Boarding Pass for shopping
Jun 30, 2014, 7:27 am
#16
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: BA Silver, Velocity Gold
Posts: 329
If you are going outside the EU, there's no VAT. in other words, with VAT-inclusive prices, the shop gets more money. Let's say you get some earphones from Dixons for £12. If you are staying in the EU, then £10 goes to Dixons and £2 to HMRC. if you are leaving the EU, then all £12 goes to Dixons. The bp is evidence of export.
Jun 30, 2014, 7:35 am
#17
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: London
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold & GGL & CCR, HH Diam, Bonvoy Titanium, IHG Spire, Tastecard
Posts: 7,549
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cassie55
Staff can buy from airside shops.
Including duty free??
I always thought the BP entitled you to purchase goods at duty free prices. My understanding is that all goods can be purchased regardless of destination but dual pricing is effectively in place and the boarding card allows for the cheaper (if applicable) price to be charged. You'll often see 'VAT free price' on labels. This is particularly noticeable for high tax items like cigarettes and other tabaco products.
In terms of staff training it's far easier to say 'scan the BP every time' than it is to expect a non tax accountant to understand the rules. This works for cigarettes but is clearly daft for Skittles. However, it is pretty accurate, simple to understand and cheap to implement.
Originally Posted by Cassie55
Staff can buy from airside shops.
Including duty free??
I always thought the BP entitled you to purchase goods at duty free prices. My understanding is that all goods can be purchased regardless of destination but dual pricing is effectively in place and the boarding card allows for the cheaper (if applicable) price to be charged. You'll often see 'VAT free price' on labels. This is particularly noticeable for high tax items like cigarettes and other tabaco products.
In terms of staff training it's far easier to say 'scan the BP every time' than it is to expect a non tax accountant to understand the rules. This works for cigarettes but is clearly daft for Skittles. However, it is pretty accurate, simple to understand and cheap to implement.
Jun 30, 2014, 12:45 pm
#18
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 9
The reason they want the boarding pass is just to track customers, not specific ones, but passenger habits in general. I.e. how many on flights to Arlanda buys Absolut Vodka, and how many to Madrid buys Davidoff cigarettes. Not more sinister than that.
Jun 30, 2014, 1:13 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,811
Did we ever get to the bottom of the discussion about why shops needed to scan boarding passes when buying things? Just bought some Skittles at LCY and when asked for my boarding card I asked why?
They replied 'company policy' so I asked what they were going to do with the data, to which they said "we don't use it" so I said no then. They still sold be the Skittles!
Is it just a mindless response or am I missing something? If it was about them pocketing VAT surely they should say so?
Cheers
Manx Flyer
They replied 'company policy' so I asked what they were going to do with the data, to which they said "we don't use it" so I said no then. They still sold be the Skittles!
Is it just a mindless response or am I missing something? If it was about them pocketing VAT surely they should say so?
Cheers
Manx Flyer
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ing-shops.html
Jun 30, 2014, 1:31 pm
#21
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 7
This really annoys me.
I've had a couple of (friendly) conversations with cashiers about it. Duty free is one thing, but these are clearly not duty free environments, and non passengers could be customers.
Asking me for my boarding pass purely to sell my information and buying habits to marketers rubs me the wrong way, especially when it's not posed as a question.
I just politely decline to give it (or even tell them my flight number) when asked. Hasn't resulted in any issues the last several times of been in LHR and seems faster for all involved.
I've had a couple of (friendly) conversations with cashiers about it. Duty free is one thing, but these are clearly not duty free environments, and non passengers could be customers.
Asking me for my boarding pass purely to sell my information and buying habits to marketers rubs me the wrong way, especially when it's not posed as a question.
I just politely decline to give it (or even tell them my flight number) when asked. Hasn't resulted in any issues the last several times of been in LHR and seems faster for all involved.
Jun 30, 2014, 1:41 pm
#23
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 2,378
This really annoys me.
I've had a couple of (friendly) conversations with cashiers about it. Duty free is one thing, but these are clearly not duty free environments, and non passengers could be customers.
