Ordering Rimowa from Koffer Direkt
Jan 30, 2017, 11:20 am
#271
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: EWR
Programs: UA Silver; SPG Gold; Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 409
Do they have to be empty when you bring them back?
hey dt18997,
Yup, I'm based in the US. ~2 months prior to my planned trip to Germany, I started looking at what cases I wanted and looking for coupon codes for koffer direkt and koffer-profi. I had previously ordered a 29" Topas from KD back when they were shipping to the US, so was fairly comfortable ordering from them. It was my first time ordering from koffer-profi. I got in touch with the concierge at my hotel in Germany, made sure they were OK with accepting parcels for me and holding them (they were - and no fee at all!) and started shopping.
I found a coupon for 15% off at koffer direkt around Black Friday and went ahead and ordered the Topas IATA case I wanted. A few days later, I decided that 15% (plus the 19% VAT refund) was too good of a deal to pass up and decided I wanted a Salsa Deluxe as well. koffer direkt was sold out of the colour/size I wanted, so I waited a week or so hoping it would come back in stock. When it was clear it wouldn't, I found out that koffer-profi had 15% off as well, and ordered the case from them. I informed both koffer direkt and koffer-profi that I intended to export the cases and wanted VAT refund forms. I paid using PayPal for one of them because they wouldn't accept my USA billing address + Germany shipping address.
Receipts were a bit tricky - both agreed to send me VAT refund forms. koffer direkt sent receipt/invoice by post to my home in Southern California and I was lucky to find it in my mailbox while transiting through one weekend. koffer-profi included the receipt with the Salsa Deluxe direct to Germany. Neither sent me the required forms for export, but fortunately koffer-profi had them on their website (forms are in German). I was able to get some instructions on which parts of the form needed to be filled out, but had only a vague idea of what to do from there.
Arrived in Germany and concierge had left my new cases in the room. I printed copies of the export forms and filled them out. I learned that if you are buying from different retailers like I did, it's one retailer per form, as these forms need to be mailed back to the retailer once stamped. The export process is fairly simple. You bring the receipts, completed export forms, and the items to airport. I checked in with UA first, got the bags tagged as checked bags, then went over to the customs counter. Customs will stamp the forms, x-ray the goods (they asked twice if there was anything in the cases - fortunately I left them empty), and then you get the forms back with export stamps on them. Protip: bring extra copies of the form! It will be rejected for any minor mistake, and customs does NOT keep extra forms handy. From there, you need to mail the forms to the retailer once you are back stateside. From time of mailing, it took ~7 days for me to receive my VAT refunds direct to my credit card/paypal. I got ~16% back.
My Topas IATA wound up costing ~470 euros, or ~$500 USD. Not bad compared to $995 + tax at department stores here in SF ^
If I missed any part of the process that you want clarified, feel free to ask! It took me a while to piece this process together for the first time before this trip and I'm glad I did - saved quite a bit on 2 new cases.
Yup, I'm based in the US. ~2 months prior to my planned trip to Germany, I started looking at what cases I wanted and looking for coupon codes for koffer direkt and koffer-profi. I had previously ordered a 29" Topas from KD back when they were shipping to the US, so was fairly comfortable ordering from them. It was my first time ordering from koffer-profi. I got in touch with the concierge at my hotel in Germany, made sure they were OK with accepting parcels for me and holding them (they were - and no fee at all!) and started shopping.
I found a coupon for 15% off at koffer direkt around Black Friday and went ahead and ordered the Topas IATA case I wanted. A few days later, I decided that 15% (plus the 19% VAT refund) was too good of a deal to pass up and decided I wanted a Salsa Deluxe as well. koffer direkt was sold out of the colour/size I wanted, so I waited a week or so hoping it would come back in stock. When it was clear it wouldn't, I found out that koffer-profi had 15% off as well, and ordered the case from them. I informed both koffer direkt and koffer-profi that I intended to export the cases and wanted VAT refund forms. I paid using PayPal for one of them because they wouldn't accept my USA billing address + Germany shipping address.
