Are Duty Free shops a waste of Money
Mar 18, 2006, 8:21 am
#1
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Are Duty Free shops a waste of Money
You go into a duty free shop and the price of booze is higher than in the normal Booze stores in Australia. Duty Free does not mean that you can take unlimited amounts back into The United States or wherever you are from.
Mar 18, 2006, 8:34 am
#2
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Originally Posted by CLELOSER
You go into a duty free shop and the price of booze is higher than in the normal Booze stores in Australia. Duty Free does not mean that you can take unlimited amounts back into The United States or wherever you are from.
My regular trips from the UK to Norway allowed me to buy cigarettes for a friend at a significant discount, so I can't say they are a waste of time.
Sean
Mar 18, 2006, 10:16 am
#4
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There is often 50% difference in price from one duty-free store to another (and that is from casual inspection). Only cigarettes and some booze are generally cheaper, electronics and perfumes are often the same or more expensive. But there are some great bargains to be had at times. Some cities have much cheaper duty free (BKK, HKG, AKL, DXB for example). Even within the US dutry-free is cheaper in ORD than in LAX or MIA (presumably due to the destinations from these cities). LHR can be double the ORD price for example. It really is a case of needing to be informed before shopping.
Mar 18, 2006, 10:52 am
#5
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Israel: Booze and cigarettes are a great buy in the Duty Free. Perfumes are available at good, not great, prices. Electronics are good prices by Israeli standards but not by American.
Everything else sold at the various Duty Free shops in TLV are very overpriced.
Everything else sold at the various Duty Free shops in TLV are very overpriced.
Mar 18, 2006, 11:10 am
#6
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We've gotten a few bargains in liquor when there were sales, but in general have not found any bargains in duty-free. I guess cigarettes are, but we don't know anyone who smokes anymore.
Somehow the price advantage of not having to pay the import taxes got added into the sellers' profit margin in most countries.
Somehow the price advantage of not having to pay the import taxes got added into the sellers' profit margin in most countries.
Mar 18, 2006, 11:27 am
#7
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know the prices
As the other posters have stated, the prices are not that good in most places, but if you know what you want and what the prices are at home or where ever you are going to or coming from, THAT will make the difference.
We haven't bought any booze in several years at duty free, as the prices in the cities we are visiting are usually cheaper.
row1a
We haven't bought any booze in several years at duty free, as the prices in the cities we are visiting are usually cheaper.
row1a
Mar 18, 2006, 11:37 am
#8
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It depends on what you are buying and where you are taking it. For examply on my recent trip, buying duty free in Amsterdam to take into Turkey was a great deal given how expensive alcohol is in Turkey (Sky Vodka $10 vs $45). However, coming back to the US it wasn't much of a savings at all.
Also some airports and locations are better deals than others. Airline duty free is usually pretty cheap but the selection is much more limited.
Also some airports and locations are better deals than others. Airline duty free is usually pretty cheap but the selection is much more limited.
Mar 18, 2006, 12:22 pm
#9
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For me, on flights to Canada, the $25 I pay for a carton of cigarettes (for my mom) is definitely less than the $60 she pays for a carton. Booze, too, is about half the price. I can get a $15 bottle of liquor that will cost $25 or more in the liquor board. MSP's duty-free is the one I frequent most often.
EDIT: To add, for perfumes and such, you're better off buying online from a reputable seller, like scentiments.com
EDIT: To add, for perfumes and such, you're better off buying online from a reputable seller, like scentiments.com
Mar 18, 2006, 12:38 pm
#10
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I've never found duty free stores to be a good deal. I don't smoke, so I have no idea about cigarette prices. I can buy alcohol just as cheap, if not cheaper, at the local discount liquor warehouse chain where I live.
However, I have found duty free stores good for blowing the last of the local currency I'm carrying. Last year returning from the UK I shopped the duty free mall at LGW and got rid of my last £50 and picked up a few last-minute items to bring home for friends and family. But I still prefer to do most of my shopping in foreign countries at places other than the airport. And I typically only buy items that I really can't find back home.
However, I have found duty free stores good for blowing the last of the local currency I'm carrying. Last year returning from the UK I shopped the duty free mall at LGW and got rid of my last £50 and picked up a few last-minute items to bring home for friends and family. But I still prefer to do most of my shopping in foreign countries at places other than the airport. And I typically only buy items that I really can't find back home.
Mar 18, 2006, 12:44 pm
#11
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I find the duty free in LGW usually works well for Whisky (the real kind). There's almost always a buy two get 10 pounds off sale. Typically I get 1 L for the price I'd pay for 750 mL at home. Of course you're not going to find a bottle from an obscure distillery that you'd find in a shop in the city.
Mar 18, 2006, 12:52 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2006
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I think it depends on what you are buying. You can find very good deals on DF on certain top-shelf brands of alcohol, for example, but not on other brands.
I buy mostly cosmetics duty free, and find that there are deals to be had when they come in promotional (DF only) packages. Some things can't generally be had (such as whitening products) in my own country and only in Asia. In that case, DF is just a convenient place to buy these things.
I also have had good deals when there have been DF promotions ("sales" if you will).
As someone stated before, the key is knowing the prices beforehand.
I buy mostly cosmetics duty free, and find that there are deals to be had when they come in promotional (DF only) packages. Some things can't generally be had (such as whitening products) in my own country and only in Asia. In that case, DF is just a convenient place to buy these things.
I also have had good deals when there have been DF promotions ("sales" if you will).
As someone stated before, the key is knowing the prices beforehand.
Mar 18, 2006, 1:29 pm
#13
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Originally Posted by CIMorse
I .... Of course you're not going to find a bottle from an obscure distillery that you'd find in a shop in the city.
Mar 18, 2006, 1:58 pm
#14
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I'll buy make-up there - for the good brands, it can be difficult to find them cheaper than in duty free. But as previous posters have said, it does help to know the retail prices before buying.
Mar 18, 2006, 4:22 pm
#15
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Originally Posted by ssullivan
However, I have found duty free stores good for blowing the last of the local currency I'm carrying. Last year returning from the UK I shopped the duty free mall at LGW and got rid of my last £50 and picked up a few last-minute items to bring home for friends and family.