Asking me for my boarding pass purely to sell my information and buying habits to marketers rubs me the wrong way, especially when it's not posed as a question.
I just politely decline to give it (or even tell them my flight number) when asked. Hasn't resulted in any issues the last several times of been in LHR and seems faster for all involved.
I've had a couple of (friendly) conversations with cashiers about it. Duty free is one thing, but these are clearly not duty free environments, and non passengers could be customers.
Asking me for my boarding pass purely to sell my information and buying habits to marketers rubs me the wrong way, especially when it's not posed as a question.
I just politely decline to give it (or even tell them my flight number) when asked. Hasn't resulted in any issues the last several times of been in LHR and seems faster for all involved.
And while WHSmith clearly sells very little duty-free items, does this not work the same with VAT? Yes they're small amounts, but when you're turning over millions of pounds then it will add up.
Jun 30, 2014, 1:54 pm
#24
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: London
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold & GGL & CCR, HH Diam, Bonvoy Titanium, IHG Spire, Tastecard
Posts: 7,549
Given I as the customer don't see any value in it for me though - and I seriously don't think it helps their planning / stocking at places like LCY - I decline.
Jun 30, 2014, 1:59 pm
#25
Join Date: May 2008
Location: YYZ
Posts: 2,636
They don't sell your information as they know nothing about you. If they are selling the data to anyone, they are selling it in the format someone above said - i.e. absolutely nothing personally identifiable (which would be illegal without your consent).
And while WHSmith clearly sells very little duty-free items, does this not work the same with VAT? Yes they're small amounts, but when you're turning over millions of pounds then it will add up.
And while WHSmith clearly sells very little duty-free items, does this not work the same with VAT? Yes they're small amounts, but when you're turning over millions of pounds then it will add up.
ETA: This is an example of what gets scanned: (taken from https://lh3.ggpht.com/48CkNe5011Opir...r2q8mQ=h900-rw)
M1JONES/JIMMR E5XUGTJ LHRNCLBA 1338 258C032A001 13B>10B1WW0314BBA 29 BA10458437
Last edited by evanderm; Jun 30, 2014 at 2:15 pm
Jun 30, 2014, 2:12 pm
#26
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYZ/YTZ/YUL
Programs: BA Gold, TK Elite
Posts: 1,558
None. Which is why I never hand over my boarding pass (actual Duty Free excepted). Sometimes staff insist on being told my flight number, which then usually becomes BA 157.
Jun 30, 2014, 2:13 pm
#27
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SIN 5 days out of 7
Programs: BD*G, A3*G, BA-S, Accor Gold, IHG Amb
Posts: 5,505
Jun 30, 2014, 3:14 pm
#28
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 7
When they scan my boarding pass they get my name, when I was at their location, what flight I'm on, class of service, frequent flier number, etc. And they know that it was me, there are that location, again.
That's a lot of personal information I'd rather not give them.
My main point is I treat the request for the boarding pass as an optional request in these situations, and politely decline.
I would bet you that representatives and management from the establishments in question would agree, and clarify that it is NOT mandatory for customers to hand over their boarding passes to purchase a non duty free pack of gum and a bottle of water.
They just train their cashiers to ask, and the public is well trained to fork it over
Jun 30, 2014, 3:27 pm
#29
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: London
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold & GGL & CCR, HH Diam, Bonvoy Titanium, IHG Spire, Tastecard
Posts: 7,549
My main point is I treat the request for the boarding pass as an optional request in these situations, and politely decline.
I would bet you that representatives and management from the establishments in question would agree, and clarify that it is NOT mandatory for customers to hand over their boarding passes to purchase a non duty free pack of gum and a bottle of water.
They just train their cashiers to ask, and the public is well trained to fork it over
Jun 30, 2014, 3:50 pm
#30
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: UK. BAEC AAdvantage
Programs: Mucci Des Oeufs Brouilles et des Canards
Posts: 3,671
I always thought the airline got some sort of commission for the sales their pax made - duty free items or not. I thought there was a big hoo-ha about Ryanair wanting to increase it's cut of airside sales or else it was going to pull out of (yet another) airport.