To Duty Free or Not?

[hellosue]

What is everyone's opinion on Duty Free?

We want camera's, videocam, & ipods is it better to try and get duty free or go shopping in Orlando?

 

[HappyFingers]

for cameras go to shopbot.com.au and do a search of the model you want

i just got my camera delivered in 3 days for half the price you pay in Aus
no duty free price could even come close

the camera came from a hong kong website

panasonic lumix ft3 (great waterproof camera) $330 delivered
do a search of Aussie shops and see what they are charging for them

 

[WAMUMOF4]

We looked at duty free but got much better prices in the USA than what duty free was here the Sony video camera we got in the USA was $1199 here about $190 less duty free and we only paid $Aus$799 last year .86c to the $1 with an extra battery bag etc at Fry's Electrical the price difference was amazing and we actually got the newer model as well, the same with the kids cameras DH14 camera we paid $299 it was $599 here.
Look up what you want online that is what we did we found what the kids wanted googled them in Aus to make sure we were getting a good deal and then went back to the store and got them.

 

[BecBennett]

I think there's a way to buy something here, and you take the receipt to somewhere in the airport and you can get the tax back from it I'm certain there are people on here who have done it.

Other then that I haven't found duty free to be all that great. Save your money for where there are more things to buy.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Depending on the camera you want to get and whether warranty is important to you or not, it may pay to see what the camera stores are prepared to do...if you ask them nicely.

I bought my Canon 550D in March/April last year when it first came out. Retail price in Australia was over $1700 c.f. B&H or Adorama pricing at about $900. Exchange rate was 91 cents at the time.
Thing was....Canon don't have an international warranty and I really wanted the Australian Canon warranty.
And I didn't want to purchase a 'grey market' camera off the internet sites.

I walked into a couple of camera stores and one of them was prepared to negotiate. I ended up buying my camera in Australia (with the Canon Australia warranty) for $1150. I claimed back the 10% GST at the airport (once you clear security and immigration, the stand is on the right hand side in Melbourne airport).

So, taking exchange rate into account, I probably paid about $50 more to get the camera in Australia.

We've also purchased a Canon G12 this year. It's about $800 in Oz. We paid US$400 (or slightly less) for it.

We also to a iPod 32G at Costco in the US and paid about US$280 for it.

I don't bother with duty free in Australia. Don't find that they are cheap at all.

If you are also thinking about perfume, I buy Chanel No 5, 100 ml or the 3.4 fl oz size, in the US for about US$110. On sale, I've bought it at US$95. I usually pick mine up at Bloomingdale's or Macy's...whichever one is cheaper and most convenient (and no...that 10% Macy's discount card does not include perfume).

The last time I looked at this size in Oz, it was about $180 and duty free was not much cheaper.

 

[Kalice]

The Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) is a method of gettiing back your GST where you have spent $300+ in the one store with a single receipt.

We used it to get money back on our merino wool thermals we got fome Anaconda. The lady who assisted us in Melbourne was the most abrasive lady I have yet to encounter. I laid all the goods out, she was barking orders at me. I was totally shocked. I told her that it would not hurt her to request and to use the odd please/thank you. The other staff member next to her looked like she was going to crack up, I think she would be a total b@#%h to everyone. I regret not logging a complaint, she was just nasty. There is just no need for not using common courtesy, especially in customer service.

Luckily the free facial I got in the First lounge bought my blood pressure back down.

 

[battymum]

Tell me more about the refund of GST. What is the time limit.

I just bought a new camera total receipt is about $1300 (shhh dont tell DH) I did research a fair bit, and concluded that it was OK to buy here. (using HN interest free)

But if I can get some cash back that would be great.

 

[battymum]

Darn it - just googled - you have to buy within 30days prior to leaving.

I hate it when I miss out on cash

 

[hellosue]

The Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) is a method of gettiing back your GST where you have spent $300+ in the one store with a single receipt.