Receipts were a bit tricky - both agreed to send me VAT refund forms. koffer direkt sent receipt/invoice by post to my home in Southern California and I was lucky to find it in my mailbox while transiting through one weekend. koffer-profi included the receipt with the Salsa Deluxe direct to Germany. Neither sent me the required forms for export, but fortunately koffer-profi had them on their website (forms are in German). I was able to get some instructions on which parts of the form needed to be filled out, but had only a vague idea of what to do from there.
Arrived in Germany and concierge had left my new cases in the room. I printed copies of the export forms and filled them out. I learned that if you are buying from different retailers like I did, it's one retailer per form, as these forms need to be mailed back to the retailer once stamped. The export process is fairly simple. You bring the receipts, completed export forms, and the items to airport. I checked in with UA first, got the bags tagged as checked bags, then went over to the customs counter. Customs will stamp the forms, x-ray the goods (they asked twice if there was anything in the cases - fortunately I left them empty), and then you get the forms back with export stamps on them. Protip: bring extra copies of the form! It will be rejected for any minor mistake, and customs does NOT keep extra forms handy. From there, you need to mail the forms to the retailer once you are back stateside. From time of mailing, it took ~7 days for me to receive my VAT refunds direct to my credit card/paypal. I got ~16% back.
My Topas IATA wound up costing ~470 euros, or ~$500 USD. Not bad compared to $995 + tax at department stores here in SF ^
If I missed any part of the process that you want clarified, feel free to ask! It took me a while to piece this process together for the first time before this trip and I'm glad I did - saved quite a bit on 2 new cases.
Jan 30, 2017, 12:09 pm
#273
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,105
Which seems to be the full VAT amount. (VAT is calculated from the net price) So if the rate is 19%, you are paying 19€ tax on every 100€. The 19€ is 16% of the total value of 119€ paid.
Feb 1, 2017, 2:06 am
#274
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Newport Beach / San Francisco / Seattle
Programs: UA GS 1MM, Amex Centurion, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 289
I really don't know what the official answer to this is, but the customs officer seemed to emphasize, "nothing inside the cases, right?" before they went into the x-ray. I thought I read somewhere that for export, the items have to be new/unused, but I could be mistaken. I know when I buy goods in Japan, they repeatedly tell me not to open/use the items within the country prior to export if I want my tax refund. To be on the safe side, my Rimowas were empty.
Jun 23, 2017, 12:43 am
#275
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SIN
Programs: CX DM, SQ KF Gold
Posts: 980
I bought my last Rimowa from koffer-direkt about 3 years ago, and back then I had no problems using them "normally", i.e. containing clothes etc at the point of departure. The customs officers at Frankfurt Airport realised that suitcases are clearly made for transporting goods in them, so they did not question me once having already packed them. I had even brought the suitcase along in its original plastic bag that it had been delivered in, and the customs officers said that this was not necessary at all. So I guess it ultimately depends on a) what type of officer stamps your form and b) how persuasive you are, in case the officer is having a bad day...
By the way, does anyone happen to have an up-to-date discount code for koffer-direkt for this month (June 2017)?
By the way, does anyone happen to have an up-to-date discount code for koffer-direkt for this month (June 2017)?
Jun 23, 2017, 8:55 am
#276
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: BAEC Gold, LH M&M Member
Posts: 2,705
1. You can use the items, but they mustn't be used up. E.g. you can use a suitcase, and you end up exporting a suitcase. You can buy some shirts, wear them, then export them.
2. (For the EU) the items must be exported within 3 months of purchase.
2. (For the EU) the items must be exported within 3 months of purchase.
Sep 23, 2017, 7:30 pm
#277
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 22,212
In case anyone is on the look out for a good deal on Rimowa cases, Koffer Direkt is currently running a buy one get one half price promotion this weekend.
