gnaij

I didn't see this mentioned before other than on one or two tripadvisor reviews after I returned, so thought it would be helpful if everyone knew about this sneaky currency switch they have going on at Ataturk airport's duty free shops. I learned this the hard way as I was rushing to make my purchase after my flight had already started boarding.

Everything is priced in euros, but if you try to use your credit card, they will run the transaction in liras using an unfavorable exchange rate. The amount they charge in Liras is 4% higher than what you would be paying using the usual visa/mc conversion rate. You will not be given a choice of currencies and you won't know what they are charging in liras until they hand you the receipt. And it is not possible to know you're being charged for the currency conversion unless you take out a calculator and try to convert the liras back into euros.

To avoid this, make your purchase using euro cash. If you don't have enough euros in cash, you can exchange it at the bank across the hallway before making your purchase. ....or mentally add 4% to all the prices you see there before deciding whether to buy.

starflyergold

As this is not TK related I am moving this over to the Europe destination forum.

starflyergold
TK Miles&Smiles forum moderator

SK AAR

You should always be suspecious of stores/shops with goods priced in other currency than the domestic currency of the shop - most likely there will be some kind of currency conversion at some stage and you will loose on it for sure. Why would you even consider buying stuff in the airport? - way too expensive compared to what you pay elsewhere.

Anyway, most likely the stores will only be able to charge your credit card in Liras (not USD or EUR) so they need to convert to Lira (the exchange rate used is obviously at their discretion...)

gnaij

Because it's duty free....and the brand name stuff at IST is some of the cheapest you'll find in Europe.

Stores in Istanbul are of course capable of running the transaction in euros. My hotel was quoted in euros and my credit card was charged in euros. It is actually quite common for duty free shops to charge in a hard currency instead of the local currency. The prices at Nairobi airport were in dollars instead of shillings; at Delhi they were also in dollars instead of rupees. I used my credit card in those places and was charged in dollars.

maverikbc

You and I are one of few who consider 4% in mark up as a scam: most people wouldn' even notice.

Always make sure how much they charge in what currency before entering pin. Some countries such as Mexico, the amount doesn't show up on pin pad, so I've fallen in this 'scam'. They charged me in usd while I wanted to be charged in mxn, the spread was around 4% as well. After I left the store, I've noticed this, went back, I was told Americans are charged in usd. I told them that I'm not American! (I know, I know some ignorants at home think everybody who speaks Spanish is Mexican, they even think they speak Mexican, really? Can you tell their Mexican accents and vocabularies?) I told them that I wanted to return, then buy back in mxn cash. They said no senor, you already left the store, it's no return.

at pvg, they list prices in several currencies. As far as I can see, I'm the only one using a calculator! I decided to pay in usd (figured it'd be almost a dollar cheaper per carton), they told me they charge my cc in cny. I then asked if I paid in usd cash, if I get change in usd, they said yes and all was good.

in ist, as well as a few countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, and often Mexico, even international brand are cheaper in city than duty free. In ist, I bought lark in city. Duty free in Turkey often give heavy discounts to 2 and more cartons, but I'm talking about 1 carton prices.

KLouis

Rather than calling it a scam, I'd describe this as an attempt of the duty-free stores worldwide to save you from cancer or (equally bad) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

maverikbc

I sell them back home, no harm to my health.

KLouis

Oh, I see, you're an arms dealer!

Worcester

Really, I have always find alcohol and toys at a substantial premium to high street prices.

NYTA

I haven't ever bought anything at the IST duty free as I don't find the prices to be so great - lira or not. The only duty free with really good prices I have seen lately (on alcoholic drinks anyway) was AMM.

maverikbc

Amman? Saudi airports at Riyadh and Jeddah both sell no alcohol, not even cigs.

I cannot think of any places where duty free alcohol prices are lower than city prices. They may be duty free, but they often add high margins for convenience and to beat the liquid ban.

NYTA

Yes, Amman. Cheaper than any European airport I have flown through lately (and I have flown through quite a few) and much cheaper than TLV. Still not cheaper than street prices in the USA, but quite good for an airport.

WilcoRoger

Different country, different laws.

HEL, ARN, OSL, CPH...

maverikbc

I thought they're similar as Canada/US, but I guess I was wrong.

They'all Scandinavian airports: city prices are already so high, nobody would buy them if they're more expensive.

KLouis

All Greek airports: Booze a bit cheaper than big supermarkets, smoke much cheaper than anywhere else.