We used it to get money back on our merino wool thermals we got fome Anaconda. The lady who assisted us in Melbourne was the most abrasive lady I have yet to encounter. I laid all the goods out, she was barking orders at me. I was totally shocked. I told her that it would not hurt her to request and to use the odd please/thank you. The other staff member next to her looked like she was going to crack up, I think she would be a total b@#%h to everyone. I regret not logging a complaint, she was just nasty. There is just no need for not using common courtesy, especially in customer service.

Luckily the free facial I got in the First lounge bought my blood pressure back down.

How nasty! She was probably just jealous seeing everyone get on an airplane and flying off to various locations throughout the world, while she was stuck in a job she didn't like or should be sacked from. There is no reason for her to be horrible to people "maybe she didn't get the memo that she was in a Customer Service Role"

Glad you could relax with a free facial....

 

[hellosue]

Thanks for all your advice. I have done the 10% reclaim before but just wanted to know if there was anything better..... now I will do my research and use the web sites suggested and see what I come up with..

 

[kylieh]

I think alcohol is the only really good duty free shop item. Everything else you can claim back easily with tourist refund. Sydney airports duty free store is online and you can preorder, compare prices that way as well.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

I think alcohol is the only really good duty free shop item. Everything else you can claim back easily with tourist refund. Sydney airports duty free store is online and you can preorder, compare prices that way as well.

Thanks for that info now i can preorder the Bundy we are taking as gifts, I was a bit worried how we were going to do it as we only have an hour and 25 mins between arriving in Sydney and leaving on the Dallas flight.

 

[kylieh]

Thanks for that info now i can preorder the Bundy we are taking as gifts, I was a bit worried how we were going to do it as we only have an hour and 25 mins between arriving in Sydney and leaving on the Dallas flight.

See first though if they deliver to the gate in case you get an additional "random" security check at the entry to the air bridge. I'm not sure if you could keep it. Bigger issue though would be if you're connecting in Dallas. The liquids would need to go in your checked bags.

Someone else may have more info on that.

On the way back it shouldn't be an issue as long as your connecting flight is through domestic.

 

[HappyFingers]

ok whilst we are talking duty free

can anyone tell me

if i buy a 4 litre bottle of whiskey (oh yeh the big one) to add to my other unopened big one (whiskey yeh) that i conned my mother in law and her friend into picking up for me as they came back through customs at tulla from a overseas trip

I set the whole thing up before they left (paid for it and gave them the receipt)

anyway
if i buy a 4 litre duty free in la, how or can i get that thing on the plane to bring back to Australia ?
i realise that when we get back and land i can get one at the duty free shops before we come back through customs, but i was hoping for some sort of brand of whiskey that is not available here in Aus, something different

ie: not chivas, jim beam, johnie walker or the other one that i cant think of

i mean surely there not gonna let me stow a 4 litre bottle of plonk in the overhead locker

anyone know ?

 

[kylieh]

anyway
if i buy a 4 litre duty free in la, how or can i get that thing on the plane to bring back to Australia

I'm guessing that you will have it delivered to the gate at LAX (or your last stop from the US) as you can't get it through security if you're carrying it in hand luggage as it's more than 100ml even if unopened!

Back at home...
From the Custom's web site: http://www.customs.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/GuideForTravellers.pdf

If you are aged 18 years or over, you can bring 2.25 litres of alcohol duty-free into Australia with you. All alcohol in accompanied baggage is included in this category, regardless of where or how it was purchased​

I don't know if that's a pooled amount between adults or can't be more than that per person. So if it's you and Mrs HappyFingers you'll be ok, but if it can't be combined you'll need to pay. And I don't think 4 litres can easily be hidden - could be a story though for Border Security!

 

[HappyFingers]

yeh thats a pooled amount

but i guess this is the question
there would be duty free shops after the customs gate yeh ? for when we are on the way home

so if they have a 4 litre bottle how do i get it on the plane ?

 

[kylieh]

yeh thats a pooled amount

but i guess this is the question
there would be duty free shops after the customs gate yeh ? for when we are on the way home

so if they have a 4 litre bottle how do i get it on the plane ?

Pretty sure DFS is after security in LA.

http://www.dfsgalleria.com/en/north-america/store-locations

You can online shop too before you get there: http://www.dfsgalleria.com/en/north-america