Sep 30, 2017, 4:28 pm
#278
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 374
Sep 30, 2017, 5:29 pm
#279
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK
Posts: 22,212
I came across it purely by chance - BA/CX did a number on my case 9 days ago so I started looking for a replacement while the battered one is away getting repaired.
Unfortunately, the promotion has since ended - it was only valid for purchases made last weekend. Sorry you missed it.
Unfortunately, the promotion has since ended - it was only valid for purchases made last weekend. Sorry you missed it.
Nov 2, 2017, 10:28 am
#282
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 106
Thanks for this immaculate! I'm going to try this too..
Koffer Profi has 15% off ending Nov 2
Koffer Profi has 15% off ending Nov 2
hey dt18997,
Yup, I'm based in the US. ~2 months prior to my planned trip to Germany, I started looking at what cases I wanted and looking for coupon codes for koffer direkt and koffer-profi. I had previously ordered a 29" Topas from KD back when they were shipping to the US, so was fairly comfortable ordering from them. It was my first time ordering from koffer-profi. I got in touch with the concierge at my hotel in Germany, made sure they were OK with accepting parcels for me and holding them (they were - and no fee at all!) and started shopping.
I found a coupon for 15% off at koffer direkt around Black Friday and went ahead and ordered the Topas IATA case I wanted. A few days later, I decided that 15% (plus the 19% VAT refund) was too good of a deal to pass up and decided I wanted a Salsa Deluxe as well. koffer direkt was sold out of the colour/size I wanted, so I waited a week or so hoping it would come back in stock. When it was clear it wouldn't, I found out that koffer-profi had 15% off as well, and ordered the case from them. I informed both koffer direkt and koffer-profi that I intended to export the cases and wanted VAT refund forms. I paid using PayPal for one of them because they wouldn't accept my USA billing address + Germany shipping address.
Receipts were a bit tricky - both agreed to send me VAT refund forms. koffer direkt sent receipt/invoice by post to my home in Southern California and I was lucky to find it in my mailbox while transiting through one weekend. koffer-profi included the receipt with the Salsa Deluxe direct to Germany. Neither sent me the required forms for export, but fortunately koffer-profi had them on their website (forms are in German). I was able to get some instructions on which parts of the form needed to be filled out, but had only a vague idea of what to do from there.
Arrived in Germany and concierge had left my new cases in the room. I printed copies of the export forms and filled them out. I learned that if you are buying from different retailers like I did, it's one retailer per form, as these forms need to be mailed back to the retailer once stamped. The export process is fairly simple. You bring the receipts, completed export forms, and the items to airport. I checked in with UA first, got the bags tagged as checked bags, then went over to the customs counter. Customs will stamp the forms, x-ray the goods (they asked twice if there was anything in the cases - fortunately I left them empty), and then you get the forms back with export stamps on them. Protip: bring extra copies of the form! It will be rejected for any minor mistake, and customs does NOT keep extra forms handy. From there, you need to mail the forms to the retailer once you are back stateside. From time of mailing, it took ~7 days for me to receive my VAT refunds direct to my credit card/paypal. I got ~16% back.
My Topas IATA wound up costing ~470 euros, or ~$500 USD. Not bad compared to $995 + tax at department stores here in SF ^
If I missed any part of the process that you want clarified, feel free to ask! It took me a while to piece this process together for the first time before this trip and I'm glad I did - saved quite a bit on 2 new cases.
Yup, I'm based in the US. ~2 months prior to my planned trip to Germany, I started looking at what cases I wanted and looking for coupon codes for koffer direkt and koffer-profi. I had previously ordered a 29" Topas from KD back when they were shipping to the US, so was fairly comfortable ordering from them. It was my first time ordering from koffer-profi. I got in touch with the concierge at my hotel in Germany, made sure they were OK with accepting parcels for me and holding them (they were - and no fee at all!) and started shopping.
