you are aware of exchange rates, what your credit card fees are, and import duties, buying duty free MAY be cheaper. But it may not. You have to work out the math yourself, and it will change from case to case. Don’t just assume it will be cheaper.
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Evitzee
·Another thing to keep in mind when you declare a new watch purchase is if your new watch has a crocodile or alligator strap on it be aware it may be flagged by customs. This is a hit or miss affair, sometimes they won't make an issue of it, other times they will. Sometimes a strap will have that paper CITES tag on it saying it is from non-endangered or farmed crocs, but usually it won't have that tag. They can confiscate that strap if they decide they don't like the look of it. Just another thing to be aware of.
A few years ago I was working with an AD friend in Aruba to get me a specific Roger Dubuis croc strap and a replacement screw for my RD chronograph. I had had no luck trying to work with their agent in the US but he knew how to work the system and got the strap and screw for me. But he didn't want to send it from Aruba by FedEx because of the customs rules on croc straps. So he sent it to his brother in St. Thomas, USVI who has a jewelry/watch store and then he sent it to me because it goes through a different customs regime since it was coming from a US territory.
A few years ago I was working with an AD friend in Aruba to get me a specific Roger Dubuis croc strap and a replacement screw for my RD chronograph. I had had no luck trying to work with their agent in the US but he knew how to work the system and got the strap and screw for me. But he didn't want to send it from Aruba by FedEx because of the customs rules on croc straps. So he sent it to his brother in St. Thomas, USVI who has a jewelry/watch store and then he sent it to me because it goes through a different customs regime since it was coming from a US territory.
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JwRosenthal
·Another thing to keep in mind when you declare a new watch purchase is if your new watch has a crocodile or alligator strap on it be aware it may be flagged by customs. This is a hit or miss affair, sometimes they won't make an issue of it, other times they will. Sometimes a strap will have that paper CITES tag on it saying it is from non-endangered or farmed crocs, but usually it won't have that tag. They can confiscate that strap if they decide they don't like the look of it. Just another thing to be aware of.
A few years ago I was working with an AD friend in Aruba to get me a specific Roger Dubuis croc strap and a replacement screw for my RD chronograph. I had had no luck trying to work with their agent in the US but he knew how to work the system and got the strap and screw for me. But he didn't want to send it from Aruba by FedEx because of the customs rules on croc straps. So he sent it to his brother in St. Thomas, USVI who has a jewelry/watch store and then he sent it to me because it goes through a different customs regime since it was coming from a US territory.
