rip off airport shops

sashacat

Perhaps this should be under shopping. Feel free to move it if it is in the wrong place.
I have noticed that when I buy at so called "duty free" and "tax free" airport shops the prices are not the high street price minus the 17.5% VAT.......which is what I would expect them to be. Recently I have asked..once at Gatwick and again at Manchester..." Are these prices tax free?" ....only to be told they were. I have then asked why the prices are not 17.5% lower than in the high street....confusion....I have asked to see the manager/supervisor, and asked the same question. I have received various answers ranging from "they are 15% lower" to "the VAT has been taken off".
On each occasion I have know the high street price.....sometimes it is shown next to the "tax free " price. when I have shown them the maths (which they have never been able to calculate even with THEIR calculator) they have always reduced the price for me...down to what I have shown them is their RRP-17.5%
recently in a jewellers in Manchester Airport they told me that if I could calculate it without VAT I could have it at that price.
So if you want to buy something at an airport then check the price on the high street and ask is it without the tax/vat and challenge them....because we are being overcharged...has anybody else found this?

sloppychops

Agreed and you can usually pick thing up alot cheaper on the net.

alanrowell

VAT is calculated as 17.5% of the non-VAT price.

If you have a price that includes VAT you have to take 15% off to get the VAT free price.

stevebananer

To be ultra-picky, you need to multiply a VAT-inclusive selling price by 14.89% to find the precise VAT amount.

Lorian

You can occasionally find things in Dixons duty free cheaper than on the net. I'll give the tourist traps a miss.

YBNB

Let's be honest. At airports you're a captive audience, unless you've gone VERY well prepared. I certainly don't expect to save 17.5% off everything.

There ARE bargains to be had, compared to the High Street, but not compared with t'internet.

Ask yourself this: if you're at the airport and you've forgotten something you really need to have - what good is "www.buy-it-cheap.com" to you then? If you absolutely need it, you'll pay their price, whatever it is.

billy_the_kid_2

Perfumes and aftershaves are generally cheaper in Superdrug than at the airports. Got bitten on my last trip to Valencia.

hammy_the_hammer

if you are travelling to or from an eu country the price still has to have local tax on it anyway doesn't it ? eg travelling uk to spain the product still has the vat payable on it

sashacat

I know how to work out the VAT, but in each case either I knew the high strret price and could show them that if I added 17.5% it did not come to their price, or the high street price was displayed with the goods..in one case, in the jewellers it was a high priced item which was fragile and it was more convenient to buy at the airport..I still don't expect to be overcharged if I have forgotten something.

YBNB

I understand, Sashacat, you don't expect to be overcharged, but whatever you do, you WILL be overcharged. It's simple economics, I'm afraid, like it or not.

Disingenuous advertising, maybe, quite probably in fact. But there it is.....