I found a coupon for 15% off at koffer direkt around Black Friday and went ahead and ordered the Topas IATA case I wanted. A few days later, I decided that 15% (plus the 19% VAT refund) was too good of a deal to pass up and decided I wanted a Salsa Deluxe as well. koffer direkt was sold out of the colour/size I wanted, so I waited a week or so hoping it would come back in stock. When it was clear it wouldn't, I found out that koffer-profi had 15% off as well, and ordered the case from them. I informed both koffer direkt and koffer-profi that I intended to export the cases and wanted VAT refund forms. I paid using PayPal for one of them because they wouldn't accept my USA billing address + Germany shipping address.
Receipts were a bit tricky - both agreed to send me VAT refund forms. koffer direkt sent receipt/invoice by post to my home in Southern California and I was lucky to find it in my mailbox while transiting through one weekend. koffer-profi included the receipt with the Salsa Deluxe direct to Germany. Neither sent me the required forms for export, but fortunately koffer-profi had them on their website (forms are in German). I was able to get some instructions on which parts of the form needed to be filled out, but had only a vague idea of what to do from there.
Arrived in Germany and concierge had left my new cases in the room. I printed copies of the export forms and filled them out. I learned that if you are buying from different retailers like I did, it's one retailer per form, as these forms need to be mailed back to the retailer once stamped. The export process is fairly simple. You bring the receipts, completed export forms, and the items to airport. I checked in with UA first, got the bags tagged as checked bags, then went over to the customs counter. Customs will stamp the forms, x-ray the goods (they asked twice if there was anything in the cases - fortunately I left them empty), and then you get the forms back with export stamps on them. Protip: bring extra copies of the form! It will be rejected for any minor mistake, and customs does NOT keep extra forms handy. From there, you need to mail the forms to the retailer once you are back stateside. From time of mailing, it took ~7 days for me to receive my VAT refunds direct to my credit card/paypal. I got ~16% back.
My Topas IATA wound up costing ~470 euros, or ~$500 USD. Not bad compared to $995 + tax at department stores here in SF ^
If I missed any part of the process that you want clarified, feel free to ask! It took me a while to piece this process together for the first time before this trip and I'm glad I did - saved quite a bit on 2 new cases.
Nov 2, 2017, 3:11 pm
#283
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: LHR, SEA, ZRH
Posts: 707
can anyone get the Koffer Profi 15% discount working for Rimowa? doesn't seem to work or reflected on their site: https://www.kofferprofi.de/Reisegepa...rken/Rimowa/2/
Nov 6, 2017, 9:22 pm
#284
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 525
Bit of an update on my experience with Koffer Direkt.
I picked up a 55cm Limbo from Koffer Direkt and shipped it to my friend in the UK since I was going to be there 2 weeks later. Shipping was prompt (arrived in 2 days) and fully tracked the entire way via DHL. I emailed them and asked them to send me the VAT refund forms which they then mailed to my friend's address as well. The forms were pre-filled out so I just needed it stamped when I left. I took it to the customs counter at LHR in T3 when I left and the officer seemed to know what to do. He looked at the form and stamped the bottom of the front page accordingly. I got back to Canada and just mailed the forms back to Koffer Direkt. I'll update on when and if I get the refund.
I picked up a 55cm Limbo from Koffer Direkt and shipped it to my friend in the UK since I was going to be there 2 weeks later. Shipping was prompt (arrived in 2 days) and fully tracked the entire way via DHL. I emailed them and asked them to send me the VAT refund forms which they then mailed to my friend's address as well. The forms were pre-filled out so I just needed it stamped when I left. I took it to the customs counter at LHR in T3 when I left and the officer seemed to know what to do. He looked at the form and stamped the bottom of the front page accordingly. I got back to Canada and just mailed the forms back to Koffer Direkt. I'll update on when and if I get